Digital Signal Processors

Digital Signal Processing is carried out by mathematical operations. In comparison, word
processing and similar programs merely rearrange stored data. This means that computers
designed for business and other general applications are not optimized for algorithms such as
digital filtering and Fourier analysis. Digital Signal Processors are microprocessors specifically
designed to handle Digital Signal Processing tasks. These devices have seen tremendous growth
in the last decade, finding use in everything from cellular telephones to advanced scientific
instruments. In fact, hardware engineers use "DSP" to mean Digital Signal Processor, just as
algorithm developers use "DSP" to mean Digital Signal Processing. This chapter looks at how
DSPs are different from other types of microprocessors, how to decide if a DSP is right for your
application, and how to get started in this exciting new field. In the next chapter we will take a
more detailed look at one of these sophisticated products: the Analog Devices SHARC® family.
CHAPTER
Digital Signal Processors
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Digital Signal Processing is carried out by mathematical operations. In comparison, word
processing and similar programs merely rearrange stored data. This means that computers
designed for business and other general applications are not optimized for algorithms such as
digital filtering and Fourier analysis. Digital Signal Processors are microprocessors specifically
designed to handle Digital Signal Processing tasks. These devices have seen tremendous growth
in the last decade, finding use in everything from cellular telephones to advanced scientific
instruments. In fact, hardware engineers use "DSP" to mean Digital Signal Processor, just as
algorithm developers use "DSP" to mean Digital Signal Processing. This chap