In BACnet terms, what is the difference between Analog Input and Binary Input?

• A. Analog Input reads a continuous signal (e.g., temperature); Binary Input reads a discrete on/off signal.
• B. Analog Input reads a discrete on/off signal; Binary Input reads a continuous signal.
• C. Analog Input reads a fixed value; Binary Input reads a fluctuating value.
• D. Analog Input is used for display only; Binary Input is used for control.

Answer: (A)

In BACnet terms, Analog Input reads a continuously varying physical quantity such as temperature, pressure, or humidity, which can take many values within a range. Binary Input, on the other hand, represents a discrete on/off signal like a switch or a door sensor, indicating a true/false or active/inactive state. This distinction—continuous measurement versus discrete status—is exactly what the described option captures: an Analog Input handles a continuous signal, while a Binary Input handles a discrete signal. The other descriptions mix up continuous with discrete values or imply Binary Input is for fluctuating or display-only signals, which doesn’t align with how these objects are modeled in BACnet.