How wide is a video signal in a U.S. cable system in terms of bandwidth?

In a U.S. cable system, the width of a video signal in terms of bandwidth is defined as 6 MHz. This standard is critical for ensuring that the video signals can be transmitted effectively without interference and can maintain quality throughout the system.

The choice of 6 MHz comes from the characteristics of analog television broadcasting, where a channel is allocated a bandwidth of 6 MHz to accommodate the necessary audio and visual components of the signal. This bandwidth allows for the transmission of the video data along with the accompanying audio and ensures the integrity of the signal during delivery.

Furthermore, understanding this bandwidth is essential for cable operators and engineers as it impacts the overall capacity of the cable system and the number of channels that can be effectively transmitted within the available spectrum. Resources such as Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations also support this standard, making it widely recognized in the industry.