Re: [linux-audio-dev] Another Annoying "How Do I Get Started" Question

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Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Another Annoying "How Do I Get Started" Question
From: Greg Berchin (76145.2455_AT_compuserve.com)
Date: Sun Jul 08 2001 - 01:53:33 EEST


Paul Winkler wrote:

>Most existing linux signal-processing apps follow this model (read from
>soundcard or file; process; write to soundcard or file). It's all very
>well and good until you realize that if your signal processor is any
>good at all, users will inevitably want to use it in combination with
>existing apps (hard disk recorders, synthesizers, other dsp tools, etc),
>and it is very inconvenient to do so

Thank you for your suggestions, but you have missed my intentions
completely. (Not your fault -- I didn't state them.) I have spent the
past several years designing algorithms and implementing functions on
specialized pro audio DSP hardware carrying retail prices as high as
approximately $6000. I have always been frustrated that the amount of
computational horsepower that I had to work with, even at that price, was
minuscule in comparison with what I could get in a PC. I just bought a
complete 1.2 GHz Athlon system and digital sound card for about what we
were BUILDING a dual-100MHz-DSP system for six months ago, and I have
several times the computational power available to me.

I am intentionally ABANDONING the concept that the Athlon is part of a
"general purpose" PC, instead thinking of it as a standalone compute
engine. There will be NO other applications. The only reason that the
hard disk is present is to hold the OS and boot code -- it's cheaper and
easier than trying to develop ROM or FLASH. There will be no modem, no
Internet connection, no mouse, no monitor, no user interface (except as
needed for setup, for general use they will be disconnected). The PC will
just be another black box that one turns on and turns off, as needed.

>1) When writing dsp, write as much of it as possible as LADSPA plugins.

I have been looking at that, and the impression that I get is that
everything is treated as a 32-bit float. (Please correct me if this is
wrong.) That is not sufficient for my needs.

>2) If you're developing your own application, wait a bit until the dust
>settles on all this LAAGA stuff.

If I can find out the low-level information that I need, I can help bring
that about. Where do I start?

Once again, thank you for your input.

Greg Berchin


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