8-bit DAC with I2C interface in 8-SOIC
The MAX517BESA+ is an 8-bit, single-channel, voltage-output digital-to-analog converter from Analog Devices, built on an R-2R ladder architecture. It communicates over an I2C serial interface, making it a straightforward fit for mixed-signal control loops where the MCU has a spare I2C bus. Output type is voltage-buffered — the internal op-amp drives the output pin directly, so the DAC can source or sink current without an external buffer for most control-voltage applications.
Settling time and linearity — what they mean on the bench
Typical settling time is 6 µs to within 1 LSB for a full-scale step. In a closed-loop system — say, setting a regulator feedback trim or a VCO tuning voltage — this settling sets the update-rate ceiling: you can write a new code every 6 µs and expect the output to be stable before the next conversion. Integral nonlinearity is ±1.5 LSB max, differential nonlinearity ±1 LSB max. For an 8-bit converter with 256 steps, ±1 LSB DNL guarantees monotonicity — the output never decreases for an increasing digital code, which matters when the DAC drives a control loop that assumes a monotonic transfer curve.
Supply rails and temperature range
Reference type is external — the output voltage span is set by the voltage applied to the REF pin, not an internal bandgap. This lets the designer scale the output range to match the ADC reference or the controlled circuit's input range.
Housed in an 8-pin SOIC (3.90 mm width, 0.154" body), surface-mount. Supplied in tube format.