Analog-to-digital converter facts for kids

4-channel stereo multiplexed analog-to-digital converter WM8775SEDS made by Wolfson Microelectronics placed on a X-Fi Fatal1ty Pro sound card.

In electronics, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC, A/D, or A-to-D) 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 input analog voltage or current to a digital number representing the magnitude of the voltage or current.

Images for kids

• 

  AD570 8-bit successive-approximation analog-to-digital converter

• 

  AD570/AD571 silicon die

• 

  INTERSIL ICL7107. 31/2 digit single-chip A/D converter

• 

  ICL7107 silicon die

• 

  Comparison of quantizing a sinusoid to 64 levels (6 bits) and 256 levels (8 bits). The additive noise created by 6-bit quantization is 12 dB greater than the noise created by 8-bit quantization. When the spectral distribution is flat, as in this example, the 12 dB difference manifests as a measurable difference in the noise floors.

• 

  Analog to digital conversion as shown with fig. 1 and fig. 2.

See also

In Spanish: Conversión analógica-digital para niños