Line Coding

• The output of the source encoder is converted into electrical pulses

(waveforms) for the purpose of transmission over the channel.
– Line Coding or Transmission Coding
• The simplest line code is on/off or unipolar,
– binary 1 is transmitted by a pulse and 0 is transmitted by no pulse.

• Another commonly used code is polar,

– 1 is transmitted by pulse and 0 is transmitted by pulse
• Another popular code is bipolar or alternate mark inversion
– 0 is encoded by no pulse and 1 is encoded by or depending on
whether the previous 1 is encoded by or .

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 Unipolar Signalling
Non-Return to Zero (NRZ)

• Duration of the MARK pulse is equal to the duration of the

symbol slot

• Advantages:
– Simplicity in implementation
– Doesn’t require a lot of bandwidth for transmission
• Disadvantages:
– Presence of DC level (indicated by spectral line at 0Hz)
– Contains low frequency components
– Does not have error correction capability
– Long strings of zeros can cause loss of synchronization i.e., not transparent
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 Unipolar Signalling
Return to Zero (RZ)
• MARK pulse is less than the duration of the symbol slot.
• Fills only the first half of the time slot, returning to zero for the
second half.

• Advantages:
– Simplicity in implementation
– Presence of a spectral line at symbol rate which can be used as symbol
timing clock signal
• Disadvantages:
– Same as Unipolar NRZ case discussed earlier
– Occupies twice as much bandwidth as Unipolar NRZ
– Not transparent
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 Polar Signalling
Non-Return to Zero (NRZ)

• A binary 1 is represented by a pulse and binary 0 is

represented by opposite pulse i.e.,

• Advantages:
– Simplicity in implementation
– No DC component
• Disadvantages:
– Does not have error correction capability
– Does not posses any clocking component for ease of synchronization
• Not transparent
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 Polar Signalling
Return to Zero (RZ)
• A binary 1 is represented by pulse and a binary 0 is represented by an
opposite pulse
• Fills only the first half of the time slot, returning to zero for the second
half.

• Advantages:
– Same as polar NRZ
– Presence of a spectral line at symbol rate which can be used as symbol timing clock
signal
• Disadvantages:
– Same as polar NRZ
– Occupies twice as much bandwidth as polar NRZ

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 Bipolar Signalling
• 0 is represented by absence of pulse while 1 is represented by alternating
voltage levels of +V and –V
• Bipolar NRZ

• Bipolar RZ

• Advantages:
– No DC component
– Occupies less bandwidth than unipolar and polar NRZ schemes
– Posses single error detection capability
• Disadvantages:
– Does not posses any clocking component for ease of synchronization
• Not transparent

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 Manchester Signalling
• The duration of the bit is divided into two halves
– 1 is +ve in 1st half and –ve in the 2nd half
– 0 is –ve in 1st half and +ve in the 2nd half

• Advantages:
– No DC component
– Easy to synchronize
• Transparent
• Disadvantages:
– Because of greater number of transitions it occupies a significantly large bandwidth
– Does not have error detection capability
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