[sdiy] Small MCU MIPS, DMIPS?

[Scott Gravenhorst]

karl dalen <dalenkarl at yahoo.se> wrote:
>>Scott Gravenhorst <music.maker at gte.net>:

[...]

>There needs to be a paradigm shift soon to get away from all
>those silly 8,16bit 20-40Mhz MCUs. (hopefully im provocative
>enough here) :-) 

You can certainly dream, but I think that there is a large number of
applications for which these small things and their low cost is quite right for
microwave ovens, toys, and a miriad of things we don't even remember has them
inside.  Things cost money and lower price is always a consideration.  It is
unfortunate that we can't have whatever we want.  I'd like an FPGA with
10,000,000 equivalent gates for $2.00.  Since that's not reality, I do what I
can with what is actually available.  We hobbyists have always had to deal with
parts that sell the best in things unrelated to what we want to do.  That
hasn't changed since the early days and won't in the future I'm afraid.
 
>> I bolted from analog a while ago for just this
>> reason.  
>
>You may have not if the entire CEM line would have been
>still alive and well, including new devices who combined
>table reading and VCO VCF. 

Possibly, but it was bound to happen.  And with FPGA technology, I can put an 8
or 16 voice poly synth into a single chip which implements high quality DSP. 
Such a chip is less than $20.  Try making a 16 voice polysynth with similar
features using CEM for $20.

>>My choice was the FPGA for it's sheer logic gate count
>>which can accomodate very complex systems. 
>
>Same thing here, i'm disappointed there are no DIP16 FPGA
>a million apps dont need 2000balls in the pants. How many
>balls have you ever used in your apps? Less then 50?

Right - even less than 50.  But I doubt that Xilinx was thinking about _my_
application when they did that.  It's about volume because otherwise we'd never
be able to afford these things.  However, I believe that there is a Spartan-3E
500K gate device available in TQFP and that's quite capable.  Eric B. has done
work with such TQFP FPGAs, though somewhat smaller, still very capable.

>>Yeah, I don't get to solder
>>solder solder, but I think I've done some things 
>>I couldn't possibly have done without the FPGA at
>>my disposal.  DIY for me has become writing my
>>ideas in Verilog. Maybe not so much fun for everyone,
>>but then  neither is mountain climbing.
>
>yes, but you have also spent years to get where you are now
>so the mountain was there already it's slopes where perhaps
>not so steep but long..

Actually, not so many years.  I think about 4 now - but quite honestly, I
designed my first working monosynth within the first year.  And I have no
degree, no previous DSP experience and do not consider myself a math wizard,
basic calculus only - and I can't even do that anymore.  You'd be surprised
what can be done with a block diagram...

>which declares the point of do we 
>really want to solder (analog) write (digital) rather then
>make tunes and sounds?

That's a different subject really, but personal choice I presume.  In my case,
I get inspired by a new working design.  But then I'm probably a better
designer than I am a musician anyway.  Not that my designs are stellar either.

>I bet the older you get the more you might value your time
>for either one?! At least i do. No im not saying one shouldent
>learn new, of course on should but on on your own premises.
>
>Why spend years on something that should be way easier, there
>are still the prestige thing in engineering that dictates if
>you can do something that's easy make it complex so it sells
>better.;-) hehe...

Not really sure what "should be easier".  I take things this way: "It is what
it is", i.e., if you want something bad enough, you'll learn what you need to
learn and apply the required effort.  I don't fear that.  I embrace it.  I also
wouldn't advocate any single method for all.  Do what you do best and be happy
in that.  If it's analog, then make analog, but understand that there are
market forces that are working against you.  If digital, well, there appears to
be some future in that - for how long?  Who knows.

Maybe going back to making wooden instruments is best?  (I would suck at that).

-- ScottG
________________________________________________________________________
-- Scott Gravenhorst
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