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From: lauren@vortex.UUCP (Lauren Weinstein)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re: A Question on Cable Converters and Converting in 2 Directions
Message-ID: <382@vortex.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-Aug-84 21:28:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: vortex.382
Posted: Mon Aug 13 21:28:38 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 16-Aug-84 01:42:01 EDT
References: <8634@watmath.uucp>
Organization: Vortex Technology, Los Angeles
Lines: 32

All sorts of games can be played with stripping out some channels,
processing them (e.g. through your legal decoder) changing output channels,
then reinserting back into the primary cable feed.  There are many 
varieties of converters (single channel and "block") for moving
channels around.  HOWEVER:

1) By and large, you won't find most of these devices down at
   your local Radio Shack.  This sort of equipment is widely stocked
   by wholesale cable TV supply companies, who may or may not be
   interested in dealing with you as an individual.  Usually not.

2) The equipment can get expensive.  Not so much the converters themselves
   (though they ain't cheap) but because...

3) ... the RE-INSERTING of signals, unlike splitting off of signals, can
   be a royal pain and may involve large investments in special sideband
   traps, filters, and other equipment, depending on how "crowded"
   your cable is with channels and what channels you are attempting
   to combine.  Adjacent channel and other interference, resulting in
   herringbone and other fascinating effects, is very common in these
   situations.  Many cable companies can't even get this right, which
   explains part of the reason for much lousy cable service. 

I have a very elaborate cable setup here, and know various people
(some of them local (L.A.) TV broadcast engineers with similar
systems.  Most of us have given up on recombining signals, at least
on our systems.  The overall investment in equipment and ongoing time
to keep everything aligned just isn't worth the hassle for us.
A/B switches are much easier to setup and maintain, even though they
aren't as convenient to use.

--Lauren--