In a lighting ballast there are typically several discrete components that combine to take an external AC signal and convert it to a DC signal, and back to an AC signal for powering a lamp. Several of these components can be housed on an application specific integrated circuit. By placing switching transistors (20, 22) their companion diodes (34, 36), and a rectifying circuit (52) on a monolithic integrated circuit (60), the ballast circuit as a whole is made more reliable and robust and can be manufactured at a lower cost than if discrete components had been used.