It is therefore required to define the rate at which new digital values are sampled from the analog signal. The analog signal is continuous in time and it is necessary to convert this to a flow of digital values. One should consider taking this phenomenon into account before choosing an ADC. This table shows, for example, that it is not worth using a precise 24-bit ADC for sound recording if we don't have an 'ultra low jitter' clock. :E FSR is the full scale voltage range = V_, where q is a number of ADC bits. Where::Q is resolution in volts per step (volts per output code), The voltage resolution of an ADC is equal to its overall voltage measurement range divided by the number of discrete intervals as in the formula: Resolution can also be defined electrically, and expressed in volts. signed integer), depending on the application. unsigned integer) or from -128 to 127 (i.e. The values can represent the ranges from 0 to 255 (i.e.

For example, an ADC with a resolution of 8 bits can encode an analog input to one in 256 different levels, since 2^8 = 256. In consequence, the number of discrete values available, or 'levels', is usually a power of two. The values are usually stored electronically in binary form, so the resolution is usually expressed in bits. The resolution of the converter indicates the number of discrete values it can produce over the range of analog values. However, some non-electronic or only partially electronic devices, such as rotary encoders, can also be considered ADCs. The digital output may be using different coding schemes, such as binary, Gray code or two's complement binary.

Typically, an ADC is an electronic device that converts an input analog voltage (or current) to a digital number. The reverse operation is performed by a digital-to-analog converter ( DAC). An analog-to-digital converter (abbreviated ADC, A/D or A to D) is an electronic integrated circuit, which converts continuous signals to discrete digital numbers.

Video analog to digital converter