MAX1290ACEI - 400ksps 12-Bit 8-Ch SAR ADC | Maxim Integrated
MPN: MAX1290ACEI ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $16.67 | $16.67 |
| 10 | $15.2 | $152.00 |
| 100 | $12.84 | $1,284.00 |
| 500 | $11.5 | $5,750.00 |
| 1,000 | $9.95 | $9,950.00 |
MAX1290ACEI Overview
An ADC (analog-to-digital converter) is a data converter that samples continuous analog voltages and quantizes them into discrete digital codes. SAR (successive-approximation-register) ADCs use a binary search algorithm to resolve N bits in N clock cycles, trading speed for very low power consumption and zero pipeline latency - making them well-suited to multiplexed multi-channel data-acquisition systems, industrial control loops, and any application where a single conversion result must be deterministic and immediately valid. The MAX1290ACEI sits in the data-converter / signal-chain IC hierarchy: ADC -> data converter -> mixed-signal IC -> semiconductor.
Key specifications of the MAX1290ACEI include 400 ksps maximum sampling rate through its successive-approximation core, 12-bit resolution, automatic power-down between conversions for low average current, 2 us wake-up time, single +5V analog supply operation, and a separate VLOGIC pin that lets the parallel output bus interface directly with +2.7V to +5.5V digital logic. The internal +2.5V reference removes the need for an external reference IC in most designs.
Architecture is a classic charge-redistribution SAR with an input track-and-hold, switched-capacitor DAC, and comparator. Auto power-down between conversions reduces supply current at low throughput, while a hardware / software shutdown mode drops quiescent draw to microamp levels - critical for battery-powered instrumentation.
Typical applications include multichannel data-acquisition systems, industrial process control, portable instrumentation, patient monitoring, and DSP front ends. The 8 input channels allow direct connection to sensor arrays, while the parallel interface simplifies connection to microcontrollers and DSPs without an external serial-to-parallel converter.
When designing with the MAX1290ACEI, place the 0.1 uF + 10 uF decoupling capacitors as close as possible to the analog supply pins, and ensure the analog and digital grounds meet at a single star point near the ADC to avoid digital-coupling noise on the analog inputs.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-family and cross-brand alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for MAX1290ACEI — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with MAX1290ACEI (same form factor and footprint) — differing in RoHS Status, Sampling Rate, Number of Channels, Package, Resolution.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MAX1290BCEI+
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MAX1290AEEI+
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MAX1290ACEI+T
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MAX1290BEEI+
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MAX1290BCEI+T
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MAX1290ACEI Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Resolution | 12 bit |
| Number of Input Channels | 8 single-ended / 4 differential |
| Sampling Rate | 400 ksps |
| ADC Architecture | SAR (Successive Approximation) |
| Analog Supply Voltage | +5 V |
| Digital Logic Supply (VLOGIC) | +2.7 V to +5.5 V |
| Internal Reference Voltage | +2.5 V |
| Wake-Up Time from Shutdown | 2 us |
| Interface | Byte-wide parallel (8-bit) |
| Automatic Power-Down | Yes (hardware/software controlled) |
| On-Chip Clock | Yes |
| Input Type | Single-ended / pseudo-differential |
| Package | 28-pin QSOP |
| Operating Temperature Range | 0 C to +70 C (commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
MAX1290ACEI Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | AIN0 — Analog input channel 0 |
| Pin 2 | AIN1 — Analog input channel 1 |
| Pin 3 | AIN2 — Analog input channel 2 |
| Pin 4 | AIN3 — Analog input channel 3 |
| Pin 5 | AIN4 — Analog input channel 4 |
| Pin 6 | AIN5 — Analog input channel 5 |
| Pin 7 | AIN6 — Analog input channel 6 |
| Pin 8 | AIN7 — Analog input channel 7 |
| Pin 9 | AGND — Analog ground |
| Pin 10 | REF — Reference voltage I/O (internal +2.5V or external overdrive) |
