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 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software » Developers' Corner
Hobbyist's DSP platform
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Antimon



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PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:01 am    Post subject: Hobbyist's DSP platform Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I sometimes hear people hint that DSP-programming is a difficult art, and good DSP-programmers are hard to find.

Every now and then I get a slight urge to find out what the big deal about DSP-programming is, compared to other low-level assembly programming. I'd like to try it out for myself.

Is there some cheap and/or simple DSP hardware that one might get hold of? I would want to be able to make a program that utilizes it without having to mess too much with tedious details like interfacing with the chip or adding a ton of accessories before it starts being useful. Maybe there is some way to access a DSP in an off-the-shelf audio interface?

Maybe I'm too ambitious or just confused. How do people get started hacking DSP stuff anyway?

/Stefan

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DrJustice



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PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 5:15 am    Post subject: Re: Hobbyist's DSP platform Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Antimon wrote:
I sometimes hear people hint that DSP-programming is a difficult art, and good DSP-programmers are hard to find.

Well, for a programmer and overall bright guy like yourself, programming DSPs is not hard. However, there is the scope for much art as you tweak your algorithms and code to make the chip work to the maximum of its potential on every tick. I love it - it has that Zen factor Smile

Quote:
Is there some cheap and/or simple DSP hardware that one might get hold of? I would want to be able to make a program that utilizes it without having to mess too much with tedious details like interfacing with the chip or adding a ton of accessories before it starts being useful. Maybe there is some way to access a DSP in an off-the-shelf audio interface?

There is one easy answer: The Soundart Chameleon. It's a high quality unit that has everything in place: DSP, memory, CODEC, host CPU, Display, knobs, MIDI, RS232 and a complete IDE. It was made for you...

Another way is to get a DSP development card, but it won't have a host CPU and you need to add MIDI, display, knobs etc..

Quote:
Maybe I'm too ambitious or just confused. How do people get started hacking DSP stuff anyway?

Not a lot of people do... except in the industry. However, we have a few dsPic hackers here on EM, and a few Chameleon hackers.

DJ
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Antimon



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PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 6:21 am    Post subject: Re: Hobbyist's DSP platform Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

DrJustice wrote:
[
There is one easy answer: The Soundart Chameleon. It's a high quality unit that has everything in place: DSP, memory, CODEC, host CPU, Display, knobs, MIDI, RS232 and a complete IDE. It was made for you...

DJ
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Aha! I've browsed the Chameleon forum here, and found it an interesting device. So you're able to go deep down on machine-code level on this one?

/Stefan

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DrJustice



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PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 6:49 am    Post subject: Re: Hobbyist's DSP platform Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yes, the Chameleons DSP56303 DSP is normally programmed in assembly. You can rig a C compiler for it, but that sort of defeats the purpose of it. The Coldfire host CPU is programmed in C/C++. The SDK brings it all together with a single click to build your complete "soundskin".

I forgot to mention the Line 6 Tonecore which is a DSP based stomp box module. I don't know a lot about it, but it looks kind of neat. Seems to have a DSP56xxx. It has no MIDI, display, host CPU and so on.

There's nothing that compares to the Chameleon though. I can heartily recommend it for the full experience with all the bell and whistles and none of the headaches (I have two of them...). And since it's a stand alone sturdy rack unit, your efforts get the professional wrapping. The only downside is that you'll have to hunt one down on the second hand market, but there's always a few units floating around.

DJ
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JovianPyx



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PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

As you probably know, I'm an FPGA guy and I like doing DSP projects with them. The approach, however, is not programming, rather it is digital design much like one would do with many small ICs.

A very inexpensive way to get into DSP is with the Microchip 16 bit dsPIC. The one I've started using has 12 bit ADC (13 channels), stereo 16 bit DAC (100K samples per sec), 2 UARTs, SPI and I2C ports and DSP internal computation hardware all built into an IC that costs about $5. They can even be purchased in DIP package.

They can be programmed in C (which costs some dollars unless you qualify for a student program) or in the free assembly language.

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wooster



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PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I'm really just getting started too, and have been having fun with the dsPics. You don't need to be a student to use the student version of the Microchip C compiler.

I've been testing out algorithms and techniques, not in hardware, but on my PC in the Python scripting language. There are modules to output wavefiles and generate plots. I think it is easier to develop in scripting languages where you have lots of visibility and zero compilation time. Then port to hardware.

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JovianPyx



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PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I agree, I use C to do proof of concept on specific portions of an idea. There are many languages that can be used this way.

Once I've proved my understanding of the implementation of a concept, I proceed to hardware implementation.

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