What is a Digital Signal Processor?

A Digital Signal Processor, or DSP, is a specialized microprocessor that has an architecture which is optimized for the fast operational needs of digital signal processing. A Digital Signal Processor (DSP) can process data in real time, making it ideal for applications that can’t tolerate delays. Digital signal processors take a digital signal and process it to improve the signal into clearer sound, faster data or sharper images. Digital Signal Processors use video, voice, audio, temperature or position signals that have been digitized and mathematically manipulate them. A digital signal processor is designed to perform these mathematical functions rapidly. The signals are processed so the information contained in them can be displayed or converted to another type of signal.

Types of Digital Signal Processors

There are many different kinds of programmable digital signal processors and at Future Electronics we stock many of the most common types categorized by Clock Frequency, RAM size, Data Bus Width, ROM Size, Flash size, packaging type, MMAC/MIPS/FLOPS and I/O Voltage. The parametric filters on our website can help refine your search results depending on the specifications required.

The most common sizes for RAM are 24 kB, 64 kB, 576 kB and 125 MB. We also carry digital signal processors with RAM sizes up to 1 GB. Flash sizes can range from 8 B to 1 GB, with the most common sizes being 8 B and 4 kB.

Digital Signal Processors from Future Electronics

Future Electronics has a full selection of digital signal processors from several manufacturers suitable for programming, including audio DSP chips that can be used in DSP systems. Simply choose from the digital signal processor technical attributes below and your search results will quickly be narrowed to match your specific digital signal processor application needs.

If you have a preferred brand, we deal with several manufacturers such as austriamicrosystems, Cognivue Corporation, Cypress, Freescale Semiconductor or Zilog. You can easily refine your digital signal processor product search results by clicking your preferred programmable digital signal processor brand below from our list of manufacturers.

Applications for digital signal processors:

Digital signal processors are designed to be used for audio signal processing, audio and video compression, speech processing and recognition, digital image processing, digital communications, biomedicine, seismology and radar applications. Specific uses include speech transmission in mobile phones, seismic data processing, analysis of industrial processes, medical imaging such as CAT scans, MP3 compression and computer graphics.

Choosing the Right Digital Signal Processor:

When you are looking for the right digital signal processors, with the FutureElectronics.com parametric search, you can filter the results by various attributes: by Clock Frequency (100 Hz, 100 MHz, 150 MHz, 1000 MHz,…), RAM size (1 kB, 24 kB, 576 kB,…), Data Bus Width (from 8 b to 480 Mb), ROM Size (96 B, 576 B, 96 kB,…) and I/O Voltage (up to 3.3 kV) to name a few. You will be able to find the right chip for your system including audio DSP chips or programmable digital signal processors using these filters.

Digital Signal Processors in Production Ready Packaging or R&D Quantities

If the quantity of digital signal processors required is less than a full reel, we offer customers many of our programmable digital signal processor products in tube, tray or individual quantities that will avoid unneeded surplus.

In addition, Future Electronics offers clients a unique bonded inventory program that is designed to eliminate potential problems that may arise from an unpredictable supply of products containing raw metals and products with erratic or long lead times. Talk with your nearest Future Electronics branch and find out more on how you and your company can avoid possible shortages.