Vertical Redundancy Check

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What Does Vertical Redundancy Check Mean?

Vertical redundancy check (VRC) is an error-checking method used on an eight-bit ASCII character. In VRC, a parity bit is attached to each byte of data, which is then tested to determine whether the transmission is correct. VRC is considered an unreliable error-detection method because it only works if an even number of bits is distorted.

A vertical redundancy check is also called a transverse redundancy check when used in combination with other error-controlling codes such as a longitudinal redundancy check.

Techopedia Explains Vertical Redundancy Check

VRC is a redundancy check meant for parallel synchronized bits applied one bit at a time. It uses additional parallel channels for check bits and refers to single-parity bits or larger hamming codes.

Although parities are only meant for error detection and not error correction, they still can remain part of a system for correcting errors.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.