Editing Digital-to-analog converter (section)

{{Short description|Device that converts a digital signal into an analog signal}}
{{about|conversion of digital signals to analog signals|digital television converter boxes|digital television adapter}}
{{Redirect|D2A|the D2A dive bomber|Aichi D1A}}
{{redirect|d-a-c|other uses|DAC (disambiguation)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{refimprove|date=August 2016}}
{{prose|date=November 2019}}
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{{Use American English|date=January 2020}}

[[File:CirrusLogicCS4282-AB.jpg|thumb|right|200px|8-channel [[Cirrus Logic]] CS4382 digital-to-analog converter as used in a [[sound card]].]]

In [[electronics]], a '''digital-to-analog converter''' ('''DAC''', '''D/A''', '''D2A''', or '''D-to-A''') is a system that converts a [[Digital signal (signal processing)|digital signal]] into an [[analog signal]]. An [[analog-to-digital converter]] (ADC) performs the reverse function.

DACs are commonly used in [[digital audio player|music players]] to convert digital data streams into analog [[audio signal]]s. They are also used in [[television]]s and [[mobile phone]]s to convert digital video data into [[Analog television|analog video signals]]. These two applications use DACs at opposite ends of the frequency/resolution trade-off. The audio DAC is a low-frequency, high-resolution type while the video DAC is a high-frequency low- to medium-resolution type. 

There are several DAC [[hardware architecture|architectures]]; the suitability of a DAC for a particular application is determined by [[figures of merit]] including: [[resolution (audio)|resolution]], maximum [[sampling frequency]] and others.  Digital-to-analog conversion can degrade a signal, so a DAC should be specified that has insignificant errors in terms of the application. 

Due to the complexity and the need for precisely matched [[electronic components|components]], all but the most specialized DACs are implemented as [[integrated circuits]] (ICs). These typically take the form of [[metal–oxide–semiconductor]] (MOS) [[mixed-signal integrated circuit]] chips that integrate both [[Analogue electronics|analog]] and [[digital circuits]].

Discrete DACs (circuits constructed from multiple discrete electronic components instead of a packaged IC) would typically be extremely high-speed low-resolution power-hungry types, as used in military [[radar]] systems. Very high-speed test equipment, especially sampling [[oscilloscope]]s, may also use discrete DACs.