[sdiy] Which programable chip?

[Scott Nordlund]

> That would be a selector - if it's a full patch matrix the first
> topology to mind is to use 16x CD4066s, 8 74HC573s, and op-amp summing
> buffers at each output. With a complicated setup like that, it would
> be more cost-effective hardware wise to have 8 channels of ADC and
> DAC, then perform all the summing in the MCU.

I'm not sure it would be worth all the effort, but it would be tempting at least to do that (with a grid of LEDs, of course) just to program it to run Conway's game of life on an 8x8 torus.  Doing it digitally would also kind of spoil the fun for some purposes, like feedback.  I'd build it out of reed relays so that it could also be activated by waving a magnet nearby.  I'm kind of drawing a blank when it comes to practical applications, though... 
_________________________________________________________________
Quick access to Windows Live and your favorite MSN content with Internet Explorer 8.
http://ie8.msn.com/microsoft/internet-explorer-8/en-us/ie8.aspx?ocid=B037MSN55C0701A