DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter)

Example circuit diagram of a device that uses a DAC

 PMP Circuit Diagram

This is a custom made portable media/music player (PMP)

Source: http://elm-chan.org/works/pcmp/report.html
PMP Circuit Diagram (cont.)

The DAC used in this

particular PMP
PMP Circuit Diagram (simplified)

Simplified diagram of the PMP

showing primary components
What is a “DAC”? (cont.)
 Stands for Digital-to-Analog Converter
 Converts digital signals to analog signals
 In this case, audio signals are converted
 Used with almost all devices that outputs sound
 Phones, portable media players (PMPs), TVs, etc.

DACs are
usually
INPUT DAC OUTPUT
denoted with
this symbol
DACs in other electronics
 DACs are not only used for sound, but also for video
 Video data is converted into electrical signals/pulse that
drives the display dictating what color and brightness each
pixel emits
 Devices that interacts with the physical world will likely
have a DAC
 Example: automatic lights use DACs
 Most devices also have an ADC (Analog-to-Digital
Converter) along with an DAC
 ADCs are opposite of DACs in which they instead converter
analog signals to digital
 Process Flow Layout
 A digital system can be anything that interprets
digital inputs
 Example: computers, media players, TVs

Physical 2 3 4
Variable 5
1
Digital Actuator
Transducer ADC DAC
System

To control
physical variable
Electrical Digital Digital
Analog Inputs Output
Signal Analog
Output
What is a “DAC”? (cont.)

D A DAC

Digital to Analog Converter

Implemented as
integrated circuits (IC)
(in most cases)
Analog (Op Amp) Digital

Analog-to-Digital Digital-to-Analog
Converter (ADC) Converter (DAC) Source: see source referenc
 Analog vs Digital

Analog signal is smooth and continuous and digital is

more discrete at any given time interval

Analog

Digital
 Analog vs Digital (cont.)
 Digital signals can be processed and manipulated by
computers and other electronic
 Analog (electric) signals are needed to produce sound
 There is a loss of data when converting analog to digital
signals
 A reconstruction filter, usually a form of interpolation, is
frequently used to fill in missing data
 Used when converting to analog signals
 Interpolation also smooth out the jagged digital signal
 Analog vs Digital (cont.)
In this case, the digital signal produced by the
player is then converted into analog electrical
signal. The signal then goes though an amplifier
and to the speakers, headphones, etc.