Digital Signal Processing Deep Dive - Expanded Projects
Master DSP by building systems where sampling, filtering, and frequency analysis are not abstractions but the actual machinery.
This directory contains expanded guides for each project in the Digital Signal Processing Deep Dive curriculum. Each project is designed to make invisible signal behavior visible and testable.
Learning Philosophy
DSP is the art of turning real-world phenomena into numbers, then turning numbers into insight. These projects force you to confront the tradeoffs between time and frequency, precision and performance, and stability and expressiveness.
The Progression
FOUNDATIONS
P01 Signal Generator -> sampling, quantization, file formats
P02 Moving Average Filter -> smoothing, time-domain intuition
P03 FIR Filter Engine -> convolution as a system
P04 Discrete Fourier Transform-> frequency domain truth
SYSTEM BEHAVIOR
P05 IIR Recursive Filters -> feedback, stability, poles/zeros
P06 Fast Fourier Transform -> performance and algorithmic structure
APPLICATIONS
P07 Audio Equalizer -> band design, filter chaining
P08 Spectrogram Visualizer -> time-frequency tradeoffs
P09 Pitch Shifter/Time Stretch-> phase, windowing, artifacts
REAL-WORLD SIGNALS
P10 SDR AM Demodulator -> modulation and demodulation
P11 DTMF Decoder -> tone detection and classification
P12 Resampling/Interpolation -> rate conversion without distortion
Project Index
| # | Project | Difficulty | Time | Core Concepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P01 | Signal Generator | Beginner | 1 evening | Sampling, quantization |
| P02 | Moving Average Filter | Beginner | 1 evening | Smoothing, windows |
| P03 | FIR Filter Engine | Intermediate | Weekend | Convolution, impulse response |
| P04 | Discrete Fourier Transform | Intermediate | Weekend | Frequency analysis |
| P05 | IIR Recursive Filters | Intermediate | 1-2 weeks | Feedback, stability |
| P06 | Fast Fourier Transform | Intermediate | Weekend | Algorithmic acceleration |
| P07 | Audio Equalizer | Intermediate | 1-2 weeks | Filter banks |
| P08 | Spectrogram Visualizer | Intermediate | 1-2 weeks | Time-frequency tradeoff |
| P09 | Pitch Shifter / Time Stretcher | Advanced | 2-3 weeks | Phase, windowing |
| P10 | SDR AM Demodulator | Advanced | 2-3 weeks | Modulation, mixing |
| P11 | DTMF Decoder | Intermediate | Weekend | Tone detection |
| P12 | Resampling & Interpolation | Intermediate | Weekend | Rate conversion |
Core Concepts Map
Sampling and Quantization
- What they are: Converting continuous signals into discrete numbers
- Learned in: P