ABSTRACT
We experience the natural world through our senses. Our eyes and ears capture light and sound and then pass the sensations to our brains for processing. In much the same way, cameras and microphones detect and respond to the electromagnetic waves associated with light and sound and pass them, in analog form, for m anipulation by audiovisual processing systems. Some audiovisual processing systems are analog (conventional broadcast television), and others are digital. The primary concern of this book is digital video communications; hence, this chapter begins with a discussion of digital encoding techniques.
