A system for testing a portion of a cable network provides a pattern generator, Addresser, forward error corrector, and comparator. ; R4, R5 and R7 represent hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl, etc. The controller includes one or more relays configured to turn power provided to the one or more ballasts on and off such that the one or more fluorescent lamps turn on and off with the switching of the one or more relays. A second optical device set directs another signal along a second path to yield a delayed signal.