Analog-to-digital converters accept analog signals as input and converts them to digital representations of that signal. This is achieved by the process of quantization. The number of available levels of quantization in an ADC is equal to 2Nth bits of resolution. N represents the number of bits in the ADC. Thus, an 8-bit ADC provides 256 levels of quantization, which in turn translates to a dynamic range of -48dB. Meanwhile, a 12-bit ADC delivers 4096 levels of quantization and a dynamic range of -72dB. That means that an oscilloscope using 12-bit ADCs to convert analog input signals into the digital domain have 16 times as many quantization levels as an oscilloscope using 8-bit ADCs. The difference can be visualized in the two waveforms shown here at bottom, with the left-hand waveform being what users would see on an 8-bit oscilloscope. At the right is the same waveform as displayed on a 12-bit oscilloscope. The difference is clear: the 12-bit oscilloscope displays the signal with greater fidelity, which in turn means more accurate measurements.