Why Equalizers are vital for DOCSIS 3.1 deployments
Equalizers are used along the distribution line to compensate for the frequency dependent cable losses. Ideally, the equalizer has a frequency characteristic inverse to a coax cable. A simple straight-line characteristic will not match the cable loss, as this will result in signal levels that are at either too high or too low at different frequencies. Instead, the equalizers must be designed to match the square root behavior of the cable, but at the same time keeping the insertion loss low and the return losses high. This whitepaper explains why equalizers must be used in DOCSIS 3.1 deployment.