[comp.dcom.modems] Error correction vs Error control

fjs@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Fernando J. Selman) (12/06/90)

I am confused about the terminology. Is there a modem with
real error correction scheeme, say, 2 errors detection one
error correction? Or do they just retransmit after one error
detection? Thanks,

						- Fernando

grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) (12/07/90)

In article <1990Dec6.115526.8595@nntp-server.caltech.edu> fjs@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Fernando J. Selman) writes:
> I am confused about the terminology. Is there a modem with
> real error correction scheeme, say, 2 errors detection one
> error correction? Or do they just retransmit after one error
> detection? Thanks,

Conventional modems (protocols actually) rely on error detection
and retransmission, since this has the lowest overhead over a
a good channel.  Special purpose modems/protocols such as those
used for radio, satellite or other exotica also use forward error
correction as you describe when channel reliablilty is more
important than nominal thruput or when retransission is either
impossible or requires too long a delay.  The two may also be
combined where errors too severe be corrected by the error
correction coding cannot be tolerated.

-- 
George Robbins - now working for,     uucp:   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing:   domain: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com
Commodore, Engineering Department     phone:  215-431-9349 (only by moonlite)

morelos@uhunix1.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Robert Morelos) (12/07/90)

In article <1990Dec6.115526.8595@nntp-server.caltech.edu> fjs@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Fernando J. Selman) writes:
>I am confused about the terminology. Is there a modem with
>real error correction scheeme, say, 2 errors detection one
>error correction? Or do they just retransmit after one error
>detection? Thanks,
>
>						- Fernando

Usually, only error-detection is used in most modems, by simply adding
parity-check bits at the end of each transmiited data block.

Modems for the CCITT X.25 recommendation for packet-switched data
networks use a distance-4 cyclic Hamming code with 16 parity-check
bits for error detection/correction. The polynomial used is either

	g(x)=x^16 + x^12 + x^5 +1

or

	g'(x)=x^16 + x^14 + x + 1

In theory, this code is capable of correcting any single bit error
or detecting any 2 bit errors. Usually, as I mentioned before, they
are used only for error detection.

The latest trend in modem technology is to combine error control coding
with modulation and equalization to obtain bit rates almost as close as 
the capacity of the channel. For example, CODEX's latest modem is capable 
of transmiting about 23,000 bits/sec over the telephone channel!

Robert Morelos
University of Hawaii
robert@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu

Norman_J_Gillaspie@cup.portal.com (12/09/90)

Does anyone know of a program that adds forward error correction to a file.

What I am looking for would be like a Zip file compression program but instead

og compressing a file the program would add FEC. 


	Regards Norman Gillaspie 415-967-0833 fax 415-967-0772