Baud Rate Calculator

Calculate baud rate for serial communication and data transmission systems

Calculate Baud Rate

Number of bits transmitted per second

Number of bits in each symbol (typically 1-8)

Baud Rate Results

0.00
bauds/s
0.00
Hz

Formula used: Baud Rate = Bit Rate ÷ Bits per Baud

Example Calculation

ASCII Character Transmission

Scenario: Transmitting ASCII characters via serial port

Bit rate: 9,600 bits/s

Bits per character: 8 bits (1 byte)

Protocol: Each character = 1 baud

Calculation

Baud Rate = Bit Rate ÷ Bits per Baud

Baud Rate = 9,600 bits/s ÷ 8 bits

Baud Rate = 1,200 bauds/s

Transmission Speed = 1,200 characters/s

Common Baud Rates

50
Very Low Speed
6.25 B/s
1,200
Low Speed
150 B/s
9,600
Standard
1,200 B/s
38,400
High Speed
4,800 B/s
115,200
Very High Speed
14,400 B/s

Baud Rate Tips

💡

Both transmitting and receiving devices must use the same baud rate

💡

9,600 baud is the most commonly used standard rate

💡

Higher baud rates allow faster data transmission but may be less reliable over long distances

💡

1 baud = 1 hertz (symbol rate equals frequency)

Understanding Baud Rate

What is Baud Rate?

Baud rate measures the number of signal units (symbols) transmitted per second in a communication channel. It determines the speed of data transmission in serial communication systems like RS-232, UART, and modems.

Why is Baud Rate Important?

  • Determines data transmission speed in serial communication
  • Essential for proper communication between devices
  • Affects bandwidth requirements for signal transmission
  • Critical for microcontroller and embedded system design

Calculation Methods

Simple Ratio

Baud Rate = Bit Rate ÷ Bits per Baud

ASK Bandwidth

Baud Rate = BASK ÷ (1 + mf)

FSK Bandwidth

Baud Rate = (BFSK - 2×ΔF) ÷ (1 + mf)

Frequency

1 baud = 1 hertz

Baud vs Bit Rate

Important distinction: Baud rate and bit rate are not always the same:

  • Baud rate: Number of symbols per second
  • Bit rate: Number of bits per second
  • • If each symbol carries 1 bit: baud rate = bit rate
  • • If each symbol carries multiple bits: bit rate = baud rate × bits per symbol