Two
types of signal are able to carry information, namely, analog signal and
digital signal. The difference between mainly lies in that analog signal is
continuous while the digital signal is non-continuous.
An
analog signal is continuous, which means that it won’t be broken or
interrupted. For example, sound is an analog signal b y nature. One moment just
follows another moment naturally without any interruption or breaking. For
example, if you were to hum a descending note, then you may be able to detect
the change of pitch, nut you can not point the particular moments when the
pitch change.
In
comparison, digital signals are non-continuous. Specific values are used to
represent different information. To put make it easier for you to understand,
here is an example. If you record a descending note you have hummed into a primitive
digital signal, then you will get a collection of shorter sounds which makes up
a single long sound.
Analog recording
methods are continuous, which makes some people believe that such methods will
be better choice in capturing sounds for digital recording methods may lead to
the miss of some subtle nuances. However, as the digital recording process is
developing at a rapid speed, digital recordings can achieve greater precision
thanks to its higher sampling rates. Event though the signal is non-continuous,
the captured sounds is still similar to the original ones because of the high
sampling rate.
One of
the drawbacks of analog format is that the analog recording is likely to wear
down, which influence the sound quality greatly. On the other hand, digital
media is able to capture sound indefinitely. As a result, audio engineers also
convert analog waves into digital signals with digital recording devices or use
special equipment to record directly to digital. Another advantage digital
media has over analog is that you are free to copy the original sound as many
time as you like without any damage.
