The collection of analog data into information systems involves organising the data into an appropriate digital format. Analog to digital conversion, although an integral part of the collecting process is primarily an organising process, the data is being structured and represented in digital form suitable for use by subsequent information processes. The organising process is not supposed to alter the data, rather it should just modify the way in which it is arranged and represented. Analog to digital conversion in most instances does alter the data, hence more than just organising is occurring. For example, audio data is sampled at precise intervals meaning that the detail of the sound between each sample is lost. Earlier, we discussed techniques used by various hardware collection devices to convert or organise data into a digital format suitable for use by computer-based information systems. Hardware devices examined included:
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