quantizer

A quantizer is a device or algorithm that converts continuous values into discrete steps.

In signal processing and digital audio, a quantizer maps a range of input values to a limited set of output levels—the process that turns analog signals into digital ones.

Quantizers also appear in machine learning for compressing neural networks: The model uses an 8-bit quantizer to reduce memory usage.

The coarser the quantization, the smaller the file but the greater the loss of detail.