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???
10/23/07 14:48
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#146081 - Nonsense ...
Responding to: ???'s previous message
Due to accuracy considerations, I'm using floating point in my application, but I am only using about 5 or so floating point data types or variables, the rest are fixed point.

Floating point isn't more or less accurate than a fixed point number of the same width. In fact, since the "exponent" is usually known and fixed in signal processing applications, a floating point variable has _less_ bits available for the mantissa than a fixed point variable.

Also, floating point variables bring all sort of nastiness with them, like their link between the absolute value and the granularity of a value (as a floating point variable grows larger, the delta between two adjacent numbers grows larger, too), floating point exceptions, odd rules for adding several floating point numbers together (do _you_ know how to correctly add three floating point numbers ?), and so on.

Floating point numbers are only "convenient" until one of these issues rears its ugly head and comes to bite you in the hindquarters.

List of 64 messages in thread
TopicAuthorDate
ADC last digit stability            01/01/70 00:00      
   DVM            01/01/70 00:00      
      DVM's only 10 bits?            01/01/70 00:00      
         Frequency response            01/01/70 00:00      
            Typically twice or more the sampling frequency            01/01/70 00:00      
               Missing the point            01/01/70 00:00      
   You usually don\'t _want_ a stable last digit.            01/01/70 00:00      
      Result            01/01/70 00:00      
         Hm.            01/01/70 00:00      
      Averaging/DSP/FIR filters            01/01/70 00:00      
         Math lecture ?            01/01/70 00:00      
            Can't use average-too slow            01/01/70 00:00      
               Analysis            01/01/70 00:00      
               already stated            01/01/70 00:00      
               Derivation            01/01/70 00:00      
                  The nitty gritty stuff            01/01/70 00:00      
                     Simulate using a spreadsheet            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Hi Russ and thanks for that            01/01/70 00:00      
                           My spreadsheet vs. your spreadsheet            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Unit test !            01/01/70 00:00      
                     As I said...            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Calibration?            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Horsefeathers            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Longs?            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 A long is more "accurate" than a float.            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    Yes it is, but....            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       _Known_ transfer functions.            01/01/70 00:00      
                                          FP pitfalls            01/01/70 00:00      
                                             The compiler isn't going to take care of that.            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                Mantissa fields            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                   Misunderstandings ?            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                      Adding FP's accurately            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 can you not read ?            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Nonsense ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Calculator?            01/01/70 00:00      
                     If you're really curious ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Climax time            01/01/70 00:00      
                           OOPS!!....            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Equations            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Quantisation            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 Works in unsigned integer, too:            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    Abstract?            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       Useful abstractions.            01/01/70 00:00      
                                          Nice talking with you, Christoph.            01/01/70 00:00      
                           What are the actual requirements ?            01/01/70 00:00      
                              re filters            01/01/70 00:00      
                              And moving forward            01/01/70 00:00      
               You can not due to Dither            01/01/70 00:00      
         Clueless ?            01/01/70 00:00      
            Just dump the LSB            01/01/70 00:00      
               Don't forget proper rounding.            01/01/70 00:00      
            Speaking of DSP            01/01/70 00:00      
         Fluke stability            01/01/70 00:00      
   Oh yes they do!            01/01/70 00:00      
   my take on this            01/01/70 00:00      
      Walk, don't run            01/01/70 00:00      
         :)            01/01/70 00:00      
      Hello Erik            01/01/70 00:00      
         have fun, Jason            01/01/70 00:00      
            I am having fun            01/01/70 00:00      
               Ok, you are aware of this            01/01/70 00:00      
                  He's learning            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Assumptions            01/01/70 00:00      
                     and I ...            01/01/70 00:00      

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