An Analysis of the Capabilities of Polybinary Data Transmission

The capabilities of the polybinary technique for transmission of digital data in absolutely band-limited channels are evaluated by analysis and experiment. Relative bit rates and probabilities of error per bit are used to compare the various polybinary systems with each other and with the more conventional multilevel techniques of data transmission. It is concluded that duobinary transmission can be used to advantage up to the ideal binary rate of 2 bits per cycle of bandwidth, but that no further advantage appears to result from higher orders of polybinary transmission.