DSP3210 SIGNAL ANALYSIS BOARD TARGETS DEMANDING TEST & MEASUREMENT
APPLICATIONS

Marlborough, MA, March 1993 -- The Qw3210-SA Signal Analysis Board is a
complete Data Acquisition and Digital Signal Processing Subsystem on a
single 2/3 length PC-ISA plug-in board. Based on AT&T Microelectronics'
new DSP3210 chip, the board combines a 32 MFLOP 32-bit floating-point
processor with an "instrumentation quality" analog front-end. The board is
designed for applications that require more horsepower than data
acquisition boards with no on-board processor, including frequency
analysis, high-order precision filtering, and custom algorithms. The
DSP3210 chip was chosen because of its ease of programming and extensive
DSP function library support.

Although suitable for general purpose applications and DSP algorithm
development, the board is aimed primarily at industrial OEMs for test &
measurement, instrumentation, and control applications. The
high-performance Analog I/O subsection contains two low-noise channels
(typically -90 dB THD), each with a 200 Ksample/sec 16-bit A/D and D/A,
differential input programmable gain instrumentation amplifier, and
optional programmable-cutoff analog filters. Sample rates are generated by
a fully software programmable on-board source, or can be synchronized to
an external clock or trigger signal. The board also has a generous amount
of high-speed static RAM (136K bytes, expandable to over 2M bytes) and a
high-speed dual-port RAM interface between the PC and DSP. Separate
multiplexer boxes, situated outside the PC chassis, will be available to
expand the number of analog input channels.

Innovative software included with the board lets users bypass much of the
learning curve associated with using other DSP boards. A C Interface
Library provides an easy way for users to write PC programs that interact
with the board. The Library is compatible with DOS and Microsoft Windows
3.X, and includes DSP program downloading and execution, high-speed data
transfer between the PC and DSP, debugging features, error reporting, and
multiple board access. Quantawave's new RESMON resident monitor works in
tandem with the Library. RESMON is a small but powerful memory-resident
DSP program that does all necessary hardware setup, provides task
switching services, an inter-task parameter passing mechanism, error
reporting, data moving services, and a breakpoint mechanism. RESMON's
user-extension feature easily accommodates custom user functions.

Also included is a unique Analog I/O Device Driver that provides "canned"
data acquisition, while still taking advantage of the DSP3210's highly
efficient DMA for input and output. The driver provides a "pure software
interface" for the A/D and D/A front-end, and allows using the analog I/O
channels without learning any of the hardware details. Using the driver is
exactly like calling a routine from AT&T's DSP Function Library _
parameters are passed to set the sampling rate and I/O buffer locations.
Flags indicate when input buffers are full, and when output buffers are
empty. Double buffering is automatically implemented for maximum I/O
throughput.

Quantawave resells AT&T's development software, including the $95 DSP
Application Library, which allows users to quickly craft applications
using their own routines combined with pre-written code. The library
includes optimized assembly language source code for trigonometric,
logarithmic, matrix, filter, adaptive filter, up/down sampling, windowing,
and FFT routines. An included demo program (with source code) uses these
routines to turn the board into a two channel, 100 KHz bandwidth spectrum
analyzer that displays frequency data on the PC's screen.

DSP programs are written in the DSP3210's C-like assembly language using
the AT&T Assembler/Linker, or in C, using their Optimizing C Compiler. The
comprehensive User's Manual for the board includes extensive tutorial
information for new DSP programmers. The Software Simulator allows code
execution profiling and detailed examination of the internal features of
the DSP. An  easy to use, menu-driven debug monitor is included with the
board. Also, the popular D3BUG, C Source Code Debugger from Communication
Automation and Control, Inc., is being ported to the Quantawave board and
will be priced separately. AT&T's new VCOS (Visible Caching Operating
System) is also being ported to the board. Digital filter coefficients are
easily derived using our new QwFilter  software. Several popular
general-purpose signal analysis programs are also adding support for the
new board, including Signalogic's Hypersignal-Macro, Hyperception's
Hypersignal- Windows, and Momentum Data System's DSPworks.

PRICING:

The DSP3210-SA board is available now at a single quantity price of
$2995.00 US. A steep price discount curve starts at quantity 2 and can be
as large as 60% off for quantities of 100 or above. Board pricing includes
unlimited technical support and software mentioned above.

The AT&T DSP Application Library is $95.00, the DOS-based DSP3210
Assembler/Linker/Simulator package is $995.00, and the DOS-based DSP3210 C
Compiler is $1995.00. QwFilter Digital Filter Coefficient Design Software
is $195.00.

THE DSP3210 CHIP:

Although AT&T is primarily promoting the DSP3210 as a "multimedia
solution," in reality it is an enhanced version of their popular 32-bit
floating-point DSP32C processor, and is excellent for use in regular DSP
applications. The chip's internal DMA capability has been enhanced, which
translates to very efficient handling of analog I/O sample blocks on the
Qw3210-SA. Also, the 3210 improves on the 32C by increasing the internal
fixed-point register width from 24 to 32 bits. The address space has also
increased from 24 to 32 bits. Do loops can now be interrupted, and a
barrel shifter and programmable 32-bit timer have been added. The assembly
language syntax is almost identical to the C Language, making it much
easier to write optimized code for the DSP3210 than for other DSP chips.

SIDE BENEFITS OF THE DSP3210 CHIP'S APPLICATION IN MULTIMEDIA:

Although users of the Qw3210-SA need not pay any attention to VCOS or
multimedia, there are some important side benefits due to the emphasis on
multimedia. One major benefit is that Apple Computer and several large PC
Clone manufacturers have announced new personal computers with the DSP3210
built onto the motherboard. This means there will be a large installed
base of software development systems and a corresponding increasing pool
of standard hardware-independent VCOS function modules.

Probably the largest benefit to Qw3210-SA users is that AT&T has brought
their Bell Labs expertise to market, packaged in the form of VCOS
multimedia modules. Currently available routines include various
high-speed modem implementations, a JPEG Image Coder, an MPEG Audio Coder,
a G.722 Audio Coder, DTMF generate/receive, HQ call progress detection,
Caller ID handling, 16 and 24 Kbps Subband Speech Coders, CDXA Audio
Coding, LD CELP Coding (AV254/G.728), an independent speech recognizer,
text-to-speech synthesis, 3-D Graphics functions, and more. These routines
come in bundled packages with ridiculously low license fees (on the order
of $10 to $25 or less per bundle).

THE FIRST OF A LINE:

The Qw3210-SA is the first of a line of several variations on the same
"core" board. One variant, the Qw3210-IP, will replace the analog I/O
section with an Image Capture/Display section. Another follow-on board
will leave an open area for prototyping user circuitry or for standard
plug-in daughter modules.

Quantawave welcomes the opportunity to quote on custom variations of any
standard product, or on completely custom designs.  We specialize in high
speed analog I/O and multiple channel designs.  We have experience with
all popular single-chip DSPs.

Quantawave, 530 Boston Post Rd East, Marlborough, MA  01752

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