Sampling_(signal_processing)

# Sampling (signal processing)  ## Microsims — p5.js ### Sampling (signal processing) (p5.js) · `x[n]=x(nT)` <div class="microsim-player"> <iframe src="https://editor.p5js.org/sciencenibber/full/0oY-PU-2T" width="100%" height="480" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin" title="Sampling (signal processing) — p5.js microsim"></iframe> </div> *Reading a continuous signal at regular instants — the operation that makes everything downstream possible.* **Open in the editor:** [▶ fork this sketch](https://editor.p5js.org/sciencenibber/sketches/0oY-PU-2T) · movement *I · Sampling, quantization & data conversion* · library `p5js` ### Related microsims Live sims on neighbouring articles — 6 of them inside this article's own Wikipedia link tree: - [[Decibel]] *(in tree)* - [[Detection_theory]] *(in tree)* - [[Digital_image_processing]] *(in tree)* - [[Digital_signal_processing]] *(in tree)* - [[Discrete_cosine_transform]] *(in tree)* - [[Discrete_time_and_continuous_time]] *(in tree)* *Sim hosted off-article; the article owns the reference, not the runtime (WIKI_RULES §10.4). Placed by `g08_place_microsims.py`.*  ## Links (Wikipedia order)  `1080i` · `1080p` · `3M` · `44,100_Hz` · `720p` · `Adobe_Flash` · `Advanced_z-transform` · `Aliasing` · `Analog-to-digital_converter` · `Analytic_signal` · `Anti-aliasing_filter` · `Audio_Engineering_Society` · `Audio_bit_depth` · `Audio_signal_processing` · `Auditory_system` · `Baseband` · `Bilinear_transform` · `Bit_rate` · `CD-ROM` · `Camcorder` · `Capacitor` · `Chrominance` · `Compact_Disc_Digital_Audio` · `Constant-Q_transform` · `Constellation_diagram` · `DVD` · `DVD-Audio` · [[Decibel]] · `Delta-sigma_modulation` · [[Detection_theory]] · `Digital-to-analog_converter` · `Digital_Audio_Tape` · `Digital_audio` · [[Digital_image_processing]] · `Digital_recording` · [[Digital_signal_processing]] · `Digital_video` · `Dirac_comb` · `Direct_Stream_Digital` · `Discrete-time_Fourier_transform` · `Discrete_Fourier_transform` · [[Discrete_cosine_transform]] · [[Discrete_time_and_continuous_time]] · `Discretization` · [[Distortion]] · `Downsampling_(signal_processing)` · [[Estimation_theory]] · `FLAC` · `Frame_rate` · `G.711` · `HD_DVD` · `Hertz` · `High-definition_television` · `Hilbert_transform` · `Impulse_invariance` · `In-phase_and_quadrature_components` · [[Integral_transform]] · `Jitter` · [[Laplace_transform]] · `Linear_function` · `Low-pass_filter` · `Luma_(video)` · `MP3` · `MPEG-1` · [[Magnetic_resonance_imaging]] · `Matched_Z-transform_method` · `Mixing_console` · `Moiré_pattern` · `NICAM` · `NTSC` · `Narrowband` · `Netflix` · `Nyquist_frequency` · `Nyquist_rate` · [[Nyquist–Shannon_sampling_theorem]] · `Oversampling` · `PAL` · `PCM_adaptor` · `Philips` · `Phoneme` · `Positron_emission_tomography` · `Professional_audio` · `Pulse-code_modulation` · [[Quantization_(signal_processing)]] · `Raster_scan` · `Sample_and_hold` · `Sampling_(statistics)` · `Scan_line` · `Seismic_tomography` · `Serial_digital_interface` · [[Signal]] · [[Signal-to-noise_ratio]] · `Signal-to-quantization-noise_ratio` · [[Signal_processing]] · [[Sine_wave]] · `Slew_rate` · `Sony` · `Soundstream` · `Speech` · `Speech_processing` · `Standard-definition_television` · `Starred_transform` · `Super_Audio_CD` · `Telephone` · `Telephony` · `Undersampling` · `Upsampling` · `Voiceless_alveolar_fricative` · `Voiceless_labiodental_fricative` · `Volume_rendering` · `Voxel` · `Walkie-talkie` · [[Wayback_Machine]] · `Whittaker–Shannon_interpolation_formula` · `Wideband` · `Wireless_microphone` · `YouTube` · [[Z-transform]] · `Zak_transform` · `Zero-order_hold` > Signal Processing concept · part of the Signal Processing Portal · movement I · !73 計算 keisan.svg ## What it is Sampling is the process of converting a continuous-time signal into a discrete-time signal by measuring (recording) its amplitude at regular, evenly spaced instants. The number of samples taken per second is the **sampling rate** or **sampling frequency**, denoted $f_s$ (in hertz). ## How it works / why it matters An analog signal $x(t)$ is read at times $t = nT$, where $T = 1/f_s$ is the **sampling interval**, producing the sequence $x[n] = x(nT)$. Sampling is the gateway from the analog world to digital signal processing: every audio recording, digital image, and sensor reading begins here. The choice of $f_s$ is critical, because too low a rate loses information that cannot later be recovered. The mathematical guarantee that sampling can be *lossless* — that the original continuous signal can be perfectly reconstructed — is supplied by the [[Nyquist–Shannon_sampling_theorem]], and the corruption that results from violating it is Aliasing. ## Signs & universals This concept instantiates the semiotic universals: signal · sampling · discretization · amplitude — the continuous signal is discretized in time by reading its amplitude at fixed intervals. ## Related The tight triad of movement I: [[Nyquist–Shannon_sampling_theorem]] sets the minimum rate, and violating it produces Aliasing. Once a signal is sampled, its spectrum is analyzed with the Discrete Fourier transform. --- Back to Signal Processing Portal · the room · Semiotic gateway  ## From the Real GENERATIVE library > In signal processing, sampling is the reduction of a continuous-time signal to a discrete-time signal. A common example is the conversion of a sound wave to a sequence of "samples". ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_%28signal_processing%29))   *Built to the [[WT!P5_js_Microsim_Master_Class|p5.js Master Class]].*  ## Wikipedia : Wikitube **Strict pair:** [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_%28signal_processing%29) : [Wikitube](https://en.wikitube.io/wiki/Sampling_%28signal_processing%29) ## Previous hub tags Tree parent: [[Information_theory]]. Legacy hubs: none. --- *Sources: 1 legacy note. Minted wave 1, 2026-07-30 (v1.6 order).*