Goto Section: 76.505 | 76.602 | Table of Contents
FCC 76.601
Revised as of October 1, 2011
Goto Year:2010 |
2012
§ 76.601 Performance tests.
(a) The operator of each cable television system shall be responsible
for insuring that each such system is designed, installed, and operated
in a manner that fully complies with the provisions of this subpart.
(b) The operator of each cable television system shall conduct complete
performance tests of that system at least twice each calendar year (at
intervals not to exceed seven months), unless otherwise noted below.
The performance tests shall be directed at determining the extent to
which the system complies with all the technical standards set forth in
§ 76.605(a) and shall be as follows:
(1) For cable television systems with 1000 or more subscribers but with
12,500 or fewer subscribers, proof-of-performance tests conducted
pursuant to this section shall include measurements taken at six (6)
widely separated points. However, within each cable system, one
additional test point shall be added for every additional 12,500
subscribers or fraction thereof (e.g., 7 test points if 12,501 to
25,000 subscribers; 8 test points if 25,001 to 37,500 subscribers,
etc.). In addition, for technically integrated portions of cable
systems that are not mechanically continuous ( i.e. , employing
microwave connections), at least one test point will be required for
each portion of the cable system served by a technically integrated
microwave hub. The proof-of-performance test points chosen shall be
balanced to represent all geographic areas served by the cable system.
At least one-third of the test points shall be representative of
subscriber terminals most distant from the system input and from each
microwave receiver (if microwave transmissions are employed), in terms
of cable length. The measurements may be taken at convenient monitoring
points in the cable network: Provided, that data shall be included to
relate the measured performance of the system as would be viewed from a
nearby subscriber terminal. An identification of the instruments,
including the makes, model numbers, and the most recent date of
calibration, a description of the procedures utilized, and a statement
of the qualifications of the person performing the tests shall also be
included.
(2) Proof-of-performance tests to determine the extent to which a cable
television system complies with the standards set forth in § 76.605(a)
(3), (4), and (5) shall be made on each of the NTSC or similar video
channels of that system. Unless otherwise as noted,
proof-of-performance tests for all other standards in § 76.605(a) shall
be made on a minimum of four (4) channels plus one additional channel
for every 100 MHz, or fraction thereof, of cable distribution system
upper frequency limit (e.g., 5 channels for cable television systems
with a cable distribution system upper frequency limit of 101 to 216
MHz; 6 channels for cable television systems with a cable distribution
system upper frequency limit of 217-300 MHz; 7 channels for cable
television systems with a cable distribution upper frequency limit to
300 to 400 MHz, etc.). The channels selected for testing must be
representative of all the channels within the cable television system.
(3) The operator of each cable television system shall conduct
semi-annual proof-of-performance tests of that system, to determine the
extent to which the system complies with the technical standards set
forth in § 76.605(a)(4) as follows. The visual signal level on each
channel shall be measured and recorded, along with the date and time of
the measurement, once every six hours (at intervals of not less than
five hours or no more than seven hours after the previous measurement),
to include the warmest and the coldest times, during a 24-hour period
in January or February and in July or August.
(4) The operator of each cable television system shall conduct
triennial proof-of-performance tests of its system to determine the
extent to which the system complies with the technical standards set
forth in § 76.605(a)(11).
(c) Successful completion of the performance tests required by
paragraph (b) of this section does not relieve the system of the
obligation to comply with all pertinent technical standards at all
subscriber terminals. Additional tests, repeat tests, or tests
involving specified subscriber terminals may be required by the
Commission or the local franchiser to secure compliance with the
technical standards.
(d) The provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section shall not
apply to any cable television system having fewer than 1,000
subscribers: Provided, however, that any cable television system using
any frequency spectrum other than that allocated to over-the-air
television and FM broadcasting (as described in § § 73.603 and 73.210
of this chapter) is required to conduct all tests, measurements and
monitoring of signal leakage that are required by this subpart. A cable
television system operator complying with the monitoring, logging and
the leakage repair requirements of § 76.614, shall be considered to
have met the requirements of this paragraph. However, the leakage log
shall be retained for five years rather than the two years prescribed
in § 76.1706.
Note 1 to § 76.601: Prior to requiring any additional testing pursuant
to § 76.601(c), the local franchising authority shall notify the cable
operator who will be allowed thirty days to come into compliance with
any perceived signal quality problems which need to be corrected. The
Commission may request cable operators to test their systems at any
time.
Note 2 to § 76.601: Section 76.1717 contains recordkeeping requirements
for each system operator in order to show compliance with the technical
rules of this subpart.
Note 3 to § 76.601: Section 76.1704 contains recordkeeping requirements
for proof of performance tests.
[ 65 FR 53615 , Sept. 5, 2000]
Goto Section: 76.505 | 76.602
Goto Year: 2010 |
2012
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