What Is A DAC
What Is A DAC
Source: http://elm-chan.org/works/pcmp/report.html
MP Circuit Diagram (cont.)
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
Transduce Digital Actuator
ADC DAC
r System
To control
physical variable
Electrical Digital Digital
Analog Inputs Output
Signal Analog
Output
What is a “DAC”? (cont.)
D A DAC
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 reference
Analog vs Digital
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.