Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zephyr!tektronix!orca!ka7axd.WV.TEK.COM!mhorne
From: mhorne@ka7axd.WV.TEK.COM (Michael T. Horne)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: DSP56001 query
Message-ID: <3742@orca.WV.TEK.COM>
Date: 29 Jun 89 22:37:24 GMT
References: <519@unicads.UUCP> <8765@chinet.chi.il.us> <7151@cbmvax.UUCP>
Sender: nobody@orca.WV.TEK.COM
Reply-To: mhorne@ka7axd.wv.tek.com
Organization: Horne's Happy Home of Heavy Hacking
Lines: 22


> I saved the following message from Fidonet or Internet last year.  Is there
> any truth to the second paragraph about the Motorola DSP56001 being capable
> of acting as a V.32 modem at the price [$56/qty 1] Eric Larson mentions?

I've looked at the 56K very closely, and I find that implementing a V.32
modem on the chip would be fairly easy.  Of course, you'll need an ADC/DAC
pair and the other analog front end hardware to make a product out of it.  The
part really has the compute power to do some very impressive things.

> but i forgot to mention that the "$56/qty1" price was for a chip in a
> "slam pack"...  i don't know what other packages options exist.

The current SLAM pack has a questionable future since it has several problems,
one of which is that once the chip is in the socket, it's in the socket for
*good* (unless you want to destroy the socket).  I'm told they are currently
working on an improved version of the package.  I've also heard various rumors
that the part will eventually drop to the $15/per range, though this remains
to be seen.  The part is also available in a PGA package, which is what I've
been using.  It's nearly twice as much, but it's here today and reliable.

Mike