The features of channels in a digital board include independent mixing channels or "knobs" that can range from four to 32 channels. These "channels" process incoming digital signals from an audio source. The audio source can be an instrument, voice or device that produces audio sound. On most digital audio boards, each channel has a pan effect, stereo/mono switch and equalizer assigned to the channel. Most digital boards include a hard drive that stores the various sounds from the different channels.
The channels in a digital board function as a receptor for an audio signal. Each channel can be assigned a certain signal. A good example of this is the use of a digital mixer in a recording environment. A bass guitar can be assigned to channel 1, a guitar assigned to channel 2, drums assigned to channel 3. The board inside of the mixer routes these sounds or configurations to a dedicated channel and processes the signal based on parameters set for that particular channel.
Most digital boards have various options, with different sizes. There are digital mixers that can fit into the palm of a human hand that provide powerful recording features even with four channels. When selecting a digital board with channels, the extra features on a channel should be considered. Digital board costs are determined by the number of channels that are included on the board. Costs can range from $150 for a four-channel mixer to $10,000 for a state-of-the-art 32 channel mixer.