Simultaneous Distribution of Analogue AM-TV and Multigigabit HDTV with Optical Amplifier

Abstract

Analogue FDM transmission of AM-VSB TV-channels over optical fibres is used today to upgrade existing copper-based CATV networks. With the aid of optical amplifiers (EDFA) cost competitive FTTC systems will be realized /1,2/. The strategy for the distribution of HDTV-channels is not so clear today, but in any case, digital transmission will yield the highest quality /3/. In this paper we demonstrate the feasibility of flexible TV/HDTV-distribu- tion using simultaneous analogue AM and digital PCM transmission over optical amplifiers without any mutual quality degradation.