an efficient means for transmitting digitized return path signals over a cable television return path is disclosed . in one embodiment of the invention , the cable television return path includes a node that receives an analog return signal from a subtree of the cable television system and generates a digital transport signal representative of the analog return path signal . the digital transport signal , however , is not a digitized form of the analog return signal . rather , the digital transport signal is encoded such that fewer bits are used to represent the analog return signal without substantially impacting the accuracy and dynamic range of the signal . at the hub , the digital transport signal is decoded and converted to produce an analog signal that is a close approximation of the analog return signal .