ADC &DAC

Analog :
- An analog signal is a continuous signal that contains time-varying quantities,
such as temperature or speed, with infinite possible values in between
An analog signal can be used to measure changes in some physical
phenomena
such as light, sound, pressure, or temperature.

Sine Wave Random-

Periodic
Analog
Signals
 Continuous Example:
 Infinite range of values Adigital thermostat in a room displays a
 More exact values, but more temperature of 72. An analog thermometer
difficult to work with measures the room temperature at 72.482.
The analog value is continuous and more
Digital Signals accurate, but the digital value is more than
 Discrete adequate for the application and significantly
 Finite range of values easier to process electronically.
 Not as exact as analog, but easier
to work with
Advantages:
1Major advantages of the analog signal is
infinite amount of data.
2 Density is much higher.
3 Easy processing.

Disadvantages:
1 Unwanted noise in recording.
2If we transmit data at long distance then unwanted disturbance
there. is
3-Generation loss is also a big con of analog
signals.
Digital:
- Is a type of signal that can take on a set of discrete values (a quantized signal)
Digital signals can represent a discrete set of values using any discrete set
of waveforms .. And we can represent it like (0 or 1) ,( on or off )….. etc
 Digital signals can be optical, electrical, acoustic, or others. Digital signals are
present in all digital electronics, notably computing equipment and
telecommunications.
Digital signals must have a finite set of possible values. The number of values in the
set can be anywhere between two and a-very-large-number-that’s-not-infinity. Most
commonly digital signals will be one of two values – like either 0V or 5V. Timing
graphs of these signals look like square waves
Or a digital signal might be a discrete representation of an analog waveform. Viewed
from afar, the wave function below may seem smooth and analog, but when you look
closely there are tiny discrete steps as the signal tries to approximate values.
• That’s the big difference between analog and digital waves. Analog waves are
smooth and continuous, digital waves are stepping, square, and discrete.

• Working with electronics means dealing with both analog and digital signals,
inputs and outputs. Our electronics projects have to interact with the real,
analog world in some way, but most of our microprocessors, computers, and
logic units are purely digital components. These two types of signals are like
different electronic languages; some electronics components are bi-lingual,
others can only understand and speak one of the two.
 AD
There are two step Process :-
Cvalue is a set of finite states
• Quantizing - breaking down analog
• Encoding - assigning a digital word or number to each state and matching
it to the input signal
Quantizing :-
The number of possible states that the converter can output is:
N=2n
(Where n is the number of bits in the AD converter)
Analog quantization size:
Q= (V max -V min)/N
Example: For a 3 bit A/D converter, you have 0-10V signals. Separate them
into a set of discrete states
Sol: Output States Discrete Voltage Ranges (V)

N=23=8 0 0.00-1.25

Q=(10V – 0V)/8 = 1.25V 1 1.25-2.50

2 2.50-3.75

3 3.75-5.00

4 5.00-6.25

Quantization 5 6.25-7.50

6 7.50-8.75

7 8.75-10.0
Here we assign the digital value Output States Output Binary Equivalent
(binary number) to each state for
the computer to read. 0 000

1 001

2 010

3 011

4 100

5 101

Encoding
6 110

7 111
Sampling :
-• It is a process of taking a sufficient number of discrete values at point on a
waveform that will define the shape of waveform.
• The more samples you take, the more accurately you will define the waveform.
• It converts analog signal into series of impulses, each representing amplitude of
the signal at given point…….

