[linux-audio-user] Re: [linux-audio-dev] Re: [Alsa-devel] Firewire Audio Card Support

[Steve Harris]

On Thu, Nov 18, 2004 at 06:19:45 -0800, Brad Fuller wrote:
> >Instead of a $400 2 channel PCI card we might end up with a $600
> >16-in/16-out device with hardware signal processing on board. To me
> >this is probably a better place to go. If we do all this work ten we
> >want to start working towards an architecture that will last.

Now youre talking.

> Taking ladspa and mapping it to FPGA: how?  and how would you do this 
> efficiently, if you could do it?  A C function to VHDL function 
> convertor? (it's been a long time since I've worked with FPGAs. I'm sure 
> there are advances)

Yeah, there are C to VHDL compilers, but I think there a bit wierd. I'm
not sure they'd give you floating point operations.

Another route would be to weld a lowend cpu on the board, but I'd guess
that will be expensive and difficult.

> It might be more cost effective to use DSPs -- that is: more cost 
> effective in the long run for everybody -- mostly the end user.

Yes, but coding for DSPs is really hard work, and LADSPA plugins wont port
over as they use floating point maths.

- Steve