DACs With Two-Wire Interface Save Board Space & Power

Three new digital-to-analog converters--the 8-bit TC1320, 10-bit TC1321 and 12-bit TC3122 (pictured)--with a two-wire SMBus/I²C interface are housed in space-saving packages and suited for programmable voltage sources and portable battery powered instruments. The devices produce an output voltage that ranges from ground to an externally supplied reference voltage and operate from a single power supply voltage ranging from 2.7V to 5.5V. They consume little power, typically 350 µA in operation and 0.5 µA in shutdown while saving board space and guaranteeing monotonicity.
The products can also be used as multiplying DACs by accepting a large external reference range. They are suited for mobile communication devices and battery-operated instruments to control power dissipation, correct for amplifier offsets, program voltage sources or remotely control amps and attenuators. In 8-pin MSOP and SOIC packages, the chips cost $0.86 for the TC1320; $1.10 for the TC1321 and $1.86 for the TC1322.