system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How does cable work? I know streaming shows and movies downloads bytes but does cable use bytes? Are cable recorded shows just files to be played back?
gpt
In the old days, cable contained analog signals.  There are still some of those systems around.

Cable now sends digital packets to the box.  The box  is simply a decoder.  The digital packets contain bytes of digital information.

Yes, the recorded shows are simply files.  The files are broken down into packets.  The packets are then sent to the box.

Live TV also sends packets to the box.