What Is the Difference Between Analog & Digital Data?

A VHS tape is an example of analog data.

The difference between analog and digital data can be illustrated as the difference between a VHS tape and DVD --- both are methods for watching a film, but the VHS is an analog method of playback and the DVD is digital.

Analog

Analog data is a series of electrical pulses, frequently designed to represent what they embody. The example cited by PC Magazine is that of an analog clock with rotating hands designed to imitate the way that the planet rotates --- giving time both a number and a visual representation. Radio waves are another example of analog data.

Digital

Digital data is a numerical representation. All data on your computer is digital; digital data stores information in binary form, using ones and zeros to create the interfaces and data that you use on your computer.

Differences

The major difference between analog and digital data is that digital allows for identical copies of the data; no matter how many copies you make of a photo file, the quality will not be lost. However, with analog copies of a photo or tape, the quality is slightly degraded with each iteration.

References

• PC Magazine Encyclopedia: Analog Data
• PC Magazine Encyclopedia: Digital Data
• PC Magazine Encyclopedia: Analog