DAC 11 Click

How does it work?

DAC 11 Click as its foundation uses the DAC128S085, a general-purpose 12-bit 8-channel digital-to-analog converter (DAC) from Texas Instruments. The DAC128S085 is fabricated on a CMOS process with an architecture that consists of switches and resistor strings followed by an output buffer. It ensures monotonicity, low power consumption of 4.85mW at 5V, individual channel power-down capability, and has high precision output amplifier that allows rail-to-rail output swing over a wide supply voltage range.

DAC architecture consists of 4096 equal valued resistors with a switch at each junction of two resistors, plus a switch to ground. The code loaded into the DAC register determines which switch is closed, connecting the right node to the amplifier. Because all eight channels of the DAC128S085 can be controlled independently, each consists of a DAC register and a 12-bit DAC. Depending on the mode of operation, data written into a DAC register causes the 12-bit DAC output to be updated, or an additional command is required to update the DAC output. Also, a Power-On reset circuit ensures that the DAC outputs power up to zero volts and remains there until there is a valid write to the device.

The DAC 11 Click communicates with MCU using the SPI serial interface compatible with standard QSPI, MICROWIRE, and DSP interfaces, with a maximum frequency of 50 MHz. Also, this Click board™ is designed to utilize the entire dynamic range of DAC128S085 by having all power supply pins (and reference voltage pins) connected together, sharing the same supply voltage. In addition, the user is given the option of further use of the RC filter at the output to roll off output noise.

This Click board™ can operate with both 3.3V and 5V logic voltage levels selected via the VCC SEL jumper. This way, it is allowed for both 3.3V and 5V capable MCUs to use the SPI communication lines properly. However, the Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing easy-to-use functions and an example code that can be used, as a reference, for further development.

Specifications

Pinout diagram

This table shows how the pinout on DAC 11 Click corresponds to the pinout on the mikroBUS™ socket (the latter shown in the two middle columns).

Notes	Pin					Pin	Notes
	NC	1	AN	PWM	16	NC
	NC	2	RST	INT	15	NC
SPI Chip Select	CS	3	CS	RX	14	NC
SPI Clock	SCK	4	SCK	TX	13	NC
SPI Data OUT	SDO	5	MISO	SCL	12	NC
SPI Data IN	SDI	6	MOSI	SDA	11	NC
Power Supply	3.3V	7	3.3V	5V	10	5V	Power Supply
Ground	GND	8	GND	GND	9	GND	Ground

Onboard settings and indicators

DAC 11 Click electrical specifications

Software Support

We provide a library for the DAC 11 Click as well as a demo application (example), developed using MikroElektronika compilers. The demo can run on all the main MikroElektronika development boards.

Package can be downloaded/installed directly from NECTO Studio Package Manager(recommended way), downloaded from our LibStock™ or found on Mikroe github account.

Library Description

TThis library contains API for DAC 11 Click driver.

Key functions:

• dac11_cfg_setup – Config Object Initialization function.
• dac11_init – Initialization function.
• dac11_default_cfg – Click Default Configuration function.

Example description

This example demonstrates the use of DAC 11 Click board.

void application_task ( void )
{
    float step = REFERENCE_VOLTAGE / NUMBER_OF_STEPS;
    float output_voltage = step;
    uint8_t cnt = 0;
    while ( cnt < NUMBER_OF_STEPS )
    {
        dac11_set_all_ch_voltage ( &dac11, REFERENCE_VOLTAGE, output_voltage );
        log_printf( &logger, " All channels output voltage set to %.2f Vrn", output_voltage );
        
        output_voltage += step;
        cnt++;
        Delay_ms( 2000 );
    }
}

The full application code, and ready to use projects can be installed directly from NECTO Studio Package Manager(recommended way), downloaded from our LibStock™ or found on Mikroe github account.

Other mikroE Libraries used in the example:

• MikroSDK.Board
• MikroSDK.Log
• Click.DAC11

Additional notes and informations

Depending on the development board you are using, you may need USB UART click, USB UART 2 click or RS232 click to connect to your PC, for development systems with no UART to USB interface available on the board. The terminal available in all MikroElektronika compilers, or any other terminal application of your choice, can be used to read the message.

mikroSDK

This Click board™ is supported with mikroSDK – MikroElektronika Software Development Kit. To ensure proper operation of mikroSDK compliant Click board™ demo applications, mikroSDK should be downloaded from the LibStock and installed for the compiler you are using.

For more information about mikroSDK, visit the official page.