What Is Fiber-Optic TV?

Fiber-optic TV refers to television programming delivered through a fiber-optic network of cables, rather than antenna, satellite or cable transmissions. Fiber-optic cables consist of strands of glass the breadth of a human hair that carry digital signals along the length of the transmission line. Also known as optical fibers, hundreds of these finely spun glass fibers are bundled together within a protective sheath and transmit television program information through pulses of light. Fiber-optic TV requires the use of a special receiver, similar to cable TV, to interpret the signals from the optical cable and translate them into images on a customer's TV. Advantages of fiber-optic information transmission are many, including less expensive components, faster transmission speeds and clearer reception.

Fiber-optic TV represents a step up from conventional cable TV for minimal additional cost. Fiber optics consists of very thin glass strands bundled together within a protective covering. Light pulses carry data the length of the fiber-optic cable line, with less interference and at a faster rate than conventional copper wire. Glass is less subject to disruption and interference than metal, so the customer's reception is often more consistent and clearer than when using the copper lines of a cable TV provider.

December 10, 2011

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