Symbol timing recovery algorithms

1. What is symbol timing recovery?
2. What is symbol timing?

What is symbol timing recovery?

The purpose of timing recovery is to recover a clock at the symbol rate or a multiple of the symbol rate from the modulated waveform. This clock is required to convert the continuous- time received signal into a discrete-time sequence of data symbols.

What is symbol timing?

In a digital communications Rx, the timing synchronization plays a similar role as that of a heart in a human body by providing periodic ticks that keep the system running in a coherent manner. Symbol timing synchronization is also known as symbol timing recovery, clock synchronization and clock recovery.