The Art of Error Correcting Coding provides a comprehensive coverage of the basic techniques of error concealment. It addresses the need for selecting, implementing and simulating algorithms for the encoding and decoding of codes used for error correction and detection. This practical approach uses simple and easy to follow numerical examples to describe the basic concepts of a particular coding or decoding scheme. Basic analysis tools are provided throughout to help in the assessment of the error performance block and convolutional codes of a particular Error Correcting Coding (ECC) scheme for a selection of the basic channel models. Provides a complete treatment of important decoding algorithms including errors-and-erasures decoding of BCH and Reed-Solomon codes for any set of consecutive zeros and any length Describes Viterbi decoding and the key implementation issues Includes soft-output decoding algorithms, MAP, log-MAP, Max-log-MAP, belief propagation and ordered statistics Discusses new reliability-based algorithms such as GMD and the Chase algorithm with soft outputs Examines turbo codes, both serially and parallel concatenated, as well as low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and their iterative decoders Features a companion website providing computer programs written in C language, to help understanding and implementing basic ECC techniquesThis volume provides an indispensable tool for understanding and applying ECC techniques in transmission and storage of digital information. Engineers, computer scientists and graduate students alike, will all benefit from such a practical introductory approach.