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Digital Literacy How the Internet Works The Internet Connecting to the Internet

Vicente Ayala
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Vicente Ayala
Python Development Techdegree Student 956 Points

Is it digital data to electrical signal or digital data to digital data?

At 1:03 Joy states modems turn digital data from your computer to digital data to be transmited over cable but the video slide states modems translate digital data from your computer into electrical signals to be transmitted over cable or telephone wire Which is correct?

2 Answers

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,184 Points

She actually says, "digital signals to be transmitted over cable...".

Both the terms "electrical signals" and "digital signals" describe the same thing in this particular example, though I would say "electrical signals" might be more technically accurate.

disappointedkenji
disappointedkenji
1,547 Points

All digital data/signals is electrical aside from the physical medium that binds them(Motherboards, CPUs, SSDs, etc). Every term used to describe the process will ultimately be an electrical signal.

Hambone F
Hambone F
3,581 Points

Digital doesn't necessarily imply electrical. Voltage on a wire is the primary way, for sure - but other common mediums used to carry digital signals are radio waves (WiFi, Cellular, etc) and light (fiber).