An active video converter is used in what type of CATV cable distribution system?

Trunk and tap systems use coaxial cable throughout with passive directional couplers and active RF amplifiers to maintain signal levels, but do not require active video converters for signal format conversion.

Video over balanced twisted-pair (UTP/STP) requires active video converters because the video signal must be converted from unbalanced coaxial format to a balanced differential signal and boosted to compensate for the higher attenuation of twisted-pair cable over distance; passive-only conversion is insufficient for runs beyond a few meters, making the active converter a necessary component in this distribution topology.

Video over optical fiber uses electro-optical transceivers - laser transmitters and optical receivers - to convert electrical signals to light and back, which is a fundamentally different technology from active video converters used with twisted-pair.

A home run system uses individual coaxial cable runs from the headend directly to each outlet and relies on passive splitting at the source, not active video converters for format conversion.