INTRODUCTION

In telecommunication, digital transmissions are taking the place of analogue

system in application of communication. Pulse code modulation (PCM) is actually a
system that purposed for converting analogue message into a digital message which
consists of 0s and 1s, and the conversion process is commonly known as encoding.
The clock frequency of the encoder basically plays a crucial part to the performance
of the PCM system because the clock is used to tell the PCM when it should sample
the message.
Besides that, another important PCM performance issue relates to the difference
between the sample voltage and the quantization levels that it is compared to. Most
sampled voltages will not be the same as any of the quantization levels. The PCM
encoders are assigned to the sample the quantization level that is closest to it. In this
process, however, the original value of the sample is lost, and the differences are
known as quantization error. The error is then reproduced when the PCM date is
decoded by the receiver as the voltage of the original sample is not known by the
receiver. The more the quantization levels there are, the closer they are together and
the smaller differences between them and the samples.
The PCM encoder modules uses a PCM encoding and decoding chip to convert
analogue voltages between -2V and +2V to an 8-bit binary number. With eight bits
binary number, it is possible to produce 256 different numbers between 00000000
and 11111111. This also meant that the amount of quantization levels are 256.
Each binary number is transmitted in a serial form of “frames”. The most
significant bit of the number (bit-7) is sent first and following by the least significant
bit until reached the least significant bit (bit-0). The PCM encoder module also
outputs a separate Frame Synchronization signal known as FS that goes high at the
same time that bit-0 is being output. The FS signal is included to help with PCM
encoding but it can also be used to help to trigger a scope when looking at the signal
that PCM encoder generates.

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the generation and reception of the pulse code modulation waveforms.
RESULT

Part A

Figure 1: Clock Signal and FS Waveform

CH 1: Clock signal
CH2: FS waveform
 Figure 2: FS and PCM data output

CH1: FS Output
CH2: PCM Data Output

Part B

Table 1: The PCM Encoder's Output Code With Its Corresponding Input Voltage

PCM Encoder’s Output Code PCM Encoder’s Input Voltage

1111 1111 2.58V
0000 0000 -2.41V

(a) Quantization level

1111 1111 = Level 255

0000 0000 = Level 0

Since the voltage level that can be quantized is between +2V and -2V, hence the value above and
below the range will be quantized as level 255 and 0 respectively.

(b) Step size

Step size = Difference in voltage level / (no. of quantization step – 1)

= (+2 – (-2V)) / (256 − 1)

= 0.01569V
(c) Quantization Error

For 1111 1111, Qe = 2.58V – 2V

= 0.58V

For 0000 0000, Qe = │-2.41V – (-2V) │

= 0.41V

Part C

Figure 3: Continuous input message and PCM encoder output

CH1: Continuous input signal

CH2: PCM encoder output
Part D

Figure 4: Message signal and PCM decoder output

CH1: Message signal

CH2: PCM decoder output

Figure 5: Tuneable-lowpass filter and PCM decoder module’s output waveform

CH1: Tuneable-lowpass filter

CH2: PCM decoder module’s output waveform
DISCUSSION

The clock signal in PCM modulation is crucial because it indicate to the PCM
encoder when to sample the analog message signal. The clock signal’s frequency must be
at least twice the message signal frequency to avoid aliasing.

The significance of the FS signal is that it is used to differentiate between the

frames of the PCM signal. This is important for decoding because each frame contains
information about the voltage level of the message signal which has been digitised earlier.

The figures below show both the separation of frame and bits respectively.

Start frame End frame

(a) Indicate the start and end of the frame

 Start BIt End BIt

(b) Indicate on your drawing the start and the end of each bit

CONCLUSION

The Pulse Code Modulation is generated by encoding the voltage level into digital form at
regular intervals. It is demodulated by decoding it using the same clock signal and FS signal from
the encoding process and then pass through a low-pass filter.