3305ENG Data & Computer Communications Laboratory 6 Bandwidth Limiting and Digital Signal Restoration David Denham

Question 1 Why does bandwidth limiting of the channel cause the PCM Decoder module to output incorrect voltages as well as the correct one? Reducing the bandwidth of the channel reduces the frequency range of signals that can be transmitted effectively. When the bandwidth is reduced to less than the frequency range of the signal, parts of the original signal is lost. This loss of frequencies often equates to a distorted signal which oscillates around the original transmitted voltages, outputting incorrect and correct voltages. Question 2 If this were a communications system transmitting speech, what would these errors sound like when the message is reconstructed? Distortion due to a limited bandwidth would produce fluctuations in volume as well as changes in tone. If a large proportion of the original signal was attenuated due to bandwidth limiting the received signal would be barely recognisable. Question 3 What two things are happening to cause the digital signal to change shape? A bandwidth limited channel acts similarly to a filter. Components of the signal outside of the BW of the filter are attenuated producing an output which oscillates around the original signal.

Figure 1: Minor Signal Attenuation

The propagation of the various sine wave components through the filter are not equal resulting in a noisy output signal.

Figure 2: Major Signal Attenuation

Question 4 What other change to your communication system distorts the digital signal in the same way as increasing its bit-rate? Limiting the bandwidth of a communication system distorts the digital signal in the same way as increasing its bit-rate. Question 5 Although the restored digital signal is almost identical to the original digital signal there is a difference. Can you see what it is?

Figure 3: Restored Digital Signal

There is a slight time delay between the input (yellow) and the output (blue) signals. The amplitude has also increased by 980mV. Question 6 Can this difference be ignored? Why? Questioning whether this difference can be ignored is entirely circumstantial on the systems purpose. If the system was intended to transmit a signal such as music, the short delay in the transmission would not affect the listening quality and it could be ignored. However if the system was intended for real time use, such as a 2 way communication device, it would create delays within the conversation and couldnt not be ignored. Question 7 Why do some DC voltages cause the comparator to output the wrong information? Varying the DC voltage changes the level which the comparator uses to compare with the attenuated input signal. This DC voltage has to be set at an appropriate position between the maximum and minimum values of the attenuated signal. If this DC voltage isnt adjusted to an appropriate level it will cause the comparator to swing (change from high to low) at the wrong value, outputting the wrong information. Question 8 Why does the comparator begin to output the wrong information when the control is turned far enough? When the DC voltage control is turned too high or too low, the DC voltage level no longer intersects with the attenuated input signal which causes the comparator to output either constant high, or constant low.

Question 9 How can the comparator restore the bandwidth limited digital signal when it is so distorted? Although the bandwidth limited signal starts to become so distorted it is barely recognisable, some of the information from the original signal remains. This remaining information provides enough detail so the comparator can reproduce accurately what the original signal was. This remaining information survives because the original signal is made up of many sinewaves, and only the sinewaves with frequencies outside of the bandwidth are lost.

Figure 4: Attenuated Signal and Restored Signal