[Don Pearce[_3_]]

On Thu, 8 Oct 2009 07:15:47 -0700, "William Sommerwerck"
wrote:

Why would you want it to represent a number? This is a bit like
reading a voltage with an A/D, then instantly converting it back
to a voltage (with steps) to record it onto e.g. vinyl. The intervening
digital stage has been pointless.

Because if it represents a specific number, then it's much easier to read
its intended value -- because you have a priori information about the nature
of the signal. This is one of the ways digital transmission reduces the
effects of noise (both amplitude and phase).


You need to go and have a bit of a think about this. The number is
directly proportional to the pit length. So whether the pit length
represents a number, which in turn represents a voltage, or represents
the voltage directly, the same length errors have the same final
voltage effect.

d