"johnlovestohate" <aliatolemiss@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com> writes:

> Hi,
> Do samples per symbol and sampling rate convey the same message?
>
> I know what sampling rate is but why samples per symbol is used in certain
> cases instead of sampling rate?
>
> I think that samples per symbol is used in systems where the signal is
> processed at baseband whereas, sampling rate is used for systems where
> processing is done at IF.

PS: Using the definitions previously given, sample rate is used for both
IF and baseband. Although not strictly true, typically we speak of
samples / symbol when dealing with a baseband digital comm signal that is
being processed digitally.

Also, samples / symbol is an important factor in digital demodulation as
it impacts the ability to equalize the signal and determine timing.
-- 
Randy Yates                      % "Rollin' and riding and slippin' and
Digital Signal Labs              %  sliding, it's magic."
mailto://yates@ieee.org          %  
http://www.digitalsignallabs.com % 'Living' Thing', *A New World Record*, ELO

"johnlovestohate" <aliatolemiss@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com> writes:

> Hi,
> Do samples per symbol and sampling rate convey the same message?
>
> I know what sampling rate is but why samples per symbol is used in certain
> cases instead of sampling rate?
>
> I think that samples per symbol is used in systems where the signal is
> processed at baseband whereas, sampling rate is used for systems where
> processing is done at IF.

Sample rate (samples / second) is a characteristic of a sampled data
system (i.e., a digital system). Symbol rate (symbols / second) is a
characteristic of a digital communication system. Samples per symbol
arise when a digital communication signal is processed digitally, in
which case

  samples / symbol = (samples / second) / (symbols / second)
-- 
Randy Yates                      % "Though you ride on the wheels of tomorrow,
Digital Signal Labs              %  you still wander the fields of your
mailto://yates@ieee.org          %  sorrow."
http://www.digitalsignallabs.com % '21st Century Man', *Time*, ELO

On 11/14/2010 09:50 AM, johnlovestohate wrote:
> Hi,
> Do samples per symbol and sampling rate convey the same message?
>
> I know what sampling rate is but why samples per symbol is used in certain
> cases instead of sampling rate?
>
> I think that samples per symbol is used in systems where the signal is
> processed at baseband whereas, sampling rate is used for systems where
> processing is done at IF.

Sampling rate is normally taken as the number of samples per _second_, 
and speaks to the ease of processing a signal of a given bandwidth, 
whether it has digital data encoded on it or not.

Sampling rate per _symbol_ speaks to the ease of demodulating a digital 
signal.

-- 

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" was written for you.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

Hi,
Do samples per symbol and sampling rate convey the same message?

I know what sampling rate is but why samples per symbol is used in certain
cases instead of sampling rate?

I think that samples per symbol is used in systems where the signal is
processed at baseband whereas, sampling rate is used for systems where
processing is done at IF.