MCP3008

The MCP3008 is a popular 8-channel, 10-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) produced by Microchip Technology. It allows microcontrollers and single-board computers lacking native analog pins (like the Raspberry Pi) to read sensors, potentiometers, and joysticks. It communicates via the SPI protocol.

Key Specifications
• Resolution: 10-bit (0 to 1023 digital output values)
• Input Channels: 8 single-ended or 4 pseudo-differential pairs
• Interface: SPI
• Conversion Rate: Up to 200 ksps (at 5V)
• Operating Voltage: 2.7V to 5.5V
Pinout (DIP-16 Package)

The chip features pins for analog inputs, power, ground, and SPI communication:
1. CH0 – CH7 (Pins 1-8): Analog input channels.
2. DGND (Pin 9): Digital Ground.
3. CS / SHDN (Pin 10): Chip Select / Shutdown.
4. DIN (Pin 11): Data In (Master Out, Slave In / MOSI).
5. DOUT (Pin 12): Data Out (Master In, Slave Out / MISO).
6. CLK (Pin 13): Serial Clock.
7. AGND (Pin 14): Analog Ground.
8. (V_{REF}) (Pin 15): Voltage Reference (determines the maximum readable voltage).
9. (V_{DD}) (Pin 16): Power Supply.