Difference between Input Conditioning and Output Conditioning Unit

While transferring the signals from user to computer system and vice-versa, there might be change in the frequency range, voltage amplification or in voltage level of the electrical signals. In order to meet the levels and such attributes regarding electrical signals, different conditioning is done.

There are two mainly conditioning units in the system:

1. Input Conditioning Unit :
Input conditioning unit is the conditioning that changes characteristics of the electrical signals coming from sensor/environment and going to the input interface unit of the system. There might be problems like the voltage of the incoming electrical signals are of milli volt range and system is accepting only volt range. For such cases input conditioning unit is used.

2. Output Conditioning Unit :
Output conditioning unit is the conditioning that changes characteristics of the electrical signals coming from system and going to the environment/actuator. There might be problems like the frequency range of the outgoing electrical signals don’t meet with scale of actuator. For such cases output conditioning unit is used.

Difference between Input and Output Conditioning Unit:

INPUT CONDITIONING UNIT	OUTPUT CONDITIONING UNIT
It is used for conversion of characteristics of incoming signals.	It is used for conversion of characteristics of outgoing signals.
It takes input from sensor.	It takes input from output interface unit.
It gives output to the input interface unit.	It gives output to the actuator.
It is a mediator between sensor and input interface so that signals can be scaled.	It is a also mediator between output interface and actuator so that signals can be scaled.
It converts low range frequency signals to high range frequency signals.	It converts high range frequency signals to low range frequency signals.
Example: Conversion of signals from photo-voltaic cell from mV to V.	Example: Conversion of frequency of signals to user convenience.