Information

Digital Signals Goodbye to Analog

By: Kevin Cantera
Submitted: 2008-02-29 00:40:23
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

As this first decade of the 21st Century draws to a close, so also does the age of analog. When it comes to communications, analog has served humanity long and well, but the old technology is being phased out by governments and manufacturers alike, and within ten years, the old analog systems will likely be a technological footnote to history. Put simply, analog equipment cannot compete with the capacity of digital and, as a result of simple economics, it is destined to dwindle away. Of course, analog systems made sense when first created, for analog signals are able to duplicate virtually any natural phenomena, such as sound or light, which are analog inherently because they are infinitely variable.

With analog systems of communications, the biggest problem has always been noise. While analog offers the infinite variability that replicates the natural state of sound or light, converting those phenomena into an electrical signal and then back again into a sound or an image creates “noise.” The term is used because it can literally produce noise in an audio system – the hiss or rumble that is heard in poor quality recordings. Noise also shows itself in the grain or “snow” that can trouble a TV signal. Noise affects an electronic signal at every stage of the communications process, and its effects add up.

Although a digital signal cannot directly represent an analog quantity, everybody know that a digital device like and Mp3 player offers excellent quality duplication of sound, which is, in fact, an analog phenomenon. The process by which a digital signal duplicates an analog quantity is called encoding, or just simply coding. Encoding allows the digital representation of analog quantities – an area of infinite variability – by using a binary system that creates an on-off switch for all those variables (theoretically). This use of digital signals gives a major improvement in noise reduction.

Noise affects the inherent value of a signal, whether it is digital or analog, but on an analog signal the noise has an impact on the value of that signal, because increased voltage over an analog signal creates distortion. When an analog signal is recorded, it is inevitable that noise is recorded along with it. If it is then re-recorded, the original noise is indistinguishable from the original signal, and becomes, effectively, part of the new signal. At each recording stage, extra noise will be introduced into the system and multiple copying of an analog signal ultimately results in an unacceptable loss of quality, called generation loss.

When a digital signal is recorded, it too will include noise picked up within the system. However, a digital signal is clearly identifiable, despite any noise the signal picks up. At the root of the digital advantage is the fact that the signals in a digital system do not have to be accurate. A voltage only needs to be readable as a one or a zero to be processed. Thus, digital communications signals offer possibilities which have no equivalent in analog systems.

Author Kevin Cantera, a free lance writer in Utah, writes about the revolution in technology from using analog to digital signals that has improved upon quality, noise reduction and much more. Best example in digital communication is video phone . For more information on free cell phone video , mobile video sharing, phone video sharing, please visit www.vringo.com.

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Communications category

  • 7 Layers of the OSI Reference Model - By: M. Aslam
    The Application Layer (Layer 7) refers to communication services to applications and is the interface between the network and the application. Most application layer protocols offer services that programs use to access the network, such as the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). Application layer protocols often include the session and presentation layer functions. A typical protocol stack consists of four separate protocols, which run at the application, transport, network, and data-link layers.Examples include: Telnet, HTTP, FTP, Internet browsers, NFS, SMTP gateways, SNMP, X.400 mail, and FTAM.
  • A word about Wifi or Wi-fi Technology - By: M. Aslam
    WiFi is the other name for wireless internet or wireless network, this name is mostly used by none technical users who just knows how to access internet wirelessly, they know pretty much nothing beyond that. WiFi is basically short form for wireless fidelity. However many advance users are not well aware of this terminology either, it is, more known with a name of Wifi. WiFi term is written in many ways which are, Wifi, WiFi, WIFI, Wi-Fi fiwi etc
  • Taking Mobile Satellite Internet on The Road - By: Sam A. Brown
    If you've ever been on the road and wanted live media readily available at your fingertips, you're not alone. The rise of mobile devices and connectivity has exploded in recent years with mobile satellite internet holding the star role. These days, we want local, we want live and we want it now - regardless of our location or connectivity limitations.
  • Digital Signals Goodbye to Analog - By: Kevin Cantera
    As this first decade of the 21st Century draws to a close, so also does the age of analog. When it comes to communications, analog has served humanity long and well, but the old technology is being phased out by governments and manufacturers alike, and within ten years, the old analog systems will likely be a technological footnote to history.
  • Festive Greeting SMS Messages - By: Shriya Karthikayan
    These are some general SMS messages which can be used for all occasion suitable for bulk SMS messaging during festivals, MMS Messaging, Text Messaging.
  • Greeting SMS Messages For Festivals - By: Shriya Karthikayan
    These are some general SMS messages which can be used for all occasion suitable for bulk SMS messaging during festivals, MMS Messaging, SMS Advertising Text Messaging.
  • Advanced SMS Marketing - By: Shriya Karthikayan
    You may be aware of the fact that different companies are sending SMS to you (if own a cellular phone) to promote their products and reveal their features.
  • The Blessing Called Internet Faxing - By: Ajeet Khurana
    The Internet fax has certainly been a great blessing. Read on to find out why everyone swears by the Internet fax.
  • Alerting Your Business Regularly - By: Ajeet Khurana
    Business enterprises need to alert their employees from time to time. Business notifications and alerts are perfect for this job.
  • Instant Messaging Must Do’s and Must Not’s - By: Alex Bayron
    The world of instant messaging may be new ground for some. But what you must understand is the instant messaging is a real experience. Especially now that we have online dating. Along with e-mails, instant messaging is the main form of correspondence that online dating provides. It may be done on an imaginary space but the people having them are real. As such, instant messaging also has rules to abide by and manners to expect. So what are the must do’s and must not’s when instant messaging?