RAMDAC

A random-access memory digital-to-analog converter (RAMDAC) is a combination of three fast digital-to-analog converters (DACs) with a small static random-access memory (SRAM) used in computer graphics display controllers to store the color palette and to generate the analog signals (usually a voltage amplitude) to drive a color monitor. The logical color number from the display memory is fed into the address inputs of the SRAM to select a palette entry to appear on the data output of the SRAM. This entry is composed of three separate values corresponding to the three components (red, green, and blue) of the desired physical color. Each component value is fed to a separate DAC, whose analog output goes to the monitor, and ultimately to one of its three electron guns (or equivalent in non-CRT displays).

As the use of DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort and other digital interface technology becomes increasingly mainstream, the "DAC" portion of the RAMDAC will likely become obsolete. The video data is transferred digitally via transition-minimized differential signaling (TMDS) or low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS]] and no digital-to-analog conversion takes place until the actual display pixels are actuated.

DAC word lengths range usually from 6 to 10 bits. The SRAM's word length is three times the DAC's word length. The SRAM acts as a color lookup table (CLUT). It usually has 256 entries (and thus an 8-bit address). If the DAC's word length is also 8 bits, we have a 256 x 24-bit SRAM which allows a selection of 256 out of 16777216 (16,7 million) possible colors for the display. The contents of this SRAM can be altered when no pixel needs to be generated for transmission to the display. A synchronization pulse is required to maintain vertical picture stability. Therefore, a vertical blanking pulse is generated for every frame. This vertical blanking pulse is not visible on the display, nor is any pixel sent. Therefore, the D/A is idle and can allow the user to modify the SRAM color lookup table.

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