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From: cnbs30@vaxa.strath.ac.uk
Newsgroups: comp.sys.transputer
Subject: DSP Processors and Transputers
Message-ID: <1991Mar16.165208.10489@vaxa.strath.ac.uk>
Date: 16 Mar 91 16:52:08 GMT
Lines: 28

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?

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.   The parallelism that
the transputer can offer a DSP chip is really not the type
of parallelism that is inherent in DSP algorithms.  DSP is
most certainly not SIMD or MIMD "batch" type parallelism.  If say
a FIR filter were to be split between two, for arguments sake,
DSP 56000's then while the DSP chip hammers along at more than
10MOPs, could the transputer keep up.   I think the designers,
are barking up the wrong trees.  Other than Universities who
would buy these things.

TRAMS with DSPs are most definitely hybrids.  We all know what
happened to the boat-car.

I look forward to any views on DSP/transputer modules, especially ones
that contrast to mine.  I am willing to be convinced they are a good idea,
if someone can come up with faster algorithm implementation, and
more importantly, applications

...Buff Whelan