• Explain how cable modems work.
• Identify and describe Transmission Media’s and their signalling.
• Explain the advantages of a broadband system.
• Recognise the different Architectures.
• Describe problem areas in the Return Path.
• Operate test Equipment and recognise results.

History of the CATV
From 1940 to present day.

RF Spectrum including out-of-use areas
CATV Spectrum including out-of-use areas, allocation of the spectrum, why use the Return Path?

Types of Service
Impulse Pay Per View, near video/ video on demand, telephony, personal communication services, data & information services, status monitoring & control, distance learning video & audio, electronic news gathering.

Architectures
“Cable” side, “Home” side, Head end, Trunk-branch, cable area network, fibre backbone, fibre-to-the-feeder FTTC, PON, Dual Counter Redundant Ring, Synchronised Optical Network.

What are cable modems?
Internal, External, Set top, Modulation, Demodulation, QAM, tuners, speeds, CMTS.

Data flows
Downstream/Upstream, data formats, bursts, reserved slots, contention slots, ranging slots, MAC, example packet flows.

Network Alignment
Forward and reverse path, sweeping the network, sweep methods, balancing methods.

The Competition
Direct broadcast satellite, Multichannel Multipoint Distribution System, Local Multipoint Distribution System.

Coaxial Cable
Components, the skin effect, properties of cable.

Fibre Optics (F.O.)
Where F.O. is used, principals of transmission, optical fibre advantages, fibre cable construction, HFC.