Baud Rate Calculator

How to Use This Calculator

1. Enter the bit rate in bits per second (bps).
2. Enter the number of bits per symbol (1 for binary, 2 for QPSK, 4 for 16-QAM, etc.).
3. The calculator displays the baud rate (symbol rate) in baud.
4. Use this to understand serial communication, modem settings, or digital modulation schemes.

Baud Rate Formula

Baud rate is calculated from bit rate and bits per symbol:

Example: 9600 bps with 1 bit per symbol (binary): Baud = 9600 / 1 = 9600 baud. For 9600 bps with 4 bits per symbol (16-QAM): Baud = 9600 / 4 = 2400 baud. For 54 Mbps with 6 bits per symbol (64-QAM): Baud = 54,000,000 / 6 = 9,000,000 baud = 9 Mbaud.

Full Description

Baud rate (also called symbol rate) is the number of symbols transmitted per second in a communication channel. It's an important metric in serial communication, modems, and digital modulation schemes. Baud rate is different from bit rate—baud rate measures symbols, while bit rate measures bits. For binary signals where each symbol represents one bit, baud rate equals bit rate. For multi-level modulation schemes (like QAM), each symbol can represent multiple bits, so baud rate is lower than bit rate.

Common modulation schemes include: Binary (1 bit/symbol), QPSK (2 bits/symbol), 16-QAM (4 bits/symbol), 64-QAM (6 bits/symbol), and 256-QAM (8 bits/symbol). Higher-order modulation schemes allow more bits per symbol, increasing bit rate without increasing baud rate. However, higher-order schemes are more sensitive to noise and require better signal quality.

This calculator helps you determine baud rate from bit rate and modulation scheme. Enter the bit rate and bits per symbol, and it calculates the baud rate. Use it when configuring serial communication, setting up modems, understanding digital modulation, or analyzing communication protocols. Baud rate is fundamental to serial communication and digital signal processing.

Frequently Asked Questions