Bit vs Symbol | Difference between Bit and Symbol
This page compares Bit vs Symbol and mentions difference between Bit and Symbol used in data communication with examples.
Introduction: As shown bits are converted into symbol or signal format in order to make system bandwidth efficient. For BPSK , one symbol (carrier phase) represents one bit and hence symbol rate equals bit rate. Similarly in AM modulation, each signal element carry one binary data and hence symbol rate or baud rate is same as bit rate.
In QPSK modulation, 2 bits are represented by one symbol or signal waveform. Hence Symbol rate is one half of bit rate. As a result it occupies half bandwidth compare to BPSK waveform.
In 16QAM example, 4 bits are represented by one symbol or complex signal waveform.
Hence Symbol rate is (1/4)th times of bit rate.
Example : For input bit string of "1010" , complex symbol output is (-3-j*3)*KMOD.
Where, KMOD is (1/root(10)).
Symbol rate (i.e. baud rate) = bit rate/Number of bits per symbol.
Tabular difference between Bit and Symbol
Following table mentions difference between Bit and Symbol with respect to various parameters.
| Parameters | Bit | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| • Format | It is in digital binary form. It is either zero ('0') or one ('1'). | It is in complex form or analog form. |
| • Usage | It is stored in the memory in one and zero format. | Symbol is used to map more than one bits and are used to transmit bits over channel after baseband and carrier modulation. |
| • Measurement unit | Bit rate referred as number of bits transmitted per second. | Symbol rate referred as number of symbols transmitted per second. It is also known by "Baud rate". |
| • Application | Raw data which are in various forms such as texts, numbers, images, audio and video files are usually stored in bit formats. | As mentioned above bits are mapped into symbol forms. These modulated data after modulation is measured in symbols per sec. |
Useful Links
echo canceller
exchange signaling types
EPABX basics
PDH vs SDH
CAS vs CCS
Erlang/Grade of Service
Line coding techniques
Difference between Unipolar Polar and Bipolar coding RZ vs NRZ vs Manchester coding RZ vs NRZ pulse shapes Advantages and disadvantages of NRZ encoding RZ encoding 2B1Q coding 8B6T coding 4D PAM5 coding MLT-3 coding 4B/5B encoding 8B/10B encoding R8ZS scrambling HDB3 scrambling
What is Difference between
difference between FDM and OFDM
Difference between SC-FDMA and OFDM
Difference between SISO and MIMO
Difference between TDD and FDD
Difference between 802.11 standards viz.11-a,11-b,11-g and 11-n
OFDM vs OFDMA
CDMA vs GSM
Bluetooth vs zigbee
Fixed wimax vs mobile