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Term: Pulse code modulation

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Term: Pulse code modulation

Definition:
Type of encoding used for audio bitstreams. Pulse code modulation was originally developed in 1939 as a method for transmitting digital signals over analog communications channels. The same technique proved effective as a method of sampling and quantizing audio for encoding in digital form. Variants are based on different mathematical techniques for quantization, including linear, logarithmic, and adaptive. The method was developed in 1939 by the English inventor Alec H. Reeves. Linear pulse code modulation is an uncompressed format. Compressed variants are widely used for telephony and other low-bandwidth applications.
Category:
Audio
See also:
Linear pulse code modulation