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 somephysical 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
easier to process electronically.
Finite range of values
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 is
there.
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 approximatevalues.
• That’s the big difference between analog and digital waves.Analog wavesare
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.
 ADC
There are two step Process :-
• Quantizing - breaking down analog value is a set of finite states
• 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 canoutput is: N=2n
(Where n is the number of bits in the AD converter)
Analog quantization size:
Q=(V max -Vmin)/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

7
110

111
Sampling :-
• It is a process of taking a sufficient number of discrete values atpoint 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 givenpoint…….

Types of A/D convertor:-

• Flash ADC
• Digital-Ramp/Dual slope/Counter slope ADC
• Successive ApproximationADC
Flash ADC:-
Consists 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 SlopeADC
Also known as Counter-Ramp or Digital Ramp ADC,Adual slope ADCis
commonly used in measurement instruments

Dual Slope ADCcircuit

Successive approximationADC
Much faster than the digital ramp ADCbecause
it uses digital logic to converge on the value
closest to the input voltage.

Acomparator and a DACare used in the process

Successive approximation ADC circuit out put
ADCResolution 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
 DAC
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 1or a 0 is stored in
that position
• Example ... 0 the output will be 0 volt
1 the output will be 5 volt
• resistance Ris inversely proportional to binary weight of eachdigit
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= 5 mA
I3=10V/4R=10/4K=0.25 mA
Vo = -If × Rf = -(0.0052) × 1000
= -5.2 volts
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 signalinput.
Signal transformation lifecycle
There is a huge deferent between these signals :
Analog Digital
Analog signal isa
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 flexiblein
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 100megaohm

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.