Digital-to-analog converter
In electronics, a digital-to-analog converter is a system that converts a digital signal into an analog signal. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) performs the reverse function.
8-channel Cirrus Logic CS4382 digital-to-analog converter as used in a sound card.
Top-loading CD player (top) and external digital-to-analog converter (bottom) from the same company.
An external DAC (1990s) from Audio Alchemy as an add-on for CD players, having only about 12 cm width, intended to improve the sound of older or less expensive players.
Analog-to-digital converter
In electronics, an analog-to-digital converter is a system that converts an analog signal, such as a sound picked up by a microphone or light entering a digital camera, into a digital signal. An ADC may also provide an isolated measurement such as an electronic device that converts an analog input voltage or current to a digital number representing the magnitude of the voltage or current. Typically the digital output is a two's complement binary number that is proportional to the input, but there are other possibilities.
4-channel stereo multiplexed analog-to-digital converter WM8775SEDS made by Wolfson Microelectronics placed on an X-Fi Fatal1ty Pro sound card
AD570 8-bit successive-approximation analog-to-digital converter
INTERSIL ICL7107. 3.5 digit (i.e. conversion from analog to a numeric range of 0 to 1999 vs. 3 digit range of 0 to 999, typically used in meters, counters, etc.) single-chip A/D converter
ICL7107 silicon die