Data Converter

Definition

In electronics, a data converter is a circuit that converts analog to digital or vice-versa. An A/D converter (or ADC) converts a continuously varying analog signal to a stream of digital numbers representing the signal at various points in time. A D/A converter (DAC) does the reverse.

ADCs

Analog-to-Digital Converters (or A/D converters or ADCs) are circuits that convert analog signals into a stream of digital data.

Types of ADCs

The most common ADC architectures are successive-approximation-register (SAR), sigma-delta, integrating, flash (or direct conversion), pipelined, and two-step.

What is the best ADC for my application?

Choosing the right ADC requires tradeoffs between resolution, channel count, power consumption, size, conversion time, static performance, dynamic performance, and price. For low-speed applications, a sigma-delta ADC is likely the best. Faster signals likely require a SAR ADC or pipeline ADC.

DACs

Digital-to-Analog Converters (or D/A converters or DACs) receive digital data (a stream of numbers) and output a voltage or current proportional to the value of the digital data.

What is the best DAC for my application?

When choosing a DAC, it is important to look at parameters such as linearity, resolution, speed, and accuracy. Other choices to keep in mind include serial vs. parallel interface, resolution/number of bits, number of input channels, and voltage or current output.