Unit II

Introduction to digital electronics

Digital electronics is a field of electronics involving the study of digital signals and the
engineering of devices that use or produce them. This is in contrast to analog
electronics and analog signals.

1.1. Introduction to Analogue and Digital Signal

Analog Data
Analog data refers to information which is continuous.
For Example, an Analog clock which is having hour, minute, and second hands that gives
information in a continuous form; the movement of the hands are continuous.

Digital Data
Digital data refers to information which has discrete states.
For Example, a digital clock which reports the hours and minutes that will change suddenly
from 10:05 to 10:06.
In this way the data can represent, signals can also represent either Analog or digital.

Analog Signal
Analog signals have infinitely so many levels of intensity over a period of time. When the
wave moves from value A to value B, it passes through and it includes an infinite number of
values along its path.

Digital Signal
Digital signals can have only a limited number of defined values. Although each value can be
any number, it is often as simple as 0 or 1.
The easiest way to show signals is by plotting them on a pair of perpendicular axes.
• The vertical axis represents the value or strength of a signal.
• The horizontal axis represents time.
The above figure shows the Analog signal and a digital signal. The curve represents the Analog
signal through an infinite number of points. The vertical lines of the digital signal, however,
demonstrate the sudden jump that the signal makes from value to value.
1.2. Two state operation and its advantages

Advantages of Digital System Over Analog System

• The transmission of data in digital systems takes place without degradation due to noise
when compared to an analog system.
• The digital system comes with noise immunity, which makes storing data easier.
Whereas the analog system undergoes wear and tear, which degrades the information
in storage.
• The digital system comes with an interface with computers which makes it easy to
control the data. The system can be kept bug free by updating the software. This feature
is not available in the analog system.

Disadvantages of Digital System

Though the digital system has noise immunity and better storage, it does have disadvantages
too:

• The energy consumed by the digital system is more compared to the analog system.
This energy is consumed in calculations and signal processing, resulting in heat
generation.
• These systems are expensive.
• The digital systems are fragile. That is, if one of the digital data is misinterpreted, the
final data will change completely.
• Taking care of analog issues in digital systems could be demanding as analog
components are used in designing the digital system.

Applications of Digital Circuits

Digital electronics or digital circuits are an integral part of electronic devices, and here are the
uses of digital circuits:

• The display of digital watches is designed based on digital circuits.

• Rocket science and quantum computing use digital electronics.
 • The automatic doors work on the principle of digital electronics.
• Everyday encounters with traffic lights are based on digital circuits.

Advantages of Analog System:

▪ Uses less bandwidth

▪ More accurate
▪ Flexibility with bandwidth.
▪ Great lifespan and, ambient weather dependencies are low.
▪ Easy to handle not expensive, over-sensitive routings.

Disadvantages of Analog System:

▪ High cost of signal conversion inside the display

▪ Upgrade to digital interface not possible.
▪ No security for transmission data.
▪ Needed perfect receiver and Transmitter for specific
communication scenario. If you
move into a new system and you want to change the analog signal you need to tune
or change both reciver and Transmitter.
▪ Following are some of the important differences between Digital System and Analog
System.
▪ .

Sr. Key Digital System Analog System

No.

Signal Type Digital System uses discrete signals as Analog System uses continous
1 on/off representing binary format. Off is signals with varying
0, On is 1. magnitude.

Wave Type Digital System uses square waves. Analog system uses sine
2
waves.

Technology Digital system first transform the analog Analog systems records the
3 waves to limited set of numbers and then physical waveforms as they
record them as digital square waves. are originally generated.

Transmission Digital transmission is easy and can be Analog systems are affected
4 made noise proof with no loss at all. badly by noise during
transmission.

Flexibility Digital system hardware can be easily Analog system's hardwares

5
modulated as per the requirements. are not flexible.

Bandwidth Digital transmission needs more Analog tranmission requires

6
bandwidth to carry same information. less bandwidth.

Memory Digital data is stored in form of bits. Analog data is stored in form
7
of waveform signals.
 Sr. Key Digital System Analog System
No.

Power Digital system needs low power as Analog systems consume

8 requirement compare to its analog counterpart. more power than digital
systems.

Best suited for Digital system are good for computing Analog systems are good for
9
and digital electronics. audio/video recordings.

10 Cost Digital system are costly. Analog systems are cheap.

Example Digital system are: Computer, CD, Analog systems are: Analog
11 DVD. electronics, voice radio using
AM frequency.

Logic Operations
An electronic circuit that operates on binary data is called a digital logic system. The circuits
within the system that carry out the elementary logical operations are called gates.
Three general tyoes of logic system can be udentified, namely :
i. Combinational logic system
ii. Sequential logic system
iii. Storage system
Any logic system can be represented by a black box, having a set of input lines that receive
binary data, one or more output lines as shown in fig. 2.1.

i. Combinational Logic System

1. In this output depends only upon present input.

2. Speed is fast.
3. It is designed easy.
4. There is no feedback between input and output.
5. This is time independent.
 6. Elementary building blocks: Logic gates
7. Used for arithmetic as well as Boolean operations.
8. Combinational circuits don’t have capability to store any state.
9. As combinational circuits don’t have clock, they don’t require triggering.
10. These circuits do not have any memory element.
11. It is easy to use and handle.

Examples – Encoder, Decoder, Multiplexer, Demultiplexer

Block Diagram –

ii. Sequential Logic System

In this output depends upon present as well as past input.
Speed is slow.
It is designed tough as compared to combinational circuits.
There exists a feedback path between input and output.
This is time dependent.
Elementary building blocks: Flip-flops
Mainly used for storing data.
Sequential circuits have capability to store any state or to retain earlier state.
As sequential circuits are clock dependent, they need triggering.
These circuits have memory element.
It is not easy to use and handle.

Examples – Flip-flops, Counters

Block Diagram –

Note: - https://computationstructures.org/lectures/sequential/sequential.html
iii. Storage System