[Dream] DSP vs CPU (Was Timestretch)

[Mark]

On 2/21/07, UnderTow put forth:
>On Wed, 21 Feb 2007, andrei.henry at utoronto.ca wrote:
>
>  >> The new Intel chips (and even the Opteron chips) pack
>  >> alot more punch than an Accel card.
>  >
>  > absolutely... but the intel or AMD has to manage disk access, memory, OS,
>  > video, network, and all the programs running (forground and background) as
>  > well as your sound app.
>
>I'm not making myself clear: Those chips pack alot more punch RUNNING
>AUDIO above and beyond all the OS related tasks compared to an Accel card.

I find it very difficult to believe that you do not think that
third-party asshattery can seriously interfere with something as
time-sensitive as real-time DSP.  Saying that the CPU's in a PC still
"pack alot more punch" than dedicated DSP hardware seems rather
nonsensical when the quality and quantity of CPU usage from other
applications and OS-related tasks is unknown.

Furthermore, when the hardware and software are from the same
company, they have a serious incentive to make the code more
efficient, as doing so allows them to produce the same or better
results at a lower cost.  Otoh, it seems that many of the companies
who produce DSP software that runs native couldn't give a rat's ass
how bloated their code is.  That Albino or Vanguard take up half of a
1Gz G4 is just ridiculous, imho.