Products in this category are used to prepare information for transmission or storage by changing it into a format that can be sent or saved. They also perform the opposite function on the receiving end. This usually involves some sort of modulation process. For example, you might find devices that convert digital data into an analog video signal, or vice versa. There are also devices that encode button presses to be sent for remote controls, and ones that help connect a regular UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter) to an infrared transceiver.

A simpler way to explain encoders, decoders, and converters:

Encoders: Think of an encoder as a tool that takes information and changes it into a different format or code. It’s like translating data into a special language that can be easily sent or handled. For example, in electronics, an encoder might turn a set of binary numbers into a specific code. In communications, encoders help prepare data for transmission by compressing and formatting it.

Decoders: A decoder does the opposite of an encoder. It takes the encoded data and changes it back to its original format or a format that can be used by other devices. So, if you’ve received data that’s been encoded, a decoder will help make sense of it. For instance, in digital TV, a decoder turns the encoded signal back into video and audio that you can watch and hear.

Converters: Converters are used to change data from one type to another. This usually means switching between different kinds of signals or between analog and digital formats. There are different types, like Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs), which turn analog signals (like sound) into digital data for computers, and Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs), which do the opposite, changing digital data back into an analog signal for things like speakers.

In summary:

Encoders change data into a different format for easier processing or transmission.

Decoders take encoded data and turn it back into its original or usable format.

Converters switch data between different types or formats, such as analog to digital and vice versa.