What is Data Transmission?

When considering the transmission of data from one device to another is the wiring, and of
primary concern when considering the wiring is the data stream.

 It is the movement of data in the form of bits between two or more digital devices.
 We can transmit either analog or digital signals from the sender to the receiver. So, data
transmission is also referred to as digital transmission or digital communications.
 Transfer of data is done via some form of transmission media such as coaxial cable,
optical fiber, etc.
 Data transmission may be external or internal. External that is one device to another
whereas internal means communication takes place between different parts of the same
device.
 For example, data goes from the random access memory (RAM) or hard disk to a
processor is a form of data transmission.

Types of Data Communication

The following are the two types of data transmission:

1. Parallel Data Transmission

2. Serial Data Transmission
In Serial transmission, data is sent bit by bit from one computer to another using a two-way
path. Each bit has its own timing. In Serial Transmission, 8 bits are sent at a time, with extra
bits at the start and end (called Parity bits), which are 0 and 1. This method uses special cables
to send data over long distances. The data is sent in order. It uses a 9-pin cable shaped like a D
to connect data in a series.
What is Parallel Transmission?
Parallel Transmission sends many bits of data at the same time from one computer to another.
It’s faster than Serial and works well for short distances. It fits well with how computers are
built inside, as they use parallel systems. Computers and other devices can easily use Parallel
Transmission.
It’s easy to set up and fix problems with Parallel Transmission. It uses one cable with a 25-pin
port. This port has 17 signal lines and 8 ground lines. The 17 lines are split into 4 lines to start
the data transfer, 5 lines to talk and report errors, and 8 lines to move the data.

Binary data includes 0s and 1s, maybe organized into groups of n bits. Computers produce and
consume data in groups of bits much as we conceive of and use spoken language in the form of
words rather than letters. We can send data n-bits at a time instead of one using grouping. This is
called parallel transmission.

 The mechanism for parallel transmission is a conceptually simple one: use n wires to n
bits at one time. In this way, each bit has its wire, and all n bits of one group can be
transmitted with each clock pulse from one device to another.
 The bits of a byte that is 8 bits are transmitted simultaneously on separate wires. If two
devices are close together computer or printer so the communication within the computer.

This figure shows how parallel transmission works for n=8. With a connector at each end, eight
wires are bundled in a cable.
Parallel transmission is used when,

 A large amount of data is to be sent over communication lines.

 When the data is time-sensitive.
 The requirement of sending data quickly to the receiver.

For Example: During video streaming the time when a video is streamed to a viewer, bits need
to be sent quickly to prevent a video pausing or buffering.

If we want to send large volumes of data then that data is also time-sensitive. If there are slow
data streams, it will result in poor viewer experience.

Advantages of Using Parallel Data Transmission

 It is easier to program.
 Data is sent much faster as parallel transmission can increase the transfer speed by a
factor of n over the serial transmission.
Disadvantages of Using Parallel Data Transmission

 Transmission of n communication lines is required to transmit the data stream and for this
n number of wires must be required.
 This is expensive so it is usually limited to shorter distances.
 If there is an increase in the number of users these wires will be too many to handle.

2. Serial Data Transmission

In serial transmission, one bit follows another that is in this transmission one bit flows at one
clock pulse, so we need only one communication line rather than n to transmit the data between
two communicating devices.

 When serial data transmission is used to send or receive data, the data bits are organized
in a particular order, since they can only be sent one after another.
 The order of the data bits is important as it determines the organization of the
transmission when it is received.
 It is supposed as a reliable and efficient data transmission method because, after the
reception of the previous data bit, the next data bit is sent.
 The serial transmission also occurs in two ways: Synchronous and Asynchronous
Transmission.
 In Serial transmission, data is sent bit by bit from one computer to another using a two-
way path. Each bit has its own timing. In Serial Transmission, 8 bits are sent at a time,
with extra bits at the start and end (called Parity bits), which are 0 and 1. This method
uses special cables to send data over long distances. The data is sent in order. It uses a
9-pin cable shaped like a D to connect data in a series.
When Serial Transmission Is Used?

Serial Transmission is used when,

 It is generally used for medium to long-distance data transfer.

 In USBs (Universal Serial Bus).
 It transfers the data bits in a specific order, one after another. In this way, data bits are
received in-sync with one another so it maintains the data integrity.
 Transmission to other devices that is external data transfer.

Advantages of Using Serial Transmission

 With only one communication channel serial transmission reduces the cost of
transmission with a factor of n.

Disadvantages of Using Serial Transmission

 Slow Speed of data transfer.

 Increasing clock frequency is required to increase the speed of data transfer.
Difference Between Serial and Parallel Transmission

Serial Transmission Parallel Transmission

In this type, a single communication link is used to In this type, multiple parallels links
transfer data from one end to another used to transmit the data

In serial transmission, data(bit) flows in bi- In Parallel Transmission, data flows in

direction. multiple lines.

