Content area
The problems and current proposals for implementing digital networks on existing cable television systems are surveyed. The survey presents a summary of the cable TV medium, describes some of the special problems that medium presents, and discusses several proposed implementations of networks on cable TV systems. These proposals include: 1. using the telephone system to transmit to the head end; 2. CableNet, a commercial system providing a network using cable TV components; 3. a spread spectrum 2 hop network for providing upstream channel access; 4. a design called an intelligent switch filtering technique; 5. Homenet, which breaks a large cable system into a number of smaller area homenets using additional hardware; 6. TVNet and TVNet II, both of which are designed to control access to the cable system; and 7. distributed switching over a single trunk cable TV network. The strengths and weaknesses of each proposal are examined.