On small and simple designs, DSP allotment won't likely encroach. However, sometimes one has to consider which method/component they will use in order to "fit" within the DSP capabilities of their chosen core. Now, with the smaller COREs (Nano, 8-flex and even the NV-32 has a CORE mode), one is more apt to bump into a DSP ceiling, depending on how much "stuff" is in the design and what components one use.
For instance on a CORE 8-flex (used for all example DSP usage...naturally, the percentage will vary based on DSP capability of each size core but the consumption will scale), a 16x8 mixer, by itself, in the design consumes 4% of the DSP capability. Add another one and you are up to 5% consumed. Note that you tend to pay for DSP on the first item you use. Subsequent items don't consume as much DSP. However, if you use the 16x8 router, it only uses 3%. If you add another one, you will still only be at 3%. Clearly, with just these items, we are not taxing the system at all but as one adds capability and B-chain (EQ), that DSP consumption is going to rise. It all adds up. If you use any "Category 2" DSP (Feedback suppression or Acoustic Echo Cancelling), then you'll surrender 50% of your DSP power to have those capabilities in your design (not as common in cinemas but sometimes we have a microphone element to the design and the Feedback Suppressor can be a useful addition...but at 50% of the rest of the DSP allotment, it might be too big a DSP price to pay since one can often knock down feed by by careful EQ and using the Feedback Suppressor to "learn" the room nodes and what frequencies set the room off).
A larger impact on cinemas will be EQ choice. If you want to use Graphic Equalizers (traditional), you'll surrender 11% for 8 of them. If you want to "super-size" it and turn them into Flat-top Graphics, that will be 79% please! For those not in the know, a flat top EQ will have adjacent bands interact rather than having either proportional-Q or constant-Q. So, if you move say 100Hz and 125Hz up 3dB, the response will move up 3dB and flatten up there rather than appear as two fingers.
Screen Shot 2021-07-09 at 7.52.26 AM.png
Now, if you are comfortable with parametric eq, not only will you do a better/lower damage eq job, you will only have to pay 5% of your DSP for the same or better EQ job. If you run more than one screen on one core, these percentages can add up on you.
For instance on a CORE 8-flex (used for all example DSP usage...naturally, the percentage will vary based on DSP capability of each size core but the consumption will scale), a 16x8 mixer, by itself, in the design consumes 4% of the DSP capability. Add another one and you are up to 5% consumed. Note that you tend to pay for DSP on the first item you use. Subsequent items don't consume as much DSP. However, if you use the 16x8 router, it only uses 3%. If you add another one, you will still only be at 3%. Clearly, with just these items, we are not taxing the system at all but as one adds capability and B-chain (EQ), that DSP consumption is going to rise. It all adds up. If you use any "Category 2" DSP (Feedback suppression or Acoustic Echo Cancelling), then you'll surrender 50% of your DSP power to have those capabilities in your design (not as common in cinemas but sometimes we have a microphone element to the design and the Feedback Suppressor can be a useful addition...but at 50% of the rest of the DSP allotment, it might be too big a DSP price to pay since one can often knock down feed by by careful EQ and using the Feedback Suppressor to "learn" the room nodes and what frequencies set the room off).
A larger impact on cinemas will be EQ choice. If you want to use Graphic Equalizers (traditional), you'll surrender 11% for 8 of them. If you want to "super-size" it and turn them into Flat-top Graphics, that will be 79% please! For those not in the know, a flat top EQ will have adjacent bands interact rather than having either proportional-Q or constant-Q. So, if you move say 100Hz and 125Hz up 3dB, the response will move up 3dB and flatten up there rather than appear as two fingers.
Screen Shot 2021-07-09 at 7.52.26 AM.png
Now, if you are comfortable with parametric eq, not only will you do a better/lower damage eq job, you will only have to pay 5% of your DSP for the same or better EQ job. If you run more than one screen on one core, these percentages can add up on you.
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