AD/DA conversion

Which is a characteristic of the dual-slope AD converter often used in digital multimeters?

  1. AIt is the fastest because it uses many comparators
  2. BConversion finishes in one comparison
  3. CIt is slow but accurate, and integration makes it resistant to noise
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. It is slow but accurate, and integration makes it resistant to noise

A dual-slope converter integrates the input voltage for a fixed time, then integrates the reference voltage in the opposite direction and counts the time until it returns to zero. Component value errors cancel out and noise is averaged by integration, so it is highly accurate. Because conversion takes time, it is used in slow applications such as measuring instruments.

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More AD/DA conversion questions

  1. Which correctly describes the differential nonlinearity (DNL) of an AD converter?
  2. What is the AD converter defect called in which a certain output code never appears no matter how the input changes?
  3. Which is a characteristic of the current-steering architecture often used in high-speed DA converters?
  4. Which metric converts the performance of a real AD converter, including noise and distortion, into the bit count of an ideal ADC?
  5. Which AD converter splits conversion into several stages processed like an assembly line, combining high speed with medium to high resolution?