APPENDIX: x86 and DSP
    
    
    The impact of the x86 architecture on basic DSP
    
    
     
    
    Floating point support. Fixed vs. floating point arithmetic.
    
    
     
    
    Finite register space—effects on pipelining and cache coherence
    
    
     
    
    
    The issue of peripherals and PC systems architecture. PCI vs. ISA.
    
    
     
    
    
    Multitasking and hard realtime operation. Latencies.