DSP audio processing made easy

New digital audio processors aim for large-volume, price-sensitive, time-constrained applications, such as automotive audio, digital TV, multimedia PCs and home theatre systems.

Analog Devices has unveiled its latest SigmaDSP digital audio processors targeted for large-volume, price-sensitive, time-constrained applications, such as automotive audio, digital TV, multimedia PCs and home theatre systems.

The new AD1940 and AD1941 SigmaDSP, together with SigmaStudio, provide a fully automated hardware and software system design tool, enabling engineers to implement higher quality DSP audio processing capabilities into more of their designs.

With SigmaStudio, ADI further strengthens its portfolio of graphical programming tools for digital sound processing applications, complementing the company's recently announced VisualAudio graphical design and development environment for the SHARC processors.

"The SigmaDSP audio processor is tailored to engineers who need a cost-effective way to migrate analogue sound processing tasks to the digital domain", said Martin Cotter, Product Line Director for the Digital Audio and Video Group at Analog Devices.

"While consumers love digital audio features, mass market cost structures and development schedules do not easily accommodate robust DSP functionality".

"SigmaDSP allows more audio engineers to design in those features without exceeding their budgets and still meeting their deadlines".

The AD1940 and AD1941 SigmaDSP audio processors feature a 28bit core running at 75MHz with 16-channel I/O, enough to process conventional 24bit audio signals with the headroom to accommodate sound-enhancing features like bass compensation.

This flexibility creates a richer audio experience for end users, particularly in space-constrained products like flat panel televisions or multimedia PCs, where a restricted form factor prevents the use of large speakers and subwoofers.

The comprehensive postprocessing functions of the AD1940 and AD1941 include tone and distortion control, and a 120ms delay-pool that provide audio systems engineers with a broad range of design options.

In an automotive sound system, for example, the SigmaDSP enables car makers to equip their vehicles with multiple speakers that can be professionally equalised for maximum sound quality.

In a set-top box or home theatre system, audio delays can be added to ensure the audio signal is synchronised to compensate for video frame delays.

Audio systems engineers can tap the full capabilities of the AD1940 and AD1941 SigmaDSPs by using the SigmaStudio, a new drag-and-drop graphical DSP design tool that analogue Devices also is introducing today.

Requiring no DSP programming knowledge, SigmaStudio employs a user-friendly "drag and drop" interface that allows designers to easily build multichannel digital audio platforms by selecting from a library of audio function blocks, including volume controls, crossover and equaliser filters and professional-grade dynamic processors.

SigmaStudio also enables the easy implementation of industry-standard licensed algorithms, such as SRS TruSurroundXT, Waves MaxxBass or Dolby Prologic-II.

The SigmaStudio's ease-of-use gives analogue audio engineers as well as experienced digital designers an advantage by allowing them to reduce development time and cost, accelerate time to market, and still deliver premium sound quality for high-volume applications where tight market windows and a competitive price point are the rule.

In addition to quickly assembling and wiring functional audio blocks, engineers can use SigmaStudio to compile the SigmaDSP application-generate production-ready code and then adjust and control signal parameters in real time.

The proprietary architectures of the SigmaDSP core and the SigmaStudio design tool allow the code-efficiency of the compiled SigmaDSP programs to reach 100%.

The AD1940YSTZ, featuring an SPI control interface, and the AD1941YSTZ with its I2C control interface are available now in a lead-free 48-pin LQFP (low-profile quad flatpack) package for $5.96 per unit in 10,000-unit quantities.

The devices meet the automotive industry's extended temperature range specification of -40 to +105C.

Evaluation boards for both devices, including the SigmaStudio design tool, are available for $499.

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