This lecture focuses on the stand-alone comparator that is integrated onto the AD9852/AD9854 Direct Digital Synthesizers produced by Analog Devices Inc. It covers the performance characteristics of the comparator and noise isolation of analog circuits in an embedded digital environment. The lecture also covers three important applications of this comparator when coupled with a DDS system. A frequency agile clock generator, mixer driver, and linear power amplifier applications are discussed as well as real world spectral plots of these applications.