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I understand that mixed-signal is a circuit that obviously has both analog and digital circuits. I am trying to understand what really would be classified as mixed-signal. If you had a PCB with some sort of sensor collecting data and that data is processed by an ADC internal to say an MSP430, is that considered mixed-signal technically? Would most job employers consider this mixed-signal or would the ADC need to external to the microcontroller?

I've done plenty of boards with micros on them and some kind of sensor interface, but I'm not sure if I could call that experience 'mixed-signal' or not.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I think that if your design(s) included a digital vs. analog grounding scheme then you should be able to say you have mixed-signal PCB design experience. \$\endgroup\$
    – DigitalNinja
    Commented May 23, 2017 at 19:25

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A mixed signal system is generally considered to be anything which has analog and digital circuits and signals on it. Nothing more to it than that.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ But I doubt an arduino circuit measuring temperature or moisture (or anything) would fit within the mixed-signal jargon, or would it? Technically, it is mixed signal because there's an analog signal being processing by the digital atmega chip. It seems like there is more to it then that. \$\endgroup\$
    – Mtk59
    Commented May 24, 2017 at 14:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ Devices whose primary function isn't explicitly to handle analog and digital signals aren't generally badged with the mixed-signal label even though they meet the technical description. The ADC is just one peripheral on the microcontroller among many. The label generally gets reserved for things which actually do analog signal processing of some sort. \$\endgroup\$
    – alphasierra
    Commented May 25, 2017 at 18:20
  • \$\begingroup\$ I see thanks. I think I need to look at some simple mixed-signal circuits to get a clearer picture of what receives the label and what doesn't. \$\endgroup\$
    – Mtk59
    Commented May 25, 2017 at 20:58
  • \$\begingroup\$ Another example would be oscilloscopes. Scopes which have both digital logic and analog inputs are called mixed-signal, whereas scopes with only analog inputs or logic analyzers aren't referred to as mixed-signal. \$\endgroup\$
    – alphasierra
    Commented May 26, 2017 at 3:08

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