[sdiy] FPAA for analog synthesis?

[johnspeth at yahoo.com]

> Anyone here experimented with field programmable analog 
> arrays?

Yes, I have.  I'll try to recall memories of when I tried it 8 years ago.

I have an 8 year old Anadigm dev kit for the AN220E04 which I don't think they sell anymore (the dev kit, that is).  If you think that it's anything like FPGA programming, it's not.  Resources are severly limited unless you try to limit your design to simple functions.  Its greatest strength is runtime reconfigurability.

The device on my board uses a small number of analog block elements containing a combo of static gain elements, switches, and switched cap filters, and maybe other stuff.  The design SW was clunky but sufficient to get the job done.  It includes a filter design tool that I didn't try.

My experiment was to try to make a compressor in my own amateurish way.  I ran out of device resources and never finished.  It didn't leave me with a good impression.  In the hands of a master and the right application, I'm sure it could be a great device for solving some problems.

At the time I was evaluating it, Anadigm was showing an 8 device synth-on-a-board at trade shows.  I heard about it and asked them to send the design files to me.  They declined saying that it was from a customer whom they promised to keep details secret.  It doesn't appear the secret customer ever made a mass produced synth from it.

Anadigm hasn't had much publicity presence in the past handful of years.

Is anyone interested in buying my dev kit?  If so, please reply privately.  (Portland, OR origin)

John Speth