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Application Note MSK200: Measuring

S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

General ....................................................................................................................................... 2
Meaning of the function RF-Setting........................................................................................... 3
Overview on function RF-Setting .............................................................................................. 4
Typical signal quality at house signal transfer points ................................................................ 5
Typical signal quality at the antenna outlet output .................................................................... 5
Typical measurement results...................................................................................................... 6

Measuring S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

Author: A.Tscherner

Application Note MSK200: Measuring


S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

General
One of the special characteristics of the MSK200 meter is that it is equipped with a
reception section that can be used as a spectrum analyzer and also as a tuner.
When operated as a spectrum analyser a pre-selection utilising fixed broadband
high- and low-pass filters is used. When operated as a tuner the pre-selection is
carried out using automatically tuned selective band-filters. This signal handling
method minimises the number of signals from a broadband cable system that the first
mixer has to cope with and so strengthens the signal immunity.
Nevertheless, it the signal meter must be correctly set up respective both the channel
power or the sum power considering the channel occupancy plan (for one channel,
several channels or for a fully occupied broadband cable system channel plan) to
ensure an optimal reception performance.

Measuring S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

Author: A.Tscherner

Application Note MSK200: Measuring


S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

Meaning of the function RF-Setting


Using the button [EXTEND] the user is able to open a window containing the function
RF-Setting. Four different settings are available:
(1) PREAMP
(2) LOW NOISE
(3) NORMAL
(4) LOW DISTORTION
Setting PREAMP
Selecting this setting a pre-amplifier is activated immediately after the input
connector.
In this way, the lowest noise figure and therefore the greatest meter sensitivity can be
attained.
However, since the pre-selection occurs after this pre-amplifier, one must realise that
this setting is only suitable for smaller input signals.
Measurements on single channel signals with levels below 65dBuV should be carried
out using this setting to ensure achieving the greatest sensitivity.
One can measure in the same manner standardly occupied cable systems with signal
levels up to 65dBuV.
Setting LOW NOISE
This setting is optimal for the measurement of individual signals from approximately
70dBuV and upwards to the maximally allowed level.
Setting NORMAL
In this setting the input mixers are driven 10dB lower than in the setting LOW NOISE.
In order to keep the overall gain of the tuner constant, the IF gain is increased by
10dB, too. This setting is optimal for the measurement of cable systems with signal
levels of about 70dBuV and higher per channel up to the maximally allowed level.
Setting LOW DISTORTION
In this setting the input mixers are driven 20dB lower than in the setting LOW NOISE.
In order to keep the overall gain of the tuner constant, the IF gain is increased by
20dB, too. This setting is to be used for the measurement of cable systems with a
high channel load and signal levels well over 80dBuV.

Measuring S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

Author: A.Tscherner

Application Note MSK200: Measuring


S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

Overview on function RF-Setting


To give a full overview, here are all the settings in tabular form:

[dBuV]
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130

1
Channel
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE
LOW NOISE

Up to 20
Channels
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
P > 0,5W
P > 0,5W

Measuring S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

Up to 100
Channels
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
P > 0,5W
P > 0,5W
P > 0,5W
P > 0,5W

Over 100
Channels
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
PREAMP
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
NORMAL
LOW DIST
LOW DIST
LOW DIST
LOW DIST
LOW DIST
P > 0,5W
P > 0,5W
P > 0,5W
P > 0,5W

Author: A.Tscherner

Application Note MSK200: Measuring


S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

Typical signal quality at signal transfer points


According to the planning directives of KDG (Cable Germany) the following system
values are to be expected at the house signal transfer point:
Signal standard
ATV PAL B/G
ATV PAL B/G
ATV PAL B/G
DVB-C 64QAM
DVB-C 64QAM
DVB-C 64QAM
DVB-C 256QAM
DVB-C 256QAM
DVB-C 256QAM

Category
Min.
Typ.
Max.
Min.
Typ.
Max.
Min.
Typ.
Max.

Level
60 dBuV
75 dBuV
83 dBuV
50 dBuV
65 dBuV
73 dBuV
56 dBuV
75 dBuV
86 dBuV

SNR(weighted) / MER
45,2 dB
> 47,5 dB
> 47,5 dB
32,4 dB
> 35,4 dB
> 35,4 dB
34,2 dB
> 37,2 dB
> 37,2 dB

Typical signal quality at the antenna outlet


According to the planning directives of KDG (Cable Germany) the following system
values are to be expected at the customers antenna outlet:
Signal
ATV PAL B/G
ATV PAL B/G
ATV PAL B/G
DVB-C 64QAM
DVB-C 64QAM
DVB-C 64QAM
DVB-C 256QAM
DVB-C 256QAM
DVB-C 256QAM

Category
Min.
Typ.
Max.
Min.
Typ.
Max.
Min.
Typ.
Max.

Measuring S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

Level
60 dBuV
70 dBuV
77 dBuV
47 dBuV
57 dBuV
67 dBuV
54 dBuV
64 dBuV
74 dBuV

SNR(weighted) / MER
> 45,5 dB
> 45,5 dB
> 45,5 dB
> 26,0 dB
> 26,0 dB
> 26,0 dB
> 32,0 dB
> 32,0 dB
> 32,0 dB

Author: A.Tscherner

Application Note MSK200: Measuring


S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

Typical measurement results


Standard channel occupancy CATV system: Channel 24, ATV, S/N weighted
[dBuV]
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100

PREAMP
32,0 dB
38,0 dB
43,5 dB
48,0 dB
51,0 dB
51,0 dB
47,5 dB
41,0 dB

LOW NOISE

NORMAL

LOW DIST

33,0 dB
39,0 dB
43,0 dB
50,0 dB
53,0 dB
54,5 dB
51,0 dB
47,0 dB
47,0 dB
47,0 dB

33,0 dB
39,0 dB
43,0 dB
50,0 dB
53,0 dB
54,5 dB
52,5 dB
54,5 dB
54,5 dB
54,5 dB

33,0 dB
39,0 dB
43,0 dB
49,0 dB
49,0 dB
49,0 dB
49,0 dB
49,5 dB
49,5 dB
49,5 dB

Standard channel occupancy CATV system: Channel S34, QAM256, MER


[dBuV]
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100

PREAMP
31,5 dB
35,0 dB
37,0 dB
38,0 dB
37,0 dB

LOW NOISE

NORMAL

LOW DIST

26,0 dB
30,0 dB
34,0 dB
37,0 dB
38,0 dB
38,0 dB
37,5 dB
35,5 dB
32,0 dB
32,5 dB
32,5 dB

26,0 dB
30,0 dB
34,0 dB
37,0 dB
38,0 dB
38,0 dB
37,5 dB
37,5 dB
37,5 dB
37,5 dB
37,0 dB

26,0 dB
30,0 dB
34,0 dB
37,0 dB
38,0 dB
38,0 dB
38,0 dB
38,0 dB
38,0 dB
38,0 dB
38,0 dB

Measuring S/N and MER in Broadband Cable

Author: A.Tscherner

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