The CATV Fiber Optical Receiver, commonly termed an Outdoor Optical Node, is a critical active device in Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial (HFC) networks. Its primary function is to receive downstream broadcast optical signals from the headend, convert them to electrical RF signals via a photodiode and amplifier circuitry, and inject them into the coaxial cable distribution system. Key advantages include its rugged, weatherproof enclosure for pole or pedestal mounting, high signal fidelity, and support for a wide RF bandwidth (e.g., 1 GHz+). It is essential for delivering multichannel video, high-speed data, and digital voice services to subscriber clusters in the final segment of the CATV network infrastructure.
Characteristics - Optical power typically ranging from -18dBm to +2dBm for CATV applications
- The operational spectrum window (usually 1100-1600nm),1310nm and 1550nm being most common
- Critical RF performance parameter (≥50dB for CATV)
- Output level (82±1dBμV typical), impedance (75Ω standard), and flatness (±0.5dB across operational bandwidth)
- Connector specifications (SC/APC or FC/APC) ensuring low back-reflection (>45dB)
- Support for specific architectures (FTTH, HFC, or PON) and protocols (DOCSIS, RFoG)
