How to Use the Smart Analog Combo in MSP430™ MCUs

Operational amplifiers (op amps or OAs) are used extensively in sensing and measurement applications. MSP430™ microcontrollers (MCUs) provide full signal chain implementation with the integrated smart analog combo (SAC) to replace external op amps. The smart analog combo is a configurable analog peripheral that includes a high-performance low-power op amp, a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) with gain up to 33, and a 12-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC). This application report describes how to use the SAC module in MSP430 MCUs. SAC concept, operation modes, internal connection, ROM-based driver library, and design consideration are described. This application report also describes SAC use cases and the benefits of using the module in smoke detector and current loop applications.