DIGITAL / ANALOG QUANTITIES

ANALOG o Continuous signal o Time varying o Translate the signal into electrical pulses o Need medium (eg: aneroid barometer rotary position convey pressure information) o Small fluctuations o Information is achieved by using a transducer o Advantages: Fine definition infinite amount of signal resolution Higher density Simpler processing It is processed directly by analog component Fairly inexpensive to use Limited data transfer o Disadvantages: Any system has noise (random unwanted variation) Random variations become dominant if the signal is copied and re-copied, or transmitted over long distances Can be diminished by: o Shielding o Good connections o Cable types (eg: coaxial & twisted pair) Noise creates signal loss and distortion impossible to recover Generation loss o Modulation: Amplitude modulation Frequency modulation Do not involve quantization of information into digital format DIGITAL o Breaks the signal o Into binary format (either 1 or 0) o reassembles them into the original signal o logic signals (true or false) eg: if the signal is meant to be +5V (true) or 0V (false), noise of up to 2.5V can be eliminated by treating all voltages greater than 2.5V as true and all voltages less than 2.5V as false. o Advantages: thus, it can correct any errors during data transfer almost distortion-free

allow to cram lots of binary format into the same space an analog signal uses o Disadvantages: Constantly translating, coding and reassemble We would not get the same rich sound quality as you do with analog Relatively expensive nowadays But slowly, it becomes cheaper PHONE LINES (ANALOG LINE): o Plain Old Telephone Service o Support standard phones, fax machines and modems o Typically found in houses or small office o Carry relatively higher voltage o Better for dual-transmission connection CORDLESS PHONE (DIGITAL LINE): o Typically found in large, corporate phone systems o Carry relatively lower voltage o Able to encrypt all binary format during transmission Conversation is safe from eaversdroppers o More power can be applied Enjoy longer range CELLULAR PHONE: o Let significantly more people use phones within a single coverage area o More data transfer o Transmission are more resistant to static and signal fading o Phone / pager / voice mail / internet access o