Digital audio gets an audition part one: lossless
compression By Brian Dipert, Technical Editor
Theory is fine, but reality is better. In this two-part series (see our Jan 18 issue for Part 2), I dust off my PC, stopwatch, oscilloscope, and spectrum analyzer and answer your audio-compression questions.
Design Features
Conventional DSP or configurable microcontroller: which way to
go? Henry Davis, Contributing Editor
Engineers of DSP-based systems are in a quandary over whether to use a conventional DSP or one of the new configurable microcontrollers. The technical challenges of MP3 decoding provide the basis for comparing traditional DSPs with upstart configurable micros.
Class D audio-power amplifiers: Interactive simulations assess device and
filter performance Duncan McDonald, Transim Technology Corp
Class D amplifiers are much more efficient than other classical amplifiers, but their high efficiency comes at the expense of increased noise and distortion. You can assess the frequency- and time-domain characteristics of a Class D amplifier, including the output filter, using online simulations.
Simulating mixed-mode designs with Verilog-only models Anis Jarrar, Kelvin McCollough, Jim Caserta, Motorola
PLL circuits offer developers of mixed-signal designs a unique challenge. Commonly used as frequency synthesizers, clock multipliers, or clock-recovery devices, PLLs are crucial to many microcontrollers and microprocessors. As more functions enter the digital domain, verification becomes more difficult and requires more sophisticated models. A Verilog-only model can solve most of these problems.
Embedded TCP/IP: a smorgasbord of options By Nicholas Cravotta, Technical Editor
Internet-connected devices are not always more intelligent than stand-alone devices. Connectivity means more intelligent device management.
