What is digitization?
Digital media represent the world with Numbers, usually binary. Analogue media to try, however, properties, States and changes of state of the world perceive in a continuous manner.
- Conditions in the world often change quasi-continuously.
- Analog media are quasi-continuously, such as tapes, photographic films and the AC voltage in many electronic Circuits. A sound signal is mapped, for example, analogous to the sound pressure in the air, as a continuous grooved recess in a gramophone record.
- In fact, even analog data are discrete carrier often on a molecular Basis, or fuzzy, according to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
- Analog Transmission is also quasi-continuously, as a lot of alternating voltages in power lines and amplitude - or frequency-modulated radio waves.
- Digital media keys continuous signals are mostly in order to convert a gradient into a series of States. Each state is a binary code consisting of ones and zeros.
- Digital media are discreet, so always be a countable sequence of values or expressions. Digital data carriers are, for example, HDD- and SSD-hard drives and Blu-Ray Discs.
- Digital Transmission takes place on similar lines instead of analog Transmission. However, instead of continuous gradients, only two States can be transferred. This binary data to encode individual States.
- This individual States of a quasi-continuous signal form as an analog Signal was digitized.
Digitization brings with it advantages and disadvantages (image: Pixabay)
Advantages
Digitization, however, is more than just a theory. Digital media have changed our lives in a sustainable way.
- The digital production of media is often easier and more cost-effective than with analog tools: music production and composition at the Computer are often easier and cheaper than in the analog recording Studio, digital cameras require no film development, Blogs, Youtube Channels and Websites can be much easier to operate as a print media and TV channels.
- Also, the Distribution of digital media, such as E-Books, MP3 Files, Online journals and digital photos, it is usually much easier and more cost-effective.
- So, the more content can be generated, because each has with a little effort, the possibilities to generate content and to spread.
- This allows Underdogs to the interest of the whole world to draw, and a hard-working artist and business man can compose at the own music, produce, market and sell, without the political and economic interests of Labels or advertising under map.
- The proliferation of Internet content reached almost the entire planet, while paintings, books, Newspapers and magazines penetrate less likely to be in poor regions and households.
- So information, education, art and culture can quickly reach the entire world.
- Information on the Internet are not only constantly available, but can be updated regularly, without the new edition.
- Since today's digital data media are extremely compact and loss-free reproduction, the digitisation to ensure that more information is generated, stored and processed than ever before. This leads to a rapid development of research and technology and thus a better standard of living.
- By the way: Many of the analog data carrier with a bring your own charm, while digital data carrier as sterile. This charm is often a result of improper storage, such as in our comparison of the gramophone record and Audio CD see. Digital data carrier are often subject to less interference than analog data carrier.
Digital media are spread in a cost-effective and easy to use (image: Pixabay)
Disadvantages
Digitization has, of course, also has its dark sides.
- To digitize an analog recording loss, you must be spatial and temporal Signal resolution as good as the Original. This sometimes leads to huge files.
- Often the loss is accepted, therefore, lossy compression in the digitizing. Then there are spatial and temporal resolution is hardly noticeable worse, although strong physical differences to the analog Original, such as in the case of JPEG images , and AAC - and MP3-files.
- In the case of lossy compression, most of the Signal Information from the Original is lost. While this is barely perceptible, but, for example, in the case of a slower playback, when you zoom in many of the methods of analysis and signal processing steps, a noticeable deficit.
- In addition to professionals to produce and disseminate in the digital age, increasingly, lay people and beginners content. As a result there is more choice, but also a significant increase in the number of poor-quality content. In short: mass instead of class.
- Due to the Oversupply of content consumers perceive often your Chance to skip quickly to other Offers.
- Even established Print media are increasingly relying on their Online readership. So in addition to the "analog" CHIP magazine and the CHIP website, with many other practical tips. The articles on the Web are often shorter.
- One reason for the less in-depth Online article is, the more difficult the financing of digital media: The least Internet users want to pay for a Service, and search instead for a free Alternative, digital, pirated copies are easier to generate, advertising revenue in the network are significantly lower than in the print media, media consumption is short-lived and superficial.
Well-recorded. WAV file vs. lossy-compressed MP3 (image: Tim Ziemer)solved
In addition, CHIP-Online-practice tips we will show you how you records, books, VHS tapes, and analog photos to digitize.
