jtn@potomac.ads.com (John T. Nelson) (03/09/89)
I'm wondering about the capabilities of the DSP chip on the NeXT machine. Will I be able to process say 8 channels of digital data at once in the digital domain and output them at the 44.1 Khz rate? Let's get specific: I'd like to have the 68030 interpret incoming MIDI data and for each note or MIDI command, process say 2 seconds worth of a looped sample stored in the NeXT's memory. Each sample would obviously contain 88.2 individual data items. Alterations to each sample could be extensive (filtration, envelope mods, pitch transposition within say an octave range) as well as in-digital mixing of all samples (modifying their amplitudes, EQ, etc). All this would then be output through the DAC. That sounds like a lot of work for one DSP with 600 instructions per individual PCM data sample. I'm also wondering about the DACs and any filters used on the NeXT. There's lots of technical data on the DSP but I haven't heard anything about the specifics of the DACS (16 bit linear?) or filters (brick- wall, digital, analog?). These will affect sound quality as well. Does anyone know anything about the music kit that comes with the NeXT? Clearly I would like to use the NeXT as a sample player and perform everything in the digital domain (I don't mind writing software) for the highest quality sound possible. Problem is I don't really know what is possible with this machine sigh. John T. Nelson UUCP: sun!sundc!potomac!jtn Advanced Decision Systems Internet: jtn@potomac.ads.com 1500 Wilson Blvd #512; Arlington, VA 22209-2401 (703) 243-1611 "I have no idea why I've started liking rock music well after my teens, but I do have a theory about why older people largely stop listening to music much. They can't hear it."