Episode 29 - PCM, Origins of Digital Audio

Every day we are inundated with digital audio: phone calls, music, even this podcast. Digitized sound has become so ubiquitous that it often fades into the background. What makes this all possible is a technology called Pulse Code Modulation, or PCM. This isn't new technology, its roots trace all the way back to 1937. So how exactly did digital audio come into being well before the first digital computers? Like the show? Then why not head over and support me on Patreon. Perks include early access to future episodes, and stickers: https://www.patreon.com/adventofcomputing Important dates in this episode: 1937: PCM Developed by Alec Reeves 1941: Germany Cracks A-3 Code 1943: Bell Labs Develops SIGSALY(aka The Green Hornet) 1957: First PCM Synthesizer, MUSIC I, Programmed by Max Mathews

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This episode is 45 minutes long.

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This episode was published on May 3, 2020.

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