A coaxial cable is used for cable TV and is used for common data communications.
Advantages: These cables are designed to prevent interference from electromagnetic interference. Disadvantages: They are bulky and they only come as one size. People have complained about the bulkiness and the fact that there are not any variety of size. Effectiveness: Transmitting data via cable is probably the fastest way of doing it, simply because outside interference cannot easily break the communication and the cable is directly linked to the destination. The only problem with having cables is the fact that they would be all over the place unless you can think of a way on controlling where cables go. |
Transmits information from one place to another by sending pulses of light. This can be used medically by using light guides.
Advantages: Less expensive and several miles of this is cheaper than the equivalent lengths of copper. Disadvantages: Optical Fibres are very fragile. They can also be affected by chemicals such as hydrogen gas. Effectiveness: These are effective as data is basically being transmitted in the speed of light. As you know, light travels really fast and if data can travel that fast then surely it is a miracle. The problem of course of having optical fibres is simply the fact that they are fragile. |
This cable isn't shielded as it has to rely on balancing and filtering techniques. For example, you would find these in Wi Fi connection boxes.
Advantages: Relies on balancing and filtering techniques instead of physical shielding. Disadvantages: As it doesn't use physical shielding to block off interference, it can easily be interfered. Effectiveness: Since these cables don't have to rely on shielding, I guess you could say that they are more independent than other cables but there is a slight problem with that and that is interference can easily break the communication. |
Infrared is often used to connect to laptops or Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to things like printers, scanners and desktop computers.
Advantages: It is wireless, so you can easily connect a laptop to your home printer without wires. Disadvantages: Sometimes the connection might be broken due to people wanting to use the same printer as you so interference happens. Effectiveness: Infrared is useful if it is for entertainment purposes like a RC car or if it is for your TV remote. This is powerful for the little efforts as Infrared is little itself. |
The radio acts as a carrier of information and the information may be encoded directly on the wave. For example, the radio towers holds information in that particular area then the nearest one gets the information by receiving it.
Advantages: Radio stations can easily get information from the other radio stations. Disadvantage: Radio stations have to wait for quite a bit before they get the next bit of information as other radio stations need the information and that it is so demanding. Effectiveness: Radio is all around us. We use it to get our weather updates and our news. Radio however can be broken due to bad weather effecting the signals, not to mention other radio stations fighting for the information. |
These microwave transmissions are suitable for Radio and Television broadcasting as the microwave is very small.
Advantages: Very small and therefore can easily pass on messages quickly and easily. Disadvantages: As they are small, they can only hold a limited amount of information. Effectiveness: Microwaves are so effective, we don't even know it. The reason why they are so effective is because they are small but powerful. They can cook our foods and they can also transmit data. The problem is, they are small and they can only hold a limited amount of data. |
This is where the news readers get their news from. There is a satellite that orbits the Earth and it sends in data such as weather predictions, photo's from outer space and world affairs.
Advantages: Satellite is the best way of getting information and it sends the information to and from radio stations. Disadvantages: There can be some interferences as the satellite is all the way in space and radio stations compete to get the information first. Not to mention the solar flares that occur. Effectiveness: Satellite as we know today is basically our way of getting information from other parts of the world. Satellite is really effective simply because it helps us to find out what is going on in terms of climate change and news across the globe. The main downfall is solar flares because our satellite is in outer space, orbiting the Earth. Solar flares happen occasionally and can potentially break the connection for a couple of seconds. |