Data communication Would you rather

Detect errors or fix them yourself?

Would you rather detect errors and resend, or fix them on arrival?

Lesson notes

Key points

Detection codes like CRC add few extra bits, then ask for retransmission, which works well when resending is cheap and quick.
Forward error correction adds more redundancy so the receiver repairs errors itself, ideal for long delays like satellites or live streaming.

Takeaway: Long delay or no return path? Use forward error correction.

Quick check: Would you rather detect-and-resend or correct errors on arrival?

Detect and resend
Correct on arrival
Depends on the case

Round-trip delay and noise decide: cheap resends favour ARQ, long delays favour FEC.

ARQFEC

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