My evil modular plans

[Paul Schreiber]

The Titan DSP is an Analog Devices SHARC. The operating system is called CSound.

See (duh!) www.analog.com

for more info.

Paul Schreiber

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From: 	Roy Tate[SMTP:roytate at ultra2.ionet.net]
Sent: 	Wednesday, April 23, 1997 3:37 AM
To: 	Synth-DIY
Subject: 	Re: My evil modular plans

I also have been playing with the idea of DSP based projects.  I'd love it if Paul or some other talented designer would make and write up a project centered around a DSP.  I envision a board with a serial-port or midi interface for communications and software updates, as well as audio in/out and CV in/out jacks, several knobs and buttons and a small 2 line LCD display.  I'm not very sure how expensive such a kit would be, but I fear that it would be over $100 US easily.  The basic idea was to have a module that I could integrate with a traditional modular, and assign it one or more functions from a PC by sending it new code.  Once the new code was in the module, it would act as a VCO, LFO, wave shaper, noise generator, sample and hold, multi-stage EG, VCF (???) etc.  Even if the VCF couldn't compete with a moog ladder, it would be alot of fun, and usable by a fair number of the DIY group.  Of course, we'd have to pick a DSP that had a free-ware assembler (with C source for our Unix friends).

The only problem I would really have with a DSP-based system would be if I had to deal with surface-mounted components.  I am very comfortable with DIP and TO-92 components, thank you.  Well, enough rambling ... I've enjoyed this thread and the Favorite Designs thread.

Peace,

Roy Tate
roytate at ionet.net

---------------------------
Gene Stopp wrote:
>
>      The DSP-based modulars have been a long time coming, especially in a
>      DIY format. Although there sometimes exists a deep-rooted aversion to
>      digital sound production in modular synthesis (whether it is founded
>      or not), this technology will certainly "find its place" at the very
>      least, or take over completely at the very most. Perhaps if things are
>      kept in the digital domain, all these discussions about patching would
>      become obsolete, as would the actual patchcord itself (shudder!).
>
>      Some DIY tutorial-type information dissemination about how to build
>      DSP stuff as well as EPLD and FPGA design would be most welcome. 
>      Although there is a lot of reference material available on the theory
>      (as shown by the evolution of Electronotes), there is a void that 
>      needs to be filled as far as some step-by-step description of what
>      chip to use, how to set it up, how to use the development environment,
>      etc.
>
>      Paul, thanks for having the energy to embark on these projects! When
>      this stuff gets going it could well be exactly what we've all been
>      looking for all these years.
>
>      - Gene
>      gstopp at fibermux.com
>