Why companding is used?

Companding is used to protect these small strength signals from quantization noise. Companding: Companding, also known as Companded PCM, is a non-uniform quantization technique. It is implemented to improve the signal to quantization noise ratio of weak signals.

1. What is companding and why it is needed?
2. Why is companding used in non-uniform quantization?
3. Why companding is implemented in quantization process?
4. What is the principle of companding?

What is companding and why it is needed?

For digital audio signals, companding is used in pulse code modulation (PCM). The process involves decreasing the number of bits used to record the strongest (loudest) signals. In the digital file format, companding improves the signal-to-noise ratio at reduced bit rates.

Why is companding used in non-uniform quantization?

Nonuniform quantization achieves better compression ratios, but at the cost of requiring an iterative cluster- ing technique. Companding quantization exhibits the speed of uniform quantization combined with the improved results of nonuniform quantization.

Why companding is implemented in quantization process?

Companding is a type of non-uniform quantization and is used to increase the strength of the weak signals. It reduces the data rate of the input signal by varying the gap between the two adjacent quantization levels.

What is the principle of companding?

Companding is the process in which the signal is coded using unequal quantization levels. In this technique, a large number of small levels are used to code the low amplitude signals while the higher amplitude signals are coded using the small number of large levels.