Parallel Transmission is not cost-

Serial Transmission is cost-efficient.
efficient.

In serial transmission, one bit transferred at one In Parallel Transmission, eight bits
clock pulse. transferred at one clock pulse.

Serial Transmission is slow in comparison of Parallel Transmission is fast in

Parallel Transmission. comparison of Serial Transmission.

Generally, Serial Transmission is used for long- Generally, Parallel Transmission is

distance. used for short distance.

The circuit used in Parallel

The circuit used in Serial Transmission is simple.
Transmission is relatively complex.

Serial Transmission is full duplex as sender can Parallel Transmission is half-duplex

send as well as receive the data since the data is either send or receive

Converters are required in a serial transmission to No converters are required in Parallel

convert the data between internal and parallel form Transmission

Parallel transmission is unreliable and

Serial transmission is reliable and straightforward.
complicated.

Conclusion
Both serial and parallel transmission have good and bad points. Serial Transmission works
better for sending data over long distances. Parallel transmission is used for short distances and
is faster. In the end, both ways are useful for moving data between devices.
Synchronous and Asynchronous data transmission.

In the world of computers and communication, how information travels from one place to
another can happen in different ways. Two common methods are synchronous and
asynchronous transmission. In this article, we are going to discuss the difference between
synchronous and asynchronous transmission in detail.
In this article, we are going to discuss Synchronous and Asynchronous Transmission and the
key difference between Synchronous and Asynchronous Transmission.
What is Synchronous Transmission?
In Synchronous Transmission, data is sent in the form of blocks or frames. This transmission is
the full-duplex type. Between sender and receiver, synchronization is compulsory. In
Synchronous transmission, There is no time gap present between data. It is more efficient and
more reliable than asynchronous transmission to transfer a large amount of data.
Both the sender and receiver are synchronized with a common clock signal. This means they
operate at the same speed and know exactly when to send and receive data. Data is sent in a
continuous stream, with each byte or chunk of data following the previous one without any
gaps. It’s efficient for sending large amounts of data quickly because there’s less overhead
(extra bits) needed to start and stop the transmission.
Example:
 Chat Rooms
 Telephonic Conversations
 Video Conferencing

What is Asynchronous Transmission?

In Asynchronous Transmission, data is sent in form of byte or character. This transmission is
the half-duplex type transmission. In this transmission start bits and stop bits are added with
data. It does not require synchronization. Asynchronous transmission is like sending
individual text messages without knowing exactly when the other person will read them.
The sender and receiver do not share a common clock signal. Instead, data is sent one byte or
character at a time, with start and stop bits indicating the beginning and end of each byte. Each
piece of data is sent independently, with gaps in between, allowing the receiver to process each
byte as it arrives. It’s flexible and simpler to implement, especially useful for communications
where data is sent intermittently.
Example:
 Email
 Forums
 Letters

Difference Between Synchronous and Asynchronous Transmission

Now, let’s see the difference between Synchronous and Asynchronous Transmission:

Synchronous Transmission Asynchronous Transmission

In Synchronous transmission, data is sent in In Asynchronous transmission, data is sent

form of blocks or frames. in form of bytes or characters.

Synchronous transmission is fast. Asynchronous transmission is slow.

Synchronous Transmission Asynchronous Transmission

Synchronous transmission is costly. Asynchronous transmission is economical.

In Asynchronous transmission, the time

In Synchronous transmission, the time
interval of transmission is not constant, it is
interval of transmission is constant.
random.

In this transmission, users have to wait till Here, users do not have to wait for the
the transmission is complete before getting completion of transmission in order to get a
a response back from the server. response from the server.

In Synchronous transmission, there is no In Asynchronous transmission, there is a

gap present between data. gap present between data.

While in Asynchronous transmission, the

Efficient use of transmission lines is done in
transmission line remains empty during a
synchronous transmission.
gap in character transmission.

The start and stop bits are used in

The start and stop bits are not used in
transmitting data that imposes extra
transmitting data.
overhead.

Asynchronous transmission does not need

Synchronous transmission needs precisely
synchronized clocks as parity bit is used in
synchronized clocks for the information of
this transmission for information of new
new bytes.
bytes.

Errors are detected and corrected in real Errors are detected and corrected when the
time. data is received.

Low latency due to real-time High latency due to processing time and
Synchronous Transmission Asynchronous Transmission

communication. waiting for data to become available.

Examples: Telephonic conversations, Video Examples: Email, File transfer,Online

conferencing, Online gaming. forms.

Conclusion
Both synchronous and asynchronous transmissions have their strengths and weaknesses,
making them suitable for different types of applications. Synchronous transmission is efficient
for high-speed, continuous data transfer, while asynchronous transmission offers simplicity
and flexibility at the cost of some efficiency. Choosing between them depends on factors such
as speed requirements, hardware complexity, and error tolerance in the communication system.