Binary

1. A base 2 8-bit number system represented by the numeric values of 0 or 1, also known as ON or OFF, and is the primary language that computers use to communicate. Below is an example of the maximum 8-bit value of 255, which is 11111111 in binary. To get this value add each column, so 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 32 + 64 + 128 = 255.

Value: 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
ON/OFF: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Tip: Counting on a computer normally start with 0, instead of 1. Therefore, counting all the bits does equal 255, however, if you start at 0, it is really 256.

Below is another example of 10001101, which is 141 or 1 + 4 + 8 + 128.

Value: 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
ON/OFF: 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1

Convert text into binary

Use the below convert tool to convert any text into binary.


2. While in a ftp session, binary, is also a command that switches the file transfer mode to binary. See the how to use ftp help page for information about binary and other FTP commands.

Also see: .BIN, Base, BCD, Binary file, Bit, Decimal, Hexadecimal, Least significant bit, Machine language, Most significant bit, Native language, Negation, Nibble, Octal, OFF, ON, Qubit, Two's complement