what is pcm

PCM stands for Pulse-Code Modulation, which is a method used to digitally represent sampled analog signals. It is the standard form of digital audio in computers, compact discs, digital telephony, and other digital audio applications. In a PCM stream, the amplitude of the analog signal is sampled at uniform intervals, and each sample is quantized to the nearest value within a range of digital steps. Linear pulse-code modulation (LPCM) is a specific type of PCM in which the quantization levels are linearly uniform. PCM is often used to describe data encoded as LPCM. PCM is the conventional method for converting analog audio into digital audio. The PCM audio recorded on DVD is a two-channel digital, stereo audio track. PCM is also used in telecommunications transmission.