Digital Sound Processing

for Music & Multimedia

Andy Hunt & Ross Kirk

CHAPTER 8 Interfacing: the use of the Computer as a Component

Chapter 8 describes how computer systems can be connected to the outside world. Different varieties of interface are considered and some specific examples studied in detail. Further links to tutorial information can found here.

8.1 Interfacing from the point of view of the programmer

Assembler language requirements for interfacing.
Some example assembler code for interfacing.

8.2 Interfacing from the point of view of the processor

Description of how a processor connects to interfaces.
Tutorial on memory mapping, decoding and latches.

8.2 Interfacing from the point of view of the interface

A more detailed description of interfacing.

8.4 Parallel and serial ports

Detailed on-line tutorial about interfacing.
A tutorial on serial interfaces.
Detailed tutorial on how to use serial interfaces.
RS-232 details and FAQ.
The Serial Port page. (Extensive information on hardware & software).
The Parallel Port page. (Extensive information on hardware & software).
Details on the parallel port.
FireWire home page.
What is USB (Universal Serial Bus) ? and the USB home page.

8.5 Digital to analogue and analogue to digital conversion

Summary of analogue & digital signals.

A set of lecture slides describing analogue-to-digital conversion.

Tutorial on Analogue-to-Digital conversion and another.
Detailed description of an ADC (and another in here).
Different types of ADC (including SAD).

8.6 Polled, interrupt driven and direct memory access (DMA) interfaces

Comparison of Polling and Interrupts (part of the Device Drivers tutorial).
What is DMA?

8.7 The Texas Instruments TMS320C30 Digital Signal Processor (DSP)

Introduction to DSPs.
Audio hardware for DSP (part of the DSP audio page).
DSP tutorial for the TMS320C30.
Technical information for the TMS320C30 chip.
Detailed simulation examples for the TMS320C30.
Tutorial on computer memory (inc. cache). Description of cache.

8.8 The MIDI interface

See chapter 4 for more information on MIDI.
Detailed info on UARTs.
Overview of transistors and a detailed tutorial.
Midi Hardware web.

8.9 PC sound cards

8.10 Summary

Chip Directory - look up abbreviations and read descriptions of different integrated circuits.
An interfacing home page.

Digital Sound Processing

for Music & Multimedia

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