HALLAM@vax1.physics.oxford.ac.uk ("Phillip M. Hallam-Baker") (03/18/91)
Buff Whelan asks :- >A number of companies are currently putting together TRAMS for >digital signal processing chips, such as the DSP 56000, and the >newer Motorola 96000, Zoran chips and so on .... >Why? They think they will make some money out of them? >What can the transputer offer DSP? DSP is fast mulitply >accumulate. So are DSP algorithms. Other than downlaod >the code through a serial link I don't see where the transputers >can offer their services to the DSP chips. We use several 1000 DSP's for front end conditioning of real time data signals. Our data path basicaly consists of a big 100MHz FADC per channel followed by a DSP per 16 channels followed by a Tputer network (100 off analysing 4096 channels). The DSP's are good for raw crunching of data, the transputers are easier to program and also handle message passing better. It's an architechure that works (well the simulations work anyhow) precisely because the DSP's and transputers are complimentary. If we did not need the Transputers for analysis we would still use them for ease of downloading code. >TRAMS with DSPs are most definitely hybrids. We all know what >happened to the boat-car. It went rusty - important lesson *DO NOT* take your Meiko to sea with you. Even a short dip in the bath with it is inadvisable. Phill Hallam-Baker.