CHAPTER 5: DATA TRANSMISSION

1. What is data transmission?

Data transmission, digital transmission, or digital communications is the process
of sending and receiving data signals over networks.
Data transmission is the physical transfer of data, known as a digital bit stream.
Examples of such channels are copper wires, optical fibers, wireless
communication channels, storage media, and computer buses. The data are
represented as an electro-magnetic signal, such as an electrical voltage, radio
wave, microwave, or infrared signal.
2. What elements are involved in data transmission?
Message - It is the information to be communicated. Popular forms of
information include: text, pictures, audio, video etc
Transmitter - It is the device which sends the data messages. It can be a
computer, a workstation, a telephone handset, etc
Receiver - It is the device which receives the data messages. It can be a modem
that receives data from a processor, a computer, a telephone handset, etc
Transmission Medium - It is the physical path by which a message travels
from sender to receiver. Some examples include twisted-pair wire, coaxial
cable, radio waves, etc
Protocol - It is a set of rules that governs the data communications. It
represents an agreement between the communicating devices. Without a
protocol, two devices may be connected but not communicating.
Examples of devices that communicate data:
o Processor and printer,
o Processor and hard disk,
o Processor and keyboard,
o Processor and scanner
Note: Keyboard and hard disk is wrong
3. A character must be represented in 8-bits to be transmitted from one device to another.
4. There are two types of data transmission. These are:
a.
Serial transmission
b.
Parallel transmission