Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cbmvax!daveh
From: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: AMIGA
Message-ID: <17613@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Date: 15 Jan 91 17:53:48 GMT
References: <1991Jan10.194127.20625@rice.edu> <17564@cbmvax.commodore.com> <1991Jan15.015644.24380@rice.edu> <1991Jan15.024807.25384@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> <1160@pdxgate.UUCP>
Reply-To: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA
Lines: 33

In article <1160@pdxgate.UUCP> hal@eecs.UUCP (Aaron Harsh) writes:
>In article <1991Jan15.024807.25384@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> rjc@pogo.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell) writes:

>  What makes people think that the 56001 is worthless just because it can
>only do fixed point arithmetic?  Even if it was completely worthless for
>computations (which it's not) it's still the reason the NeXTs have better
>sound than Amigas.

The only thing you need to get better than 8 bit sound on any machine is a
better D-A converter.  Sure, a DSP can drive a D-A, but so can a CPU, a Amiga
style DMA slot, etc.  You pay $2.00 or less for a CD quality (44.1/48kHz 
samples, 16 bit resolution) stereo D-A these days.  Better sound is hardly a 
justification for the whole 56001 subsystem.  Certainly a DSP is nice to have 
around for manipulating the sound.  Even necessary, if you only have one or two
channels and want to combine separate logical voices on the fly without tying 
up your main CPU or adding additional sound channels.  

My guess what that Jobs put the DSP in simply for flash factor.  There were
already machines out with display processors, but no one had a DSP yet.  If
it doesn't do anything useful for a good number of users, why else would you
put it in?  It's certainly a good music processor, but anyone really into
computer music would want more capability.  If the NeXT had RJ11 jacks on the
back and software to let anyone run a V.32 modem or fax, you might convince
me the money's well spent.  

>-Aaron Harsh


-- 
Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests"
   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh      PLINK: hazy     BIX: hazy
	"Don't worry, 'bout a thing. 'Cause every little thing, 
	 gonna be alright"		-Bob Marley