Digital-to-analog converter

In <a href="/facts/Electronics/E4JhgISq">electronics</a>, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC, D/A, D2A, or D-to-A) is a system that converts a <a href="/facts/Digital_signal_(signal_processing)/bCtTHxre">digital signal</a> into an <a href="/facts/Analog_signal/xDbb4uB5">analog signal</a>. An <a href="/facts/Analog-to-digital_converter/8YYNsMFg">analog-to-digital converter</a> (ADC) performs the reverse function.
DACs are commonly used in <a href="/facts/Digital_audio_player/QHTLMGu4">music players</a> to convert digital data streams into analog <a href="/facts/Audio_signal/rFSTI9IF">audio signals</a>. They are also used in <a href="/facts/Television/X4YG5nT1">televisions</a> and <a href="/facts/Mobile_phone/H3EcqD9h">mobile phones</a> to convert digital video data into <a href="/facts/Analog_television/4NJJew1c">analog video signals</a>. These two applications use DACs at opposite ends of the frequency/resolution trade-off. The audio DAC is a low-frequency, high-resolution type while the video DAC is a high-frequency low- to medium-resolution type. 
There are several DAC <a href="/facts/Hardware_architecture/c0qL5r2U">architectures</a>; the suitability of a DAC for a particular application is determined by <a href="/facts/Figures_of_merit/kdSJ3Cpy">figures of merit</a> including: <a href="/facts/Resolution_(audio)/24ccTeTT">resolution</a>, maximum <a href="/facts/Sampling_frequency/xxck7aLN">sampling frequency</a> and others. Digital-to-analog conversion can degrade a signal, so a DAC should be specified that has insignificant errors in terms of the application. 
Due to the complexity and the need for precisely matched <a href="/facts/Electronic_components/F3NBVv4Q">components</a>, all but the most specialized DACs are implemented as <a href="/facts/Integrated_circuits/fjn6vg7C">integrated circuits</a> (ICs). These typically take the form of <a href="/facts/Metal%25E2%2580%2593oxide%25E2%2580%2593semiconductor/eTDJT2Km">metal–oxide–semiconductor</a> (MOS) <a href="/facts/Mixed-signal_integrated_circuit/cDkjcck8">mixed-signal integrated circuit</a> chips that integrate both <a href="/facts/Analogue_electronics/Bnlnfwwv">analog</a> and <a href="/facts/Digital_circuits/3kJcKbkw">digital circuits</a>.
Discrete DACs (circuits constructed from multiple discrete electronic components instead of a packaged IC) would typically be extremely high-speed low-resolution power-hungry types, as used in military <a href="/facts/Radar/jk9BTbFA">radar</a> systems. Very high-speed test equipment, especially sampling <a href="/facts/Oscilloscope/HMdD8XVk">oscilloscopes</a>, may also use discrete DACs.

Digital-to-analog converter open-in-new

Digital-to-analog converter