Design and performance of a fiber-optic video distribution system using BPSK microwave subcarriers

The design and performance of a fiber-optic video distribution system using bi-phase shift keyed (BPSK) microwave subcarriers to provide each subscriber with 20 107 Mb/s digitized video channels and one voice/data channel at 2.048 Mb/s are described. The combined microwave subcarriers are used to intensity-modulate a 1.3 μm single-mode laser, one dedicated to each subscriber. The penalty in system sensitivity resulting from the use of more than one subcarrier is calculated. The design and implementation of subcarrier generation, BPSK modulation, multiplexing/demultiplexing, and subscriber receivers are described. An experiment procedure to obtain an optimum laser driver level is also described. A bit error rate of 10^-9 or less is achieved at a received optical power of -12 dB (1 mW) for all channels for each subscriber