Which course should I choose DSP or VLSI ?

DSP vs VLSI

I'm currently a college undergraduate who is trying decide take a course of either DSP or VLSI for the next semester, both field seems to be very interesting, but considering the workload I will have next semester I can only choose one of these. So i'm seeking advice on these areas, the difference, the applications, the future career path....anything related would be very appreciated...I'm pretty sure I can make a conscious decision after this, thank u guys...

btw...I took VHDL, and I will be taking SystemC, how is this course?

Re: DSP vs VLSI

Right now i am doing a project based on a combination of VLSI and DSP!! You are right both subjects are brilliant. But the fact is that u need both subjects. Knowing DSP alone is going to get you nowhere(unless u are interested in developing algorithms), the design of VLSI architectures is essential. Hmmm.. put it this way, you can do VLSI without doing DSP but it is difficult to appreciate DSP without some knowledge of VLSI.

Re: DSP vs VLSI

Hi,
DSP Vs VSLI: actually they are not one to one comparable as done previously. DSP is a domain which deals with the processing of information digitally for various applications and hence rooted in the mathematical analysis of signals and their transformation. It forms a core part of an engineering curriculum as opposed to VLSI which is more of an Industrial activity in the sense that its more related to manufacturing. Ofcourse a lot of VLSI concepts is dealt in academics but it remains that they are driven primarily by how a physical thing can be fabricated in practice and hence more tightly coupled to industrial processes.
So DSP is indispensable for people in electrical engineering to understand much of what they do later and for which a comprehensive treatment is given in academics. This you wont get when you get into industry but ofcourse you gather some practical DSP implementation practices.
VLSI on the other hand is not so indispensable when you're in university eventhough it does help to get you some good start. You basically do it allover again when you get into industry as its an industrial technology driven topic. Of course there are some fundamental things which remain to be learnt which you can get by studying on your own unlike DSP. Moreover VLSI is as I said a process in which is DSP applications is one among a host of others.
It depends on where you want to make your career, there are both DSP software and DSP hardware. In DSP software you concentrate more on algorithms and in DSP harware you concentrate more on architectures where VLSI comes into play so both these demand in depth dsp concepts and later on some specialization.

hope this helps a little.

cheers.

Re: DSP vs VLSI

hi

considering you have already done HDL as course then i would personally suggest to go for DSP as previously said vlsi design can be done by self reading but dsp is anyway required for understanding "real" vlsi design, and its kind of grassroot concept on which digital vlsi is buit.

moreover it will widen your scope of getting good start as you have hdl + dsp mixure. comapare to hdl + vlsi design mixuture. better thing is to take vlsi implementation of small dsp algo. in hdl (as course project)

so dsp

/ue

DSP vs VLSI

I think the DSP is more about arithmetic and the VLSI is more about technique.

DSP vs VLSI

You can take VLSI, & as a part of you project work do a project in systemc which will be in field of DSP. So from selection point of view you will take VLSi but as a part of interest & carrier you can use DSP.

Re: DSP vs VLSI

Hi,

if you plan to go to Grad school then it doesnt matter . Take any thing as you will have enough oppurtunities in Grad school to take them again and again
Otherwise if you can paste rough contents of both courses then any one can better guide you . because both are very vast fields and I dont know what is covered in the course taught at your school.

-Nauman

Re: DSP vs VLSI

Learning VSLI is a better choice, I think.

DSP vs VLSI

Hi,
I agree with you that both are very interesting fields..Also they both have a wide spectrum of applications.. You could choose VLSI if you are strong in your digital design basics, CMOS etc.. Its more towards architecture etc.. DSP is as you know a lil bit different and a strong math foundation is essential. Also you would develop VLSI architectures for different DSP applications.. There you go.. Take your pick.. All the best

Re: DSP vs VLSI

Please DSP integrated circuits by Lars Wahnmer,

Re: DSP vs VLSI

VLSI and DSP both are brilliant subjects.But VLSI has almost saturated,when you attend VLSI conferences this point will become clearer to you.They are replicating things with just a modicum amount of novelty.My suggestion is to integrate DSP and VLSI but make DSP to take a lion's share.

Regards
drdolittle

DSP vs VLSI

As an engineer, both of this two field have good future ! In fact , the application of DSP or IC chip, such as embedded system development is alos a good choice! It is mainly depending on your interest!

Re: DSP vs VLSI

thanks all for the great advice, yea, i believe i have a lot of interest in embedded system design because I like to work with a mix of both hardware and software and also because of a great professor i had, on the other hand, designing an architecture (such as a simple microprocessor) using VLSI is purely hardware, however it is a very interesting field to me. Just don't know which one would be more helpful for embedded system designs.

Re: DSP vs VLSI

You can use HDL to develop DSP function modules. I suggest you to read the following book:
Digital Signal Processing with Field Programmable Gate Arrays
--by Meyer-Baese