Re: current output DAC's

John Larkin wrote:
On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:22:34 GMT, Jamie Morken <jmorken@xxxxxxx>
wrote:

Hi,

I noticed some DAC's are current output instead of voltage output,
what is the practical difference when using these in a circuit and
in what situations would it be better to use a current output DAC?

cheers,
Jamie

The issue is mostly that the faster dacs only come in differential
current-output flavors, so one generally doesn't get a choice.

Turning the dc diff current into an accurate single-ended,
ground-referenced voltage can get seriously non-trivial at higher
speeds. The comm boys just use transformers, but some of us want
response to DC.


Sometimes the RF boys use cascodes :-)


There are tons of diff-out amps designed to drive diff-input adc's; I
know of no equivalent parts to condition the diff dac outputs.
Strange.


--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
.

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