Hello Joe50!
Well, as the old saying goes: "Garbage in, Garbage out". Yes, you need a good C/N to start off with at the amplifier (as in headend and optical links too). If you have trashy C/N from the start, you will not help the C/N by meeting or exceeding noise figure. The amplifier, as in ALL active devices, will contribute noise to whatever signal is put into it. It will logically degrade as the cascade deepens. That is why there are designs for maximum amplifier cascades with specific numbers (inputs/tilts/channel loading/ect) for minimum distortions and maximum efficency.
Todays technology is a bit more liberal compared to the old "trunk and feeder" days that did not use fiber. Today most all amplifiers are used as a "super distrubution" and have almost "like" amplifiers with similar outputs fed by a fiber node. If you are only 1-6 deep in cascade, how bad can it get compared to the stuff of yesteryear? Kinda like..."Keep It Simple". I used to hate maintaining a cascade of 30+ deep in the old days...lol.
Have a great one!
Greg
Re: Residential Amps
Member #: 7190
Registered: 1996-2001
Posted:
483
Name:
Greg Tobin
Name:
Greg Tobin
Company:
Interactive Broadband Technical Services
Occupation:
HFC Engineer/Consultant
Location:
www.interactive-broadband.com
Personal:
Experience:
~45 years
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