The branch of signal processing that uses digital
systems to operate on signals. The advantages of digital over analog signal
processing are that memory is more easily employed (so that time may be re-run
in different speeds and directions) and that a wider range of arithmetic
operations and algorithmic complexity is possible; the main advantage, however,
is that the possible precision is arbitrarily high. The main disadvantage is
that in some instances digital techniques are slower than analog techniques.
Many specialized digital devices have been developed that retain the advantages
but nevertheless operate at high speed, at the cost of flexibility.
