Analog vs Digital Computing

The cluster centers on debates about the superiority, limitations, and philosophical differences between analog and digital computing, including precision, noise, scalability, and why digital dominates despite analog's ties to physical reality.

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#8401
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Keywords

e.g DAC CPU DSP ADC OS TV analog digital precision computers circuits signals continuous voltage circuit signal

Sample Comments

6nf Nov 12, 2018 View on HN

If analog computers are superior why is everything digital

gigel82 Jun 2, 2023 View on HN

Neat, but... this "analog" thing's built with a lot of digital circuitry

Neliquat Jul 3, 2017 View on HN

Digital is just a special case within analog.

deepnotderp May 17, 2018 View on HN

Please explain where analog computation has a benefit over digital that outweighs its numerous disadvantages.

DigitalJack Feb 17, 2017 View on HN

Everything is analog when you look at a small enough time scale. "Digital" is an abstraction on top of analog, not a substitute.

nayuki Aug 20, 2024 View on HN

This article is bullshit. It fails to mention the many limitations of analog hardware.> Analog signals are continuous waveforms that vary smoothly over time, capturing every nuance of the original sound.> The continuous nature of analog signals means they can theoretically capture an infinite amount of detail. When you play an analog record, for example, the sound you hear is a continuous representation of the original performance.Analog signals get corrupted by noise everywhere.

kid64 Jan 3, 2023 View on HN

How do you figure? An analog impression directly mirrors reality, digital is just an approximation. So digital seems inherently inferior.

wiz21c Oct 27, 2019 View on HN

That seems so awfully analogue... :-/

calenti Jan 18, 2026 View on HN

Reality is infintely analog and therefore digital will only ever be an approximation.

dekhn Feb 9, 2023 View on HN

Unfortunately, that's entirely analog. my goal was to do digital computing- with all the reliability and predictability.