Slide 2 of 22 Notes:  

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For the last two decades since software programmable DSP processors arrived on the scene DSP designers have been forced to choose between the flexibility of a DSP processor and the performance of custom IC. The ability to buy an off-the-shelf standard product device, customize it to solve a specific problem, and then test it in real time over a real channel is powerful.

But what do you do when the fastest DSP processor is not fast enough? The only alternative beyond using multiple DSP processors has been to design a custom IC.

Custom ICs, on the other hand can be designed to deliver unlimited performance and are a good solution for high volume products such as cell phone handsets but there are many of applications that can afford the risk, development cost, and design cycles of a custom IC.

Now lets look at how the DSP market values flexibility and performance.