Cisco Cable TV EGC GaN Segmentable Node A90201, RF Amplifier Teardown

Teardown of Cisco Cable TV EGC GAN node and drop amplifier. Electronic Gain Control (EGC) technology and GaN (Gallium Nitride) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs}. These are modern versions running on fiber networks.

These small amplifiers are used in houses where it is not practical to use a receiving antenna to get the signal from the broadcast headend transmitter. They are also called a “service drop”. Historically CATV is short for Community Antenna TV. A large receiving antenna was used and a cable connection ran out to every house in the neighborhood. Each house had one of these amplifiers. The return path amplifier can also send some of the signal back into the line to keep the signal good enough for the next house. In Denmark, the large receiving antennas has mostly been substituted with fiber connections. For more cable TV equipment teardowns, check out the complete list of teardowns.

Cisco Cable TV EGC GaN Segmentable Node Inside

  • RF output level adjustable over a wide range: 94 to 119 dBµV
  • Wide optical input: -7 to +2 dBm, 1200-1600 nm wavelength.
  • Configurable for 1 GHz or 862 MHz operation
  • Configured by Electronic Gain Control (EGC) technology
  • Full segmentable in forward path and reverse path
  • Automatic redundancy switching for forward path

From the backbone network connected fiber TX module, the signal goes through a pSEMI PE4256 SPDT switch. Before the pre-amplifier, a Peregrine Semiconductor (pSemi) PE4304 75Ω RF digital attenuator, 6-bit, 32.5dB, DC-2GHz. The pre-amplifier is a Skyworks ACA2402, 750-1000 MHz 22 dB gain push-pull line amplifier. The output amplifier is a RFMD RFCM2680, 45-1003 MHz, power double amplifier. 450 mA at 24VDC, for a 22.5 dB gain. From here the copper cable network to the end-user, is connected.

Cable TV network illustration used with permission according to: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HFC_Network_Diagram.svg

FTTx illustration by “Riick” used with permission according to: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FTTX.svg

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