DSP
DSP (abbreviation) means Digital signal processing: the mathematical manipulation of signals such as sound, images or radio waves after they have been converted into numbers, used for filtering, compression and noise reduction. Example: “Noise cancellation in the headphones is all done in DSP.”
How to Use DSP
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIt usually means processing sound or other signals with maths on a computer chip.
Capitalised, and always spelled out on first use outside its own field. Audio engineers use the first two senses; advertisers use the third.
In audio contexts DSP can mean the technique or the chip; the surrounding words usually make it obvious.
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Noise cancellation in the headphones is all done in _____.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DSP do in audio equipment?
It applies effects and corrections to sound in the digital domain, such as equalisation, delay, compression and noise cancellation. Because it works on numbers rather than analogue voltages, the same hardware can be reprogrammed for different tasks.
What is the difference between a DSP and a CPU?
A CPU is a general-purpose processor designed to run any kind of program. A DSP is specialised for repetitive maths on streams of samples, which it does with far less power and latency, but it is poor at general computing tasks.
What is a DSP in advertising?
A demand-side platform is the buying tool advertisers use to bid on ad impressions across thousands of sites and apps automatically. It is the counterpart of the supply-side platform, which publishers use to sell that inventory.
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