Types of A/D convertor :-

• Flash ADC
• Digital-Ramp/Dual slope/Counter slope ADC
• Successive Approximation ADC
Flash
ADCConsists
:- of a series of comparators, each one comparing the input signal to a
unique reference voltage. The comparator outputs connect to the inputs of a
priority encoder circuit, which produces a binary output

3 bit Flash ADC Circuit

 Advantages :
•- Simplest in terms of operational theory
• Most efficient in terms of speed, very fast
• Limited only in terms of comparator and gate propagation delays

Disadvantages :
• - Lower resolution
• Expensive
• For each additional output bit, the number of comparators is doubled
 Dual Slope
Also known as Counter-RampADC
or Digital Ramp ADC, Adual slope ADC is
commonly used in measurement instruments

Dual Slope ADC circuit

Successive approximation
ADC
Much faster than the digital ramp ADC because
it uses digital logic to converge on the value
closest to the input voltage.

A comparator and a DAC are used in the process

Successive approximation ADC circuit out put
ADC Resolution
Comparison
Dual Slope
Flash

Successive Approx

0 5 10 15 20 25
Resolution (Bits)

Type Speed (relative) Cost (relative)

Dual Slope Slow Med

Flash Very Fast High

Successive Approx Medium – Fast Low
 DA
C
Digital-to-analog conversion is a process in which signals having a two defined levels or
states (digital (binary)) are converted into signals having a theoretically infinite number
of states (analog (current, voltage, or electric charge)). Acommon example is the
processing, by a modem, of computer data into audio-frequency (AF) tones that can be
transmitted over a twisted pair telephone line. The circuit that performs this function is
a digital-to-analog converter (DAC).

(1-2)
binary weighted resistor DAC :-
• Output of each bit of the register will depend on whether a 1 or a 0 is stored in
that position
• Example ... 0 the output will be 0 volt
1 the output will be 5 volt
• resistance R is inversely proportional to binary weight of each digit
Buffering the Resistor :-
all input currents sum at S and go through Rf
(Vo = -If × Rf)

Vo = -If × Rf =-(I1+I2+I3+I4)×Rf
 Digital/analog
example :-
calculate the output voltage for an input code word 0110 if a logic
1 is 10V and logic 0 is 0V
and R = Rf =1k
I=V/R
I1=I4=0
I2=10V
/2R =
10/2K=
Vo = -If × Rf = -(0.0052) × 1000
5 mA
= -5.2 volts
I3=10V
/
4R=10/
4K=0.2
Basically, digital-to-analog conversion is the opposite of analog-to-digital conversion.
In most cases, if an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is placed in a communications
circuit after a DAC, the digital signal output is identical to the digital signal input.
Also, in most instances when a DAC is placed after an ADC, the analog signal
output is identical to the analog signal input.
Signal transformation life cycle
There is a huge deferent between these signals :
Analog Digital
Analog signal is a
continuous signal which Digital signals are discrete
Signal
represents physical time signals
measurements.
Waves Denoted by sine waves Denoted by square waves

Uses continuous range of Uses discrete or

Representation values to discontinuous values to
represent information represent information

Subjected to deterioration Can be noise-immune

Data transmissions by noise during without deterioration during
transmission and write/read transmission and write/read
cycle. cycle
 Stored in the form of wave Stored in the form of binary
Memory
signal bit

More likely to get affected reducing Less affected since noise response are
Response to Noise
accuracy analog in nature
Digital hardware is flexible in
Flexibility Analog hardware is not flexible.
implementation.
Can be used in analog devices only.
Best suited for Computing and digital
Uses Best suited for audio and video
electronics.
transmission.
Applications Thermometer PCs, PDAs
There is no guarantee that digital
Analog signal processing can be done
signal processing can be done in real
Bandwidth in real time and consumes less
time and consumes more bandwidth
bandwidth.
to carry out the same information.
 Analog instrument draws Digital instrument draws only
Power
large power negligible power

Cost Low cost and portable Cost is high and not easily

Impedance Low High order of 100 megaohm

Analog instruments usually
Digital instruments are free
have a scale which is cramped from observational errors like
Errors at lower end and give parallax and approximation
considerable observational errors.
errors.
Human voice in air, analog Computers, CDs, DVDs, and
Example electronic devices. other digital electronic
opticals devices.