Pulse-code Modulation - Demodulation

Demodulation

To recover the original signal from the sampled data, one applies the procedure of modulation in reverse. After each sampling period has passed, the demodulator reads the next value and shifts the output signal to the new value. As a result of these transitions, the signal has a significant amount of high-frequency energy caused by aliasing. To remove these undesirable frequencies and leave the original signal, the demodulator passes the signal through analog filters that suppress energy outside the expected frequency range (that is, greater than the Nyquist frequency ). The sampling theorem suggests that practical PCM devices, provided a sampling frequency that is sufficiently greater than that of the input signal, can operate without introducing significant distortions within their designed frequency bands.

The electronics involved in producing an accurate analog signal from the discrete data are similar to those used for generating the digital signal. These devices are Digital-to-analog converters (DACs). They produce on their output a voltage or current (depending on type) that represents the value presented on their digital inputs. This output would then generally be filtered and amplified for use.