[prvc]

There are about 1.58 (i.e. log_2(3)) bits per digit, so they just applied the constant function that maps the reals to 1 to it.

[ufocia]

1.58 is still more than 1 in general unless the parameters are corelated. At 1 bit it seems unlikely that you could pack/unpack independent parameters reliably without additional data.

[falcor84]

I like that as an explanation, but then every system is 1-bit, right? It definitely would simplify things.