How Broadband Cable Networks (Xfinity etc.) Work and Probing One with a Spectrum Analyzer (RTL-SDR)
How hybrid fiber-coaxial internet and TV broadband networks work (this includes Comcast/Xfinity, Spectrum, Optimum, Cox, Atlantic Broadband, Armstrong, etc.), capacity limitations on HFC networks (especially when it comes to upload speeds), how providers are dividing spectrum between TV and internet, and probing my Comcast coaxial line with a cheap RF spectrum analyzer (the RTL-SDR USB).
VIDEO CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:25 How Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial Broadband Networks Work
4:45 Required Hardware
5:33 Required Software
5:46 RTL-SDR USB Driver Installation
8:22 "Spektrum" Spectrum Analyzer Software Installation & Setup
11:11 Spectrum Analyzer Plot of My Entire Comcast Line Bandwidth
14:30 Individual 6 MHz SC-QAM Channels Close-Up View
15:22 Unmodulated Analog TV Channels Still on the Line in 2022?!
16:47 DOCSIS 3.1 Internet OFDM Channel Close-Up View
17:43 Uplink Frequency Band (5-88 MHz) Close-Up View
18:05 Running an Internet Speed Test While Viewing Uplink Spectrum
18:44 Identifying What SC-QAM Channels are Used for with Diagnostics on Cable Modem and TV Set
20:35 Diagnosing Coax/Cable Interference Problems
21:45 Outro
HARDWARE LIST
Reasonably fast Windows computer with a USB port
RTL-SDR USB (Global): https://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-d...
RTL-SDR USB ($30, Amazon U.S.): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0129EBDS2/
SMA to F-Type Coax Adapters ($7, Amazon U.S.): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D28P28J/
INITIAL SETUP SOFTWARE LINKS
RTL-SDR QUICK START GUIDE: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-quick...
MICROSOFT .NET 5.0: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download...
AIRSPY SDR PACKAGE: https://airspy.com/download/
SPEKTRUM LINKS
SPEKTRUM GITHUB PAGE: https://github.com/SV8ARJ/spektrum
DIRECT DROPBOX DOWNLOADS: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c7vjbvm0mh...
DOUBLE A GOOGLE DRIVE DOWNLOAD MIRROR: https://drive.google.com/drive/folder...
ADDITIONAL VIDEO LINKS
Improve Antenna TV Reception and Detect Interference using the RTL-SDR USB as a Spectrum Analyzer: • Improve Antenna TV Reception and Detect In...
Decoding HD Radio on Windows with RTL-SDR USB: • Decoding HD Radio on Windows with RTL-SDR USB
SDR# Plugin for Tuning a "Hidden" FM SCA Subcarrier (Radio Reading Service for the Blind) (with RTL-SDR USB)
: • Tuning an FM Audio Subcarrier (SCA) & Deco...
Tuning FM Radio & Decoding RDS Data on ANDROID using RTL-SDR USB: • Tuning FM Radio & Decoding RDS Data on AND...
INFORMATION SOURCES (AND FOR FURTHER READING)
Hybrid fiber-coaxial (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_...
Understanding Band Splits (SCTE Broadband Library): https://broadbandlibrary.com/understa...
Intermodulation Distortion (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermo...
-- ADDITIONAL SEARCH KEYWORDS --
Double A Labs
DoubleALabs
Double A Laboratories
DoubleALaboratories
Adam A Comedy and Tech
Adam A Comedy & Tech
AdamAComedy
Video produced by Double A Labs. This video was NOT SPONSORED by the manufacturer of the RTL-SDR USB stick, but I do recommend it! https://www.rtl-sdr.com/