• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Electrical Engineering News and Products

Electronics Engineering Resources, Articles, Forums, Tear Down Videos and Technical Electronics How-To's

  • Products / Components
    • Analog ICs
    • Battery Power
    • Connectors
    • Microcontrollers
    • Power Electronics
    • Sensors
    • Test and Measurement
    • Wire / Cable
  • Applications
    • 5G
    • Automotive/Transportation
    • EV Engineering
    • Industrial
    • IoT
    • Medical
    • Telecommunications
    • Wearables
    • Wireless
  • Learn
    • eBooks / Handbooks
    • EE Training Days
    • Tutorials
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Webinars & Digital Events
  • Resources
    • White Papers
    • Design Guide Library
    • Digital Issues
    • Engineering Diversity & Inclusion
    • LEAP Awards
    • Podcasts
    • DesignFast
  • Videos
    • EE Videos and Interviews
    • Teardown Videos
  • EE Forums
    • EDABoard.com
    • Electro-Tech-Online.com
  • Bill’s Blogs
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Comcast inks purchase agreement for Thomson’s DTAs

July 8, 2008 By Mike Robuck

Add Thomson to the list of vendors that are providing digital-to-analog (DTA) adapters to Comcast after a purchase agreement between the two was announced late yesterday.

Comcast is relying on the adapters to reclaim spectrum that is currently being used by analog video subscribers. The DTAs are a cheaper alternative to digital set-top boxes, but while they convert the digital signals back to analog at the TVs, they don’t provide other digital cable features such as video-on-demand (VOD). Comcast seems to be relying more on DTA adapters than on switched digital video (SDV) in order to reclaim bandwidth.

Cable operators are looking at going all digital to reclaim bandwidth in order to offer more high-definition (HD) channels or wideband deployments, but the DTAs also help them provide signals to analog sets after the broadcast digital transition goes into effect on Feb. 17 of next year.

“Thomson is pleased to enter the U.S. cable video market and expand our relationship with Comcast by becoming a supplier of DTA adapters,” said Frederic Kurkjian, VP of video premises systems for Thomson’s Systems Division. “The experience on this project will be invaluable for us as the world prepares to follow suit and migrate from analog to digital.”

Motorola and Pace Micro Technology are also reportedly providing DTA adapters to Comcast. Comcast is looking at starting its migration to all digital sometime this fall.

Cable operators can reclaim between 250 MHz and 300 MHz in each system that goes all digital. If a typical cable system has 79 analog channels and the operator decides to move 59 of those channels to digital, while perhaps leaving 20 or so as a life-line analog service for some select markets, it would reclaim 354 MHz.

Given 354 MHz of reclaimed spectrum in the example above – and the fact that on average, 10 standard-definition (SD) MPEG-2 digital programs can be inserted into one 6MHz slot – this yields enough bandwidth for nearly 590 channels.

More Broadband Direct:

• Comcast inks purchase agreement for Thomson’s DTAs

• Nielsen: Average TV viewing going up

• ACA asks FCC for quiet period during digital transition

• For consumers, state video franchising is backfiring

• Report: Broadband telephony market to hit 28M subs by 2013

• RCN makes Levine 7th board member

• Avila-Marco, Morris join Juniper Networks

• Broadband Briefs for 7/08/08

You Might Also Like

Filed Under: Wire and Cable Tips

Primary Sidebar

EE Engineering Training Days

engineering

Featured Contributions

Five challenges for developing next-generation ADAS and autonomous vehicles

Robust design for Variable Frequency Drives and starters

Meeting demand for hidden wearables via Schottky rectifiers

GaN reliability milestones break through the silicon ceiling

From extreme to mainstream: how industrial connectors are evolving to meet today’s harsh demands

More Featured Contributions

EE Tech Toolbox

“ee
Tech Toolbox: Internet of Things
Explore practical strategies for minimizing attack surfaces, managing memory efficiently, and securing firmware. Download now to ensure your IoT implementations remain secure, efficient, and future-ready.

EE Learning Center

EE Learning Center
“ee
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for EE professionals.
“bills

R&D World Podcasts

R&D 100 Episode 10
See More >

Sponsored Content

Advanced Embedded Systems Debug with Jitter and Real-Time Eye Analysis

Connectors Enabling the Evolution of AR/VR/MR Devices

Award-Winning Thermal Management for 5G Designs

Making Rugged and Reliable Connections

Omron’s systematic approach to a better PCB connector

Looking for an Excellent Resource on RF & Microwave Power Measurements? Read This eBook

More Sponsored Content >>

RSS Current EDABoard.com discussions

  • Will this TL084C based current clamp circuit work?
  • Mains inverter with switching node going out on the mains cable!?
  • ISL8117 buck converter blowing up
  • MOSFET thermal noise in Weak vs Strong inversion
  • System verilog constraint error

RSS Current Electro-Tech-Online.com Discussions

  • Kawai KDP 80 Electronic Piano Dead
  • My Advanced Realistic Humanoid Robots Project
  • FSK SER on the same symbols
  • Wideband matching an electrically short bowtie antenna; 50 ohm, 434 MHz
  • using a RTC in SF basic
Search Millions of Parts from Thousands of Suppliers.

Search Now!
design fast globle

Footer

EE World Online

EE WORLD ONLINE NETWORK

  • 5G Technology World
  • Analog IC Tips
  • Battery Power Tips
  • Connector Tips
  • DesignFast
  • EDABoard Forums
  • Electro-Tech-Online Forums
  • Engineer's Garage
  • EV Engineering
  • Microcontroller Tips
  • Power Electronic Tips
  • Sensor Tips
  • Test and Measurement Tips

EE WORLD ONLINE

  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Teardown Videos
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
  • About Us

Copyright © 2025 · WTWH Media LLC and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media.

Privacy Policy