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Chapter: Basic Electrical and electronics : Foundamentals of Communication Enginnering

Types of signal: Analog signal and digital signal

Definitions of Analog vs Digital signals, Differences in Applications, Comparison of Analog vs Digital Quality, Differences in Usage in Equipment, Properties of Digital vs Analog signals.

Types of signal

 

Analog signal and digital signal

Definitions of Analog vs Digital signals

 

An Analog signal is any continuous signal for which the time varying feature (variable) of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. It differs from a digital signal in terms of small fluctuations in the signal which are meaningful.

 

A digital signal uses discrete (discontinuous) values. By contrast, non-digital (or analog) systems use a continuous range of values to represent information. Although digital representations are discrete, the information represented can be either discrete, such as numbers or letters, or continuous, such as sounds, images, and other measurements of continuous systems.

 

Properties of Digital vs Analog signals

 

Digital information has certain properties that distinguish it from analog communication methods. These include

 

Synchronization digital communication uses specific synchronization sequences for determining synchronization.

 

Language digital communications requires a language which should be possessed by both sender and receiver and should specify meaning of symbol sequences.

 

Errors disturbances in analog communication causes errors in actual intended communication but disturbances in digital communication does not cause errors enabling error free communication. Errors should be able to substitute, insert or delete symbols to be expressed.

 

Copying analog communication copies are quality wise not as good as their originals while due to error free digital communication, copies can be made indefinitely.

 

Granularity for a continuously variable analog value to be represented in digital form there occur quantization error which is difference in actual analog value and digital representation and this property of digital communication is known as granularity.

 

Differences in Usage in Equipment

 

Many devices come with built in translation facilities from analog to digital. Microphones and speaker are perfect examples of analog devices. Analog technology is cheaper but there is a limitation of size of data that can be transmitted at a given time.

 

Digital technology has revolutionized the way most of the equipments work. Data is converted into binary code and then reassembled back into original form at reception point. Since these can be easily manipulated, it offers a wider range of options. Digital equipment is more expensive than analog equipment.

Comparison of Analog vs Digital Quality

 

Digital devices translate and reassemble data and in the process are more prone to loss of quality as compared to analog devices. Computer advancement has enabled use of error detection and error correction techniques to remove disturbances artificially from digital signals and improve quality.

 

Differences in Applications

 

Digital technology has been most efficient in cellular phone industry. Analog phones have become redundant even though sound clarity and quality was good.

 

Analog technology comprises of natural signals like human speech. With digital technology this human speech can be saved and stored in a computer. Thus digital technology opens up the horizon for endless possible uses.

 

Comparison chart






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Basic Electrical and electronics : Foundamentals of Communication Enginnering : Types of signal: Analog signal and digital signal |


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