Line 6 tonecore dsp developers kit

[JonWormwood]

Not sure if this has been posted...

https://www.globalfulfillment.net/g...)/line6/10Expand.aspx?ProductCode=99-043-0001

DSP programmers: develop your own effects
It is a special Line 6 Developer ToneCore Dock, which in addition to containing the Freescale Symphony audio DSP, audio circuitry and ToneCore Module docking slot, can be connected directly to a PC via USB. The ToneCore Programmable Module is customizable and stores DSP code in the FLASH memory of the on-board Freescale microcontroller. DSP code development is performed on the PC and then a programming tool is used to FLASH the MCU with the new DSP code through the Developer ToneCore Dock.

Kit contains:
1 ToneCore Programmable Module
1 Developer ToneCore Dock
1 USB cable
Download directions for the software tools
System requirements
Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later
x86 processor running at 500 MHz
128 MB of RAM
16 MB of disk space
More info. - This item can only be shipped to a U.S. mailing address.

Does this mean custom made impulses, live?

 

[JonWormwood]

I thought this was badass

 

[drew_drummer]

Ancient news.

Never really took off.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I wounder if there is a learning curve to it or not. It does indeed sound badass, however I could also see it not living up to expectations etc...

 

[sprack]

There is a large curve for it. The SDK for it sucks and requires more than a passing familiarity with DSP programming.

 

[drew_drummer]

Well of course... DSP isn't easy, and this is a product for guitarists!

 

[sprack]

DSP isn't worthwhile anymore either. VHDL or verilog is a better use of time.

 

[Rex Rocker]

So... is it possible to program LeCto into one of these pedals?

That'd be badass.

 

[Limak]

DSP isn't worthwhile anymore either. VHDL or verilog is a better use of time.

I call bullshit on that, DSP is still major part in audio signal processing. Unless you live in a world, where you can design without any project deadlines at all, DSP are still worth it(simple design = lower cost and that's what everyone is aiming at). Developing on FPGA when all you aim at is audio application is kinda overkill.

 

[sprack]

Fair enough. The ToneCore setup is $300, an Altera Cyclone2 dev kit is $200. TI DSP kits are in the same price range. Dev time you are right on, it will take longer to prototype on FPGA. It will run faster/more efficiently on FPGA though. DSP's have the marketplace ATM, 5yrs from now not so much.

I call bullshit on that, DSP is still major part in audio signal processing. Unless you live in a world, where you can design without any project deadlines at all, DSP are still worth it(simple design = lower cost and that's what everyone is aiming at). Developing on FPGA when all you aim at is audio application is kinda overkill.

 

[Limak]

Fair enough. The ToneCore setup is $300, an Altera Cyclone2 dev kit is $200. TI DSP kits are in the same price range. Dev time you are right on, it will take longer to prototype on FPGA. It will run faster/more efficiently on FPGA though. DSP's have the marketplace ATM, 5yrs from now not so much.

I agree that FPGA is overall superior technology, but vast majority of digital signal processing engineers got many years of C/assembler experience, and the market for DSPs is alive and well. I doubt most of these engineers(especially ones working in audio) will abandon their well known methods to start developing on FPGAs.

Does this mean custom made impulses, live?

Convolution is pretty basic operation in DSP world, so you could without any doubt load impulses into it, the big question is though, since it seems as closed package, how much memory space does the box have? I browsed Line6 site quickly and couldn't find any technical data regarding the DSP on the pedal, and connected peripherals.
You could for example buy this:
http://www.digikey.com/us/en/ph/texas-instruments/TMS320VC5505.html?WT.z_Tab_Cat=Featured%2520Products
for 50$ and do basically same things as on that pedal board, with, for example added support for loading impulses from microSD cards etc.

I don't own any DSP kit yet, but I tried some DSP tricks on my microcontroller boards. Made convolution thingy too, here's example from one such project:

with backing track(found on this forum)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6714755/cabsim%20test/cabsimbt.wav

guitars only
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6714755/cabsim%20test/cabsimnobt.wav

Of course no post processing, output straight from my unit.

amp is Lecto and cabinet simulation was done 100% on my hardware(which, since it's just a microcontroller is like 100 times worse for that job, than say that Line6 pedal) which I could fit inside a matchbox using convolution(in real-time of couse). With that Line6 thingy you could get waay better results.

 

[Fael]

So... is it possible to program LeCto into one of these pedals?

That'd be badass.

Ditto. I am not an expert but I think that the way LePou, Onqel and Alu's sims were coded (i.e., the "analog" way vs the DSP, or simple waveshaper, way) would be impossible to run on such a small chip. However, I'd love it if someone more knowledgeable could confirm this.

 

[Limak]

Ditto. I am not an expert but I think that the way LePou, Onqel and Alu's sims were coded (i.e., the "analog" way vs the DSP, or simple waveshaper, way) would be impossible to run on such a small chip. However, I'd love it if someone more knowledgeable could confirm this.

Actually, in the world of microprocessors the clock rates aren't the most important thing, usually the internal architecture is. New DSP chips or carefully designed FPGA system could fit for the job way better than your typical PC or MAC. These chips are able to process high quality video streams in real-time, or some insane sampling frequencies(few megahertz compared to typical 44.1kHz in audio). I'm pretty sure fitting an fully functional lecto into a DSP chip is a piece of cake. Only ingredient missing is the secret of plugin's creator(the distortion processing itself and filters characteristics mainly).

BTW that ,,Analog way" you spoke of is actually nothing else than DSP(eg simple, but particular waveshaping). It(Lecto) may sound ,,analog" but the processing itself is pretty digital(actually 100% digital) and lies strictly under category of Digital Signal Processing(DSP). Basically my point being, for the processor it doesn't matter if you do the processing in the ,,analog way,, or in the ,,line6 way,, - computing power needed would be nearly the same.