Digital and Analog Signal
Note
To be transmitted, data must be
transformed to electromagnetic signals.
3.2
ANALOG AND DIGITAL
Data can be analog or digital. The term analog data refers to
information that is continuous; digital data refers to information that
has discrete states. Analog data take on continuous values. Digital data
take on discrete values.
Topics discussed in this section:
Analog and Digital Data
Analog and Digital Signals
Periodic and Nonperiodic Signals
3.3
Analog and Digital Data
Data can be analog or digital.
Analog data are continuous and take
continuous values.
Digital data have discrete states and take
discrete values.
3.4
Analog and Digital Signals
• Signals can be analog or digital.
• Analog signals can have an infinite number
of values in a range.
• Digital signals can have only a limited
number of values.
3.5
Figure 3.1 Comparison of analog and digital signals
3.6
What is Digital (1/2)
• A digital signal is a signal that can only
have discrete values in time
– Most common are binary digital signals, where
only two values are allowed often designated as
0 and 1
• The opposite is analog signals that can take
infinite values
7
What is Digital (2/2)
• A digital system processes digital signals
• Examples: computer, cellphone, DVD,
digital camera, etc.
8
Okay, what is a signal then?
• A signal is a physical quantity (sound, light, voltage, current)
that carries information
– The power cable supplies power but no information (not a
signal)
– A USB cable carries information (files)
• Examples of quantities used as digital information signals
– Voltage: 5V (logic 1), 0V (logic 0) in digital circuits
– Magnetic field orientation in magnetic hard disks
– Pits and lands on the CD surface reflect the light from the
laser differently, and that difference is encoded as binary
data
9
ANALOG VS DIGITAL
• Analog devices and systems: Process analog signals (time-
varying signals that can take any value across a continuous
range known as dynamic range)
• Digital devices and systems: Process digital signals
(analog signals that are modeled as having at any time one
of two discrete values)
10
Example of analog vs digital system
Digital
advantages:
Battery life
Programmability
Accuracy
11
The world is analog
• Few systems like the watch can be
completely digital
• Systems that interact with the environment,
need to process analog information
• How? Analog signals must first be
converted to digital
12
Example of analog vs digital
system
Analog Digital
Temperature A/D Display
sensor (analog)
converter
13
ANALOG GOES DIGITAL
• Photography
• Video
• Audio
• Automobile applications
• Telephony/Telecomunications
• Traffic lights
• Special effects
14
WHY DIGITAL?
ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL
PROCESSING
• Reproducibility of results
• Ease of design
• Programmability
• Speed
• Noise tolerance
15
DIGITAL ABSTRACTION
16
Example of using digital over
analog: Telecommunications
Noisy channel
Noisy channel
• Digital systems are less sensitive to noise
• As long as 0 is distinguishable from 1
17
Binary Values: Other Physical
Quantities
• What are other physical quantities
represent 0 and 1?
– CPU Voltage
– Disk Magnetic Field Direction
– CD Surface Pits/Light
– Dynamic RAM Electrical Charge
– Quantum Computers
– Single Electron Transistors Electron
– Spintronics Electron Spin 18
