Cable box (outside)
Encyclopedia
A cable box is a metal enclosure (found in the vicinity of a house that has cable service) that connects a house or building to the cable provider. This is traditionally the demarcation point
and signifies where the service provider's responsibility ends and the customer's responsibility (for cabling and connections) begins. The box is usually located near the connection points for other service connections (electric
or telephone
). Other locations of the cable box include centralized locations (apartment buildings
), lawns, or telephone poles.
or building
being serviced. To control which channels are available to the subscriber, service providers may place analog filters
at the transmitting or receiving end, a method once popular in the '90s although now less common. Digital cable
providers now use digital methods to control the availability of channels.
Demarcation point
In telephony, the demarcation point is the point at which the public switched telephone network ends and connects with the customer's on-premises wiring. It is the dividing line which determines who is responsible for installation and maintenance of wiring and equipment -- customer/subscriber, or...
and signifies where the service provider's responsibility ends and the customer's responsibility (for cabling and connections) begins. The box is usually located near the connection points for other service connections (electric
Electric power distribution
File:Electricity grid simple- North America.svg|thumb|380px|right|Simplified diagram of AC electricity distribution from generation stations to consumers...
or telephone
Telephony
In telecommunications, telephony encompasses the general use of equipment to provide communication over distances, specifically by connecting telephones to each other....
). Other locations of the cable box include centralized locations (apartment buildings
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
), lawns, or telephone poles.
Purpose
Cable boxes direct cable service to the cable wiring inside the houseHouse
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
or building
Building
In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...
being serviced. To control which channels are available to the subscriber, service providers may place analog filters
Electronic filter
Electronic filters are electronic circuits which perform signal processing functions, specifically to remove unwanted frequency components from the signal, to enhance wanted ones, or both...
at the transmitting or receiving end, a method once popular in the '90s although now less common. Digital cable
Digital cable
Digital cable is a generic term for any type of cable television distribution using digital video compression or distribution. The technology was originally developed by Motorola.-Background:...
providers now use digital methods to control the availability of channels.