Digital to analogue converter - definition
Digital to analogue converter - definition
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC, or digital-to-analog converter) is an electronic circuit used to convert a digital signal, represented by a sequence of numerical values, into a corresponding analogue signal of continuous amplitude. The DAC plays a key role in systems where post-digital processing data must be presented in analogue form - for example, for controlling actuators, generating sound or video representation of information.
The operation of the converter is based on the inverse of the process carried out by an analogue-to-digital converter (ADC). Each digital value, usually stored in binary form, is converted into a corresponding voltage or current level, according to a fixed conversion range and resolution. The result is a stepped signal, which can then be smoothed using analogue filters to produce a waveform with smooth variations.
The key parameters of a DAC are resolution (number of bits), accuracy, processing speed and output voltage range. The higher the resolution, the more output levels can be generated, resulting in smaller differences between successive signal values and a more detailed representation of the digital signal. The processing speed determines how often the converter can update the state of the output, which is important in applications that require analogue values to change dynamically.
DACs are used in audio systems, industrial automation, Measuring Instruments, musical instruments, control systems, and systems that generate modulated signals. Others architectures are used depending on the application, such as resistive-weighted, ladder R-2R, sigma-delta or pulse-width modulated converters. The choice of the appropriate technology depends on the requirements for precision, speed and noise level.
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