DSP cards

The audio processing takes place on the MediaMatrix Digital Signal Processing card (DSP). These cards, when used with the MediaMatrix software, physically replaces all of the separate audio processing devices traditionally used in audio systems. The DSP card is a full length card that fits into a standard ISA slot in the computer. Each card includes four Motorola 56002 80Mhz DSP chips. Multiple cards may be used for larger systems. Each card provides up to 32 audio inputs and 32 audio outputs into the MediaMatrix system. All audio processing within the DSP board is 24 bit.

When multiple cards are used in a system, a ribbon cable connects between the cards using a multi-pin connector on the top of the card for inter-card communications. This cable passes 256 channels of 24 bit data. Each of these channels are called a "Digital Audio Bus" (DAB), and are also referred to in MediaMatrix as an "IntercellNets".

DSP cards can be ordered for use with MM8802's dual RJ-45 connection (MM-DSP-RJ),  with the "legacy" DB9 connection on MM88xx and MM8802 BoBs (MM-DSP), with a CobraNet RJ-45 port (MM-DSP-CN) or with AES digital inputs and outputs (MM-DSP-AES).

The number of cards required for a system is determined by compiling the on screen sound system design (called a View File in MediaMatrix, which ends in a .pav extension). The number of cards required is determined by the complexity of your design, and is indicated by compiling the view file. After the view file is compiled, the results of the hardware requirements will be displayed in a window. It will tell you the number of boards required, the number of interfaces (Break Out Boxes or BoB's), and intercell nets (a maximum of 256 channel DABS that are available) required for your sound system design.