Editing RAMDAC (section)

{{Short description|Color to analog voltage table}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2024}}
[[file:HP-HP9000-EnvizeX-Terminal-SystemBoard-C2729-66501 06 (cropped) BT458LPJ135.jpg|thumb|A [[Brooktree]] RAMDAC]]

A '''RAMDAC''' ('''random-access memory digital-to-analog converter''') is a combination of three fast [[digital-to-analog converter]]s (DACs) with a small [[static random-access memory]] (SRAM) used in computer graphics [[display controller]]s or [[video cards]] to store the [[Palette (computing)|color palette]] and to generate the analog signals (usually a voltage amplitude) to drive a color [[Computer display|monitor]].<ref name="shen"/> The logical color number from the display memory is fed into the address inputs of the SRAM to select a palette entry to appear on the data output of the SRAM. This entry is composed of three separate values corresponding to the three components (red, green, and blue) of the desired physical color. Each component value is fed to a separate DAC, whose analog output goes to the monitor, and ultimately to one of its three [[electron gun]]s (or equivalent in non-[[CRT display]]s).<ref name="FOLDOC">{{foldoc|Random+Access+Memory+Digital-to-Analog+Converter}}</ref>

RAMDACs became [[obsolete]] as [[Digital Visual Interface|DVI]], [[High-Definition Multimedia Interface|HDMI]], [[DisplayPort]] and other digital interface technology became mainstream, which transfer video data digitally (via [[transition-minimized differential signaling]] or [[low-voltage differential signaling]]) and defer digital-to-analog conversion until the monitor's pixels are actuated.