Budgeting Stereo Separation in a CATV System

CATV systems use many more devices in the signal path than were ever anticipated in the creation of BISC stereo. The problem of maintaining stereo separation in such a system is one that is presently being addressed by any system operator wishing to upgrade to stereo. Prior attempts at budgeting the degradation of stereo separation in such systems have concentrated on characterizing the amplitude and phase errors of the various devices. Measurement of these characteristics can be difficult. Further, factors not sufficiently considered by such an analysis can substantially degrade separation.