| Pin 11 | VDD — +5V analog supply |
| Pin 12 | VLOGIC — Digital logic supply (+2.7V to +5.5V) |
| Pin 13 | DGND — Digital ground |
| Pin 14 | CS — Chip select (active low) |
| Pin 15 | RD — Read strobe (active low) |
| Pin 16 | HBEN — High-byte enable (selects MSB/LSB byte on bus) |
| Pin 17 | D0/D8 — Data bit 0 (low byte) / bit 8 (high byte) |
| Pin 18 | D1/D9 — Data bit 1 (low byte) / bit 9 (high byte) |
| Pin 19 | D2/D10 — Data bit 2 (low byte) / bit 10 (high byte) |
| Pin 20 | D3/D11 — Data bit 3 (low byte) / bit 11 (high byte, MSB) |
| Pin 21 | D4 — Data bit 4 |
| Pin 22 | D5 — Data bit 5 |
| Pin 23 | D6 — Data bit 6 |
| Pin 24 | D7 — Data bit 7 |
| Pin 25 | SHDN — Shutdown input (active low) |
| Pin 26 | INT/CLK — Conversion end / external clock input |
| Pin 27 | AVDD — Analog supply (+5V) |
| Pin 28 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
MAX1290ACEI is suitable for 6 applications: Multichannel Data Acquisition Systems, Industrial Process Control, Portable Battery-Powered Instrumentation, Patient Monitoring and Medical Instrumentation, DSP and Microcontroller Front End, Rack-Mounted Test and Measurement Equipment.
Multichannel Data Acquisition Systems
The MAX1290ACEI's 8 single-ended / 4 differential input channels, 400 ksps throughput, and on-chip +2.5V reference make it a single-chip front end for multi-channel DAQ boards used in test stands and laboratory instrumentation. With 12-bit resolution and byte-wide parallel output, it streams converted samples directly into an FPGA or DSP buffer, eliminating the need for an external reference or analog mux. The automatic power-down reduces idle current between scans, and 2 us wake-up keeps scan-cycle overhead negligible at typical scan rates below 100 kHz per channel.
Recommended
Industrial Process Control
In PLCs, distributed I/O modules, and process-control front ends, the MAX1290ACEI digitizes 4-20 mA-derived voltage signals from up to 8 sensors per chip. The 12-bit resolution delivers about 0.024% full-scale step size - sufficient for 0.1% accuracy industrial loops. The 0 C to +70 C commercial grade suits cabinet-mounted equipment, while the pin-compatible MAX1290AEEI+ (-40 C to +85 C) covers outdoor and factory-floor nodes. The integrated +2.5V reference eliminates a precision reference IC on the BOM, reducing cost in high-channel-count modules.
Recommended
Portable Battery-Powered Instrumentation
Handheld multimeters, portable data loggers, and field instruments benefit from the MAX1290ACEI's automatic power-down mode, which drops supply current to microamp levels between conversions. At 1 ksps aggregate sampling, average supply current is dominated by shutdown current rather than active conversion current, supporting weeks of battery life from a 9V cell. The 2 us wake-up time keeps the active-window overhead low, and the parallel interface avoids the extra clock cycles a serial ADC would require, reducing MCU active time and therefore total system power.
Recommended
Patient Monitoring and Medical Instrumentation
The MAX1290ACEI's 8-channel input supports multi-parameter patient monitors that simultaneously sample ECG, respiration, temperature, and SpO2-derived analog signals. The +5V analog supply simplifies the signal-conditioning chain for medical sensors, and the 12-bit resolution is adequate for non-diagnostic monitoring where high-speed high-precision is not required. Note: this is the commercial-temperature MAX1290ACEI; designs requiring medical-grade reliability or wider temperature should select the MAX1290AEEI+ variant. The integrated +2.5V reference and parallel interface reduce overall BOM and board area.
Recommended
DSP and Microcontroller Front End
The MAX1290ACEI's byte-wide parallel interface connects directly to the external memory bus of TI C2000 DSPs, NXP ColdFire, and 8051-family microcontrollers without glue logic. A single MOVX-style read latches 8 conversion bits, and a second read captures the remaining 4 LSBs plus status. At 400 ksps, the ADC can continuously feed sample buffers in real-time DSP systems running motor-control, audio, or vibration-analysis algorithms. The 5V analog supply also simplifies front-end signal conditioning for industrial sensors that run off 5V rails.
