In the ADC (analog-to-digital conversion) process, what does narrow sampling mean?

Narrow sampling in the analog-to-digital conversion process refers to the practice of taking a limited number of discrete values from an analog signal over a defined period of time. By grouping a small range of voltage values together and representing them as a single digital value, this method aims to approximate the original analog signal. However, this approach can lead to a higher number of bits required to represent the signal accurately, resulting in larger memory requirements for the digital image.

Narrow sampling captures the nuances of the analog signal more precisely within smaller intervals, which ideally preserves detail. However, the trade-off is that it may consume more memory since the digital representation needs to account for higher precision, leading to larger data files. This method contrasts with broader sampling techniques, which tend to compress information by averaging larger ranges of values, potentially losing detail while reducing memory usage.