A de-emphasis format signal generator can be configured to combine first and second electrical non-de-emphasis formatted signals provided to first and second optical modulators, coupled in parallel with one another, to provide a combined optical signal having a de-emphasis format. Accordingly, three aspects of a de-emphasis formatted signal, including a de-emphasis delay aspect, a de-emphasis attenuation aspect, and a de-emphasis combining aspect, can provided separately and in different domains (such as in the electrical domain and in the optical domain) which can be combined with one another to provide an output de-emphasis formatted optical signal.