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What do "bits" represent |
Dessybaby
Joined: Jan 03, 2002
Posts: 132
PM |
I know that they are either 1 or 0
But what do they represent when people say that the PS2 is a 128 bit machine or a monitor can handle 32 bit colour? |
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Wings_Talons
Joined: Mar 21, 2002
Posts: 242
PM |
Its the level of complexity that particular machine can handle. 32 bit colour will obviously give you smoother colour than say an 8 bit monitor. Simply because 8 bit monitor will mix colours in less number of ways than a 32 bit monitor.
When it comes to security, its harder to crack a 32bit encryption compared to 8bit encryption - again for the same reason as number of combinations.
The higher the bits, better the stuff - but also more costlier  |
ferrarista44
Joined: Jan 30, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: down south
PM |
say your monitor can display 32-bit color... that means your monitor can display 2^32 colors... that is 4 billion colors (4.295 E9). 
when they say an encryption is 2-bit, so that's 2^2 combinations or 4, it means you only need 4 combinations to decrypt that code. 
i hope you get the gist. |
Dessybaby
Joined: Jan 03, 2002
Posts: 132
PM |
Thanx but what about stuff like the Xbox and the PS2 where does the 128 bit stuff come in? |
laffen
Joined: Aug 07, 2001
Posts: > 500
From: Oslo, Norway
PM |
From http://www.howstuffworks.com/microprocessor1.htm
"Data Width (bits) is the width of the ALU. An 8-bit ALU can add/subtract/multiply/etc. two 8-bit numbers, while a 32-bit ALU can manipulate 32-bit numbers. An 8-bit ALU would have to execute four instructions to add two 32-bit numbers, while a 32-bit ALU can do it in one instruction. In many cases, the external data bus is the same width as the ALU, but not always. The 8088 had a 16-bit ALU and an 8-bit bus, while the modern Pentiums fetch data 64 bits at a time for their 32-bit ALUs."
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GOwin
Joined: Jan 17, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: .uʍop ǝpısdn s&
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Bit as taken from XREFER
Quote:
| Binary DigitThe smallest item of information that can be stored in a digital computer. A single bit exists in one of two states, labelled 0 or 1, and is usually represented in the computer as an electrical signal that is either absent or present. Groups of bits form a binary code to represent numerical and other data. |
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ferrarista44
Joined: Jan 30, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: down south
PM |
ehehehe, this was what we were studying in our class just LAST TERM.
our subject called COCIRFU (computer circuits fundamentals) dealt with this.
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feels like i'm in school or something when i read this thread.  |
GOwin
Joined: Jan 17, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: .uʍop ǝpısdn s&
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@ferr
in that case, you should be the expert in this thread.
@*
well, the only reason i had to post the definition of what a bit is is because the discussion kinda jumped over it.
@Dessybaby
so don't get flustered when you hear about bits (or bytes or ALU or encryption or ... oh, i think you know what i mean ). At the most basic level, it's all about data (how much, how many, how they're represented, etc.) |
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Posted: 2002-09-17 18:33
