The digitally controlled potentiometer is implemented using 63 resistive elements in a series array. Between each element are tap points connected to the wiper terminal through switches. The position of the wiper on the array is controlled by the user through the 2-wire bus interface. Each potentiometer has associated with it a volatile Wiper Counter Register (WCR) and 4 nonvolatile Data Registers (DR0:DR3) that can be directly written to and read by the user. The contents of the WCR controls the position of the wiper on the resistor array through the switches. Power-up recalls the contents of DR0 to the WCR. The XDCP can be used as a three-terminal potentiometer or as a two-terminal variable resistor in a wide variety of applications including control, parameter adjustments, and signal processing.