A.

INTRODUCTION
In telecommunication, digital transmission are taking the place of analogue
system in application of communication. Pulse code modulation(PCM) is actually
a system that purposed for converting analogue message into a digital message
which consists of 0s and 1s, and the conversion process is commonly known as
encoding. The clock frequency of the encoder basically plays a crucial part to the
performance of the PCM system because the clock is used to tell the PCM when it
should sample the message.
Besides that, another important PCM performance issue relates to the
difference between the sample voltage and the quantization levels that it is
compared to. Most sampled voltages will not be the same as any of the
quantization levels. The PCM encoders assigns to the sample the quantization
level that is closest to it. In this process, however, the original value of the sample
is lost, and the differences is known as quantization error. The error is then
reproduced when the PCM date is decoded by the receiver as the voltage of the
original sample is not known by the receiver. The more the quantization levels
there are, the closer they are together and the smaller differences between them
and the samples.
The PCM encoder modules uses a PCM encoding and decoding chip to
convert analogue voltages between -2V and +2V to an 8-bit binary number. With
eight bits binary number, it is possible to produce 256 different number between
00000000 and 11111111. This also meant that the amount of quantization levels
are 256.
Each binary number is transmitted in a serial form of “frames”. The most
significant bit of the number (bit-7) is sent first and following by the least
significant bit until reached the most least significant bit (bit-0). The PCM
encoder module also outputs a separate Frame Synchronization signal known as
FS that goes high at the same time that bit-0 is being output. The FS signal is
included to help with PCM encoding but it can also be used to help to trigger a
scope when looking at the signal that PCM encoder generates.

B. OBJECTIVE
The generation and the reception of the pulse code modulation waveforms is
investigated.

C. EQUIPMENT NEEDED
I. Emona Telecoms-Trainer 101
II. Oscilloscope and patch leads
III. Dual channel oscilloscope
D. PROCEDURE
Part A. – PCM Encoding using DC Static Voltage

1. The oscilloscope per instruction is setup as following.

2. The trigger source control is set to CH1 position.
3. The mode control is set to CH1 position.
4. The input coupling of CH1 is set to DC position.
5. The PCM Encoder module is located and its Mode switch is set to the PCM
position.
6. The set-up is connected shown in Figure 1 below.
a. The master signal of 8kHz digital signal is connect to channel 2 of
output and also to the CLK of PCM encoder.
b. The GND from variable DCV is connected to the INPUT1 of PCM
encoder.
c. The FS node is connected to Channel 1 of the oscilloscope.

Figure 1

7. The scope’s Timebase control is adjusted to view three pulses of the PCM
Encoder module’s FS output. The scope’s Slope control is set to the “-”
position.
8. The scope’s Mode control is set to the DUAL position to view the PCM
Encoder module’s CLK input as well as its FS output. The two waveforms are
saved in image format.
9. The scope’s Channel 2 input (previously connected to 8KHz Digital) is
connected to the PCM Encoder module’s output. The two waveforms is saved
in image format.
Part B. – PCM Encoding using Variable Voltage

1. The variable DCV (previously connected to GND) is connected to the PCM

Encoder module’s input 1.
2. The Variable DCV module’s Variable DC control is turned until the PCM
Encoder module’s output is 11111111 and 00000000.
3. The Variable DCV module’s output voltage is measured and recorded.

Part C. – PCM encoding of continuously changing voltages

Figure 2

1. The setup is connected as shown in Figure 2. The VCO module’s Range

control is set to the HI position.
a.
2. The FS and PCM signal waveforms are saved in image format.

Part D. PCM decoding of continuously changing voltages

1. The set-up is modified as shown in Figure 3 and 4 below.

2. The VCO module is located and its Frequency Adjust control is turned fully
anti-clockwise. The VCO module’s Range control is set to the LO position.
3. The scope’s Slope control is returned to the “+” position. The decoder’s clock
and frame synchronisation information that noticed are “stolen” from the
encoder.
 Figure 3

Figure 4

4. The Tuneable Low-pass Filter module is located and its Gain control is set to
about the middle of its travel.
5. The Tuneable Low-pass Filter module’s Cut-off Frequency Adjust control is
turned fully anti- clockwise.
6. The Tuneable Low-pass Filter module’s Cut-off Frequency control is slowly
turned clockwise and the moment the message signal has been reconstructed is
stopped.
7. The Tuneable low-pass filter and PCM decoder module’s output waveforms
are saved in image format.
E. RESULTS
1. Master signal and FS waveform

Master Signal

FS waveform

2. FS and PCM waveform

PCM waveform

FS waveform

3. PCM Encoder’s Output Code PCM Encoder’s Input Voltage

11111111 2.486
00000000 -2.466
4. FS and PCM waveform

PCM waveform

FS waveform

5. Tuneable-lowpass filter and PCM decoder module’s output waveform

PCM decoder waveform

Tuneable-lowpass filter waveform

F. DISCUSSION
1. Indicate on your drawing the start and the end of the frame.

End of frame Start of frame

2. Indicate on your drawing the start and the end of each bit.

Start BIt
End BIt
3. Indicate on your drawing which is bit-7 and bit-0.

Bit 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

4. Why does the PCM Encoder module output this code for 0V DC and not
00000000?
- This is because to allow the PCM encoder to encode the voltages above
and below 0V.
5. What does the PCM decoder’s ‘stepped’ output tell you about the type of
signal that it is?
- The type of the output signal is pulse code modulated signal.
6. What must be done to the PCM module’s output to reconstruct the message
properly?
- In order to reconstruct the message properly, the output have to passed
through a low-pass filter to filter out some unwanted high frequency
component that can be found in the message.
Conclusion
From this experiment, we experienced the generation and reception of pulse code
modulation waveforms. Digital transmission systems are steadily replacing analog
systems in commercial communications applications. PCM is a system for converting
analog message signals to a serial stream of 0s and 1s. The conversion process is
called encoding. Encoding involves for example sampling the analog signal’s voltage
at regular intervals using a sample-and-hold scheme, comparing each sample to a set
of reference voltages called quantisation levels, deciding which quantisation level the
sampled voltage is closest to, generating the binary number for that quantisation level
and outputting the binary number one bit at a time. The size of the error is affected by
the number of quantisation levels. The more quantisation levels there are closer they
are together and the smaller the difference between them and the samples.