[sdiy] DSP synth applications (was DIY Polysynths)

[Scott Gravenhorst]

thx1138 <thx1138 at earthlink.net> wrote:

[...]

>ARM requires 6 to 10 layers of PCB and Ball Grid packages are more expensive
>to layout and debug. Still I think I have some solutions there as well as we
>will introduce some ARM 9 parts in TQFP in August.

As for ball grid packages, this is common in more powerful FPGA ICs.  I have found that
development boards can be the major basis for a synthesizer.  Sure, you don't solder the
board, but for me - soldering something together isn't really an issue nor is it a
thrill.  For me, the thrill is when music generated by a synthesizer I designed comes out
of my speakers.  A decent sized FPGA will probably be a ball grid device, but it will
also have the kind of DSP power required to put together a complex design with several
polyphonic voices.  I have development boards which range in price from $39.00 to $295. 
All have BGA packages.  All can execute designs up to at least 8 voices of polyphony.

If you are looking at designing digital polysynths, consider an FPGA.  I learned Verilog
by using free web-based resources and learning materials along with my new development
board.  HDL is not the beast some of you may think it is.  And I found that having some
experience designing digital things with things like CD4xxx really helped me
conceptualize my designs in terms of RAMs, multipliers, adders and other logic.  I found
it to be far more familiar and comfortable than I ever thought it would be.

Just my $0.02.

-- ScottG
________________________________________________________________________
-- Scott Gravenhorst
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