Recommended
Rack-Mounted Test and Measurement Equipment
Bench oscilloscopes, spectrum-analyzer IF digitizers, and automated-test-equipment (ATE) pin cards leverage the MAX1290ACEI's 400 ksps throughput and 8 input channels to digitize multiple test points in parallel. The internal +2.5V reference and on-chip clock simplify board design, while the 28-pin QSOP package fits into the dense layouts of ATE cards. Designers can stack two MAX1290ACEI chips to provide 16 synchronized channels - a common pattern when 12-bit resolution at moderate sample rates is sufficient for production-test throughput requirements.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MAX1290ACEI — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MAX1290BCEI+ | MAX1290AEEI+ | MAX1290ACEI+T | MAX1290BEEI+ | MAX1290BCEI+T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Maxim Integrated | Maxim Integrated | Maxim Integrated | Maxim Integrated | Maxim Integrated | Maxim Integrated |
| Package | 28-QSOP | 28-QSOP - same | 28-QSOP - same | 28-QSOP - same | 28-QSOP - same | 28-QSOP - same |
| Resolution | 12 bit | 12 bit | 12 bit | 12 bit | 12 bit | 12 bit |
| Sampling Rate | 400 ksps | 400 ksps | 400 ksps | 400 ksps | 400 ksps | 400 ksps |
| Input Channels | 8 single-ended / 4 differential | 8 single-ended / 4 differential | 8 single-ended / 4 differential | 8 single-ended / 4 differential | 8 single-ended / 4 differential | 8 single-ended / 4 differential |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to +70 C (commercial) | 0 C to +70 C (commercial) | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | 0 C to +70 C (commercial) | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | 0 C to +70 C (commercial) |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Per commercial order code | Yes (lead-free) | Yes (lead-free) | Per commercial order code | Yes (lead-free) | Yes (lead-free) |
| Packaging Format | Tube | Tube | Tube | Tape & Reel | Tube | Tape & Reel |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated +2.5V reference and on-chip clock (vs MAX1290BCEI+)
- Automatic power-down with 2 us wake-up (vs MAX1290AEEI+)
- 8/4 channel multiplexed input in 28-QSOP (vs MAX1292 (24-pin QSOP, 4 channels))
Design Notes
The MAX1290ACEI requires clean +5V on AVDD and a separate +2.7V to +5.5V on VLOGIC. Place a 0.1 uF X7R ceramic bypass capacitor as close as possible to each supply pin, with a 10 uF bulk tantalum or ceramic on the analog supply. Tie AVDD and VLOGIC together if the system is 5V-only - the device allows a single-rail configuration, but a small ferrite bead between the two pins reduces digital switching noise coupling into the analog section.
Use a star-ground topology: route AGND and DGND back to a single point near the ADC. Keep analog input traces short and surrounded by a ground guard ring to reduce digital-coupling noise. The 28-QSOP footprint requires thermal relief on all pads; avoid running high-current digital return paths beneath the analog input pins. For best 12-bit performance, use a continuous analog ground plane on the top layer with the ADC on the top side, and stitch the bottom-side digital ground to the top with vias near the DGND pin.
Do not leave the SHDN pin floating - tie it high (logic 1) through a 100 kohm pull-up to VLOGIC for normal operation. A floating SHDN pin can intermittently shut down the converter. The REF pin requires a 0.1 uF + 10 uF external capacitor network to keep the internal +2.5V reference stable; omitting the bulk capacitor degrades SNR by several dB. The HBEN pin must be driven by the host controller - it is not internally pulled. Read the datasheet's digital-interface timing diagram before laying out the parallel-bus connections, since a CS-to-RD setup-time violation produces corrupted data on the high byte.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance confirmed via distributor listings and the Analog Devices product page. Lead-free status of the bare MAX1290ACEI (no + suffix) is part-specific - for lead-free RoHS-compliant build, choose the MAX1290BCEI+ or MAX1290ACEI+T variants. AEC-Q100 is not applicable (no automotive-qualified variant in the MAX1290 family).
