---
title: How Does an Optical Encoder Produce a Signal?
description: There are three methods that an optical encoder will produce a signal output.
---

<https://www.dynapar.com/faq>

# [How Does an Optical Encoder Produce a Signal?](https://www.dynapar.com/faq/how-does-an-optical-encoder-produce-a-signal)

 Written by [London Rhodes](https://www.dynapar.com/faq/author/london-rhodes) | Sep 29, 2021 6:52:06 PM

Optical encoders use a glass disk with a pattern of lines deposited on it, a metal or plastic disk with slots (in a rotary encoder), or a glass or metal strip (in a linear encoder). Light from an LED shines through the disk or strip onto one or more photodetectors, which produce the encoder’s output. An incremental encoder has one or more of these tracks, while an absolute encoder has as many tracks as it has output bits.

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