HP 8591C Cable TV Analyzer

The HP 8591C is the industry's only one-box tester for all RF and video measurements. With this analyzer you can make RF and video measurements without interrupting your cable TV system. The HP 8591C is both a flexible troubleshooting tool and an automatic system tester. Non-interfering measurements are performed at the push of a button and can be made automatically. The flexible hardware and software design lets you easily upgrade the analyzer to accommodate changes in required measurements and measurement techniques. For added flexibility, NTSC format is standard, with options available for worldwide PAL and SECAM formats and frequency plans.

[ Features ]

RF Measurements
- Automatic tuning of visual, aural, and FM broadcast carriers
- Visual and aural carrier levels and frequencies
- Depth of modulation
- Aural and FM broadcast carrier deviation
- Carrier-to-noise-ratio
Video Measurements (Option 107 required)
- Differential gain
- Differential phase
- Chrominance-to-luminance delay inequality

[ Specifications ]

Frequency Specifications
Frequency Range:              5 to 1002 MHz (channel mode) 
                              54 to 896 MHz (system mode) 
                              50 to 850 MHz (Option 107)⁵
Input:                        75 ohms BNC female connector
Channel Selection:            Analyzer tunes to specified channels based 
                              on selected tune configuration 
Tune Configuration:           Standard, off-the-air, HRC, IRC, T and FM 
Channel Range:                1 to 158 and 201 to 300 (channel mode) 
                              1 tp 158 (system mode) 
                              2 to 134 (Option 107)⁵
Channel Frequencies:          Defined by Code of Federal Regulations, 
                              Title 47, Telecommunications, Parts 73.603,
                              76.605, 76.612 
Amplitude Range:              –15 to +70 dBmV for S/N>=30 dB 
                              0 to +60 dBmV for coupler input (Option 107)
Visual Carrier Frequency:     Visual carrier frequency is counted.

⁵For TV display, video tests (DG, DP, CLDI), and these non-interfering 
mode RF tests: C/N, CSO, in-channel flatness. 

Precision Frequency Reference (standard)  
Resolution:                  100 Hz 
Accuracy:                    ±(1.2 x 10^–7 x carrier frequency + 110 Hz) 
At 55.25 MHz (Ch. 2):        ±117 Hz 
At 325.25 MHz (Ch. 41):      ±149 Hz 
At 643.25 MHz (Ch. 94):      ±187 Hz


Option 704 Frequency Reference
Resolution:                  1 kHz 
Accuracy:                    ±(7.5 x 10^–6 x carrier frequency + 110 Hz) 
At 55.25 MHz (Ch. 2):        ±524 Hz 
At 325.25 MHz (Ch. 41):      ±2.55 Hz 
At 643.25 MHz (Ch. 94):      ±4.93 Hz


Visual-to-Aural Carrier Frequency Difference 
                             Frequency difference between visual and 
                             aural carriers is counted. 
Difference Range:            4.1 to 4.9 MHz 
Resolution:                  100 Hz 
Accuracy:                    ±221 Hz for precision frequency reference (std) 
                             ±254 Hz for Option 704 frequency reference


Visual Carrier Level  
                             The peak amplitude of the visual carrier 
                             is measured to an absolute standard traceable 
                             to the National Institute of Standards and 
                             Technology. 
Amplitude Range:             –15 to +70 dBmV 
Resolution:                  0.1 dB 
Absolute Accuracy:           ±2.0 dB for S/N >=30 dB 
Relative Accuracy:           ±1.0 dB relative to adjacent channels in frequency 
                             ±1.5 dB relative to all other channels


Digital Carrier Power Characteristics
Accuracy:                    ±0.7 dB for 8 MHz channel bandwidth and 10 averages 


Visual-to-Aural Carrier Level Difference
                             The difference between peak amplitudes of the 
                             visual and aural carriers is measured. 
Difference Range:            0 to 25 dB 
Resolution:                  0.1 dB 
Accuracy:                    ±0.75 dB for S/N >=30 dB


Depth of Modulation (characteristic)
                             Percent AM is measured from horizontal sync 
                             tip to maximum video level; measurement requires 
                             a white reference VITS and may not be valid for 
                             scrambled channels. 
AM Range:                    50 to 93% 
Resolution:                  0.1% 
Accuracy:                    ±2.0% for C/N >40 dB


FM Deviation (characteristic)
   Peak reading of FM deviation 
Range:                       ±100 kHz 
Resolution:                  100 Hz 
Accuracy:                    ±1.5 kHz


Hum/Low Frequency Disturbance
                             Power-line frequency and low frequency disturbance 
                             is measured on modulated and/or unmodulated carriers. 
                             May not be valid for scrambled channels. 
AM Range:                    0.5 to 10% 
Resolution:                  0.1% 
Accuracy:                    ±0.4% for hum <=3% 
                             ±0.7% for hum <=5% 
                             ±1.3% for hum <=10%


Visual Carrier-to-Noise Ratio ⁶
C/N:                         The C/N is calculated from the visual carrier peak 
                             level and the minimum noise level, normalized to 
4 MHz noise bandwidth. 
Optimum Input Range:         See graphs 
Maximum C/N Range:           Input level dependent; see graphs 59 to 71 dB 
                             over optimum input range 
C/N Resolution:              0.1 dB 
C/N Accuracy:                Input level and measured C/N dependent; see graphs 
                             ±1.0 to ±3.5 dB over optimum input range


CSO and CTB distortion⁶ 
                             Channel mode composite second order (CSO) and 
                             composite triple beat (CTB) distortions are measured 
                             relative to the visual carrier peak and require 
                             momentary disabling of the carrier. System mode 
                             measurements are made in the channel above the 
                             channel selected and assume that it is unused. 
                             If the analyzer has Option 107, a 
                             non-interfering CSO measurement can be made. 
Optimum Input Range:         See graphs 
Maximum CSO/CTB Range:       Input level dependent; see graphs 66 to  
                             73 dB over optimum input range 
CSO/CTB Resolution:          0.1 dB 
CSO/CTB Accuracy:            Input level and measured CSO/CTB dependent; 
                             see graphs +1.5 dB to +4.0 dB over optimum 
                             input range


Cross Modulation
Horizontal line (15.7 kHz)   Related AM is measured on the unmodulated visual 
                             carrier. 
Range:                       60 dB, useable to 65 dB 
Resolution:                  0.1 dB 
Accuracy:                    ±2.0 dB for xmod. <40 dB, C/N >40 dB 
                             ±2.6 dB for xmod. <50 dB, C/N >40 dB 
                             ±4.6 dB for xmod. <60 dB, C/N >40 dB


System Frequency Response (flatness) 
System amplitude variations are measured relative to a reference trace stored 
during the setup.


Frequency Response Setup 
Fast Sweep Time:             2 s (default) for no scrambling 
Slow Sweep Time:             8 s (default) for fixed-amplitude scrambling 
Reference Trace Storage:     50 traces that include analyzer states


Frequency Response Test
Range:                       1.0 dB/div to 20 dB/div (2 dB default) 
Resolution:                  0.05 dB 
Trace Flatness Accuracy:     ±0.1 dB per dB deviation from a flat line 
                             and ±0.75 dB maximum cumulative error 
Trace Position Accuracy:     0.0 dB for equal temperature at test locations 
                             and ±0.4 dB maximum for different ambient 
                             temperatures 


Non-Interfering Video Measurements
Option 107 required. Appropriate TV line must be selected. Requires FCC or NTC-7
composite signal. 
Differential Gain Accuracy:  ±4% for room temp. and >=20 dBmV level 
Differential Phase Accuracy: ±3° for room temp. and >=20 dBmV level 
Chrominance-Luminance Delay Inequality Accuracy 
                             ±45 ns, 32 ns typical


Non-Interfering Tests with Gate On⁶
C/N and CSO:                (quiet line must be selected) See graphs 
In-channel Frequency:       (requires sin x/x, Philips ghost canceling 
Response Accuracy:          reference, FCC multiburst, or NTC-7 combination signal) 
                            ±0.5 dB within channel

⁶A preamplifier and preselector filter may be required to achieve specifications.


C/N, CSO, and CTB Measurements
The four graphs summarize the combined HP CaLan 8591C and 85721A characteristics 
for C/N, CSO, and CTB testing on cable TV systems for CSO and CTB measurements 
with up to 77 channels and no amplitude tilt, and for C/N measurements with single 
channels. C/N,CSO, and CTB measurement accuracies and ranges can be read from the 
relevant graphs. They depend on the visual carrier peak level, the measurement 
reading, and the total power input to the analyzer. For C/N measurements with a 
preselector, there 
is no optimum range and the accuracy boundaries drop by the preselector’s insertion loss
(typically 2 dB).

Declarations of Conformity

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European Regulatory Declarations of Conformity.

[ Ordering ]

HP 8591C Cable TV analyzer, 1 MHz to 1.8 GHz Opt 107⁷ Non-Interfering RF and Video Measurements Opt 011 75-W Tracking Generator Opt 015 Replace yellow soft carrying case with tan soft carrying case Opt 030 Cable TV Data Management Software with FCC Reports Opt 040 Front Panel Cover (used without soft carrying case) Opt 041⁸ HP-IB & Parallel⁹ Interfaces (replaces standard RS-232) Opt 119 Noise Figure Card Opt 130 Narrow Resolution Bandwidths Opt 180¹⁰ TV Picture Display Opt 701 Delete TV Trigger, AM/FM demodulator, fast time-domain sweeps Opt 704 Delete Precision Frequency Reference Opt 908 Rackmount without handles Opt 909 Rackmount with handles Opt 915 Component Level Information and Service Guide Opt W30 Two Additional Years Return-to-HP Service Opt W32 Two Additional Years Return-to-HP Calibration Opt R07 Retrofit Kit for Option 107 ⁷Not compatible with Option 180 ⁸Replaces standard RS-232 and parallel interfaces ⁹Print and plot control only ¹⁰Not compatible with Option 107

Available accessories for this product include:

HP 85721A Cable TV Measurement Personality

HP 85901A AC Power Source

HP 85921B Cable TV Data Management Software

Printer Compatibility Guide for Network and Spectrum Analyzers

[ Key Literature ]