Forum Discussion

MikeyD3's avatar
MikeyD3
Tuning in
7 months ago
Solved

HD/UHD Signal

Hi, I've been a fibre optic customer ever since Cable & Wireless dug up the pavements decades ago. At that time HD TV didn't exist, hence I was curious whether the junction box, splitter & coaxial le...
  • nodrogd's avatar
    nodrogd
    6 months ago

    It’s exactly the same system that carried analogue. When terrestrial Freeview & Sky satellite launched digital there was no need to change the cabling or antennas. The same frequencies are used. It is just the equipment at either end (transmission equipment & set top boxes) now deal with broadcast digital data streams & not analogue signals. The difference between SD, HD & UHD is all down to data rates & compression techniques. As far as the cables & splitters are concerned they are doing what they have always done. Pass a radio signal between transmitter (the cable headend) & receiver (your set top box). What that radio signal contains makes no difference.

    Most of my wiring is originally from 1993, when we had 40 analogue cable TV channels & nothing else. It now carries 200+ digital channels in all definitions, plus my 350Mb internet & phone.

nodrogd's avatar
nodrogd
Very Insightful Person
6 months ago

It’s exactly the same system that carried analogue. When terrestrial Freeview & Sky satellite launched digital there was no need to change the cabling or antennas. The same frequencies are used. It is just the equipment at either end (transmission equipment & set top boxes) now deal with broadcast digital data streams & not analogue signals. The difference between SD, HD & UHD is all down to data rates & compression techniques. As far as the cables & splitters are concerned they are doing what they have always done. Pass a radio signal between transmitter (the cable headend) & receiver (your set top box). What that radio signal contains makes no difference.

Most of my wiring is originally from 1993, when we had 40 analogue cable TV channels & nothing else. It now carries 200+ digital channels in all definitions, plus my 350Mb internet & phone.

MikeyD3's avatar
MikeyD3
Tuning in
6 months ago

Many thanks for that helpful answer. It was just a thought that occurred to me as if upgrade from tivo to 360 or a dvd player to a 4k blue ray player/streamer you need to updrade the hdmi lead to be able to pass thru 4k content, but as you've kindly explained, its the set top box & player which decodes it (the signal) initially. Many thanks & have a great weekend:)

  • nodrogd's avatar
    nodrogd
    Very Insightful Person
    6 months ago
    MikeyD3 wrote:

    Many thanks for that helpful answer. It was just a thought that occurred to me as if upgrade from tivo to 360 or a dvd player to a 4k blue ray player/streamer you need to updrade the hdmi lead to be able to pass thru 4k content, but as you've kindly explained, its the set top box & player which decodes it (the signal) initially. Many thanks & have a great weekend:)

    You only mentioned coaxial cables previously. HDMI leads are a different matter. These data leads have had to evolve as the technology has changed. The increase in compression rates & the introduction of content protection means there are several standards out there. The latest standard HDMI 2.0 leads are the only ones compatible with UHD & HDR that is used on modern TVs.

    https://avlab.com.tw/blog/view/43