What is Demultiplexer?

The process of getting information from one input and transmitting the same over one of many
outputs is called demultiplexing. A demultiplexer is a combinational logic circuit that receives the
information on a single input and transmits the same information over one of 2n possible output
lines.

Demultiplexers are also called as data distributors, since they transmit the same data which is
received at the input to different destinations.

The bit combinations of the select lines control the selection of specific output line to be connected
to the input at given instant. The below figure illustrates the basic idea of demultiplexer, in which
the switching of the input to any one of the four outputs is possible at a given instant.
Types of Demultiplexer
 1-to-2 Demultiplexer
 1-to-4 Demultiplexer
 1-to-8 Demultiplexer
 1-to-2 Demultiplexer

1-to-2 Demultiplexer

A 1-to-2 demultiplexer consists of one input line, two output lines and one select line. The signal on
the select line helps to switch the input to one of the two outputs. The figure below shows the block
diagram of a 1-to-2 demultiplexer with additional enable input.

In the figure, there are only two possible ways to connect the input to output lines, thus only one
select signal is enough to do the demultiplexing operation. When the select input is low, then the
input will be passed to Y0 and if the select input is high then the input will be passed to Y1.
The truth table of a 1-to-2 demultiplexer is shown below in which the input is routed to Y0 and Y1
depends on the value of select input S. In the table output Y1 is active when the combination of
select line and input line are active high, i.e., S F = 11.

Therefore, the output Y1 = SF and similarly the output Y0 is equal to S ̅ F.

1-to-4 Demultiplexer

A 1-to-4 demultiplexer has a single input (D), two selection lines (S1 and S0) and four
outputs (Y0 to Y3). The input data goes to any one of the four outputs at a given time for a
particular combination of select lines.

This demultiplexer is also called as a 2-to-4 demultiplexer which means that two select lines
and 4 output lines. The block diagram of 1:4 DEMUX is shown below.
 The truth table of this type of demultiplexer is given below. From the truth table it is clear
that, when S1=0 and S0= 0, the data input is connected to output Y0 and when S1= 0 and s0=1,
then the data input is connected to output Y1.

Similarly, other outputs are connected to the input for other two combinations of select lines.

From the table, the output logic can be expressed as min terms and are given below.
Where D is the input data, Y0 to Y3 are output lines and S0 & S1 are select lines.

1-to-8 Demultiplexer

The below figure shows the block diagram of a 1-to-8 demultiplexer that consists of single input D,
three select inputs S2, S1 and S0 and eight outputs from Y0 to Y7.

It is also called as 3-to-8 demultiplexer due to three select input lines. It distributes one input line to
one of 8 output lines depending on the combination of select inputs.

The truth table for this type of demultiplexer is shown below. The input D is connected with one of
the eight outputs from Y0 to Y7 based on the select lines S2, S1 and S0.

For example, if S2S1S0=000, then the input D is connected to the output Y0 and so on.
From this truth table, the Boolean expressions for all the outputs can be written as follows.

Applications of Demultiplexer

Since the demultiplexers are used to select or enable the one signal out of many, these are
extensively used in microprocessor or computer control systems such as

 Selecting different IO devices for data transfer

 Choosing different banks of memory
 Depends on the address, enabling different rows of memory chips
 Enabling different functional units.

Other than these, demultiplexers can be found in a wide variety of application such as
  Synchronous data transmission systems
 Boolean function implementation (as we discussed full subtractor function above)
 Data acquisition systems
 Combinational circuit design
 Automatic test equipment systems
 Security monitoring systems (for selecting a particular surveillance camera at a time), etc.

A demultiplexer is used to connect a single source to multiple destinations. Demultiplexers are

mainly used in the field of the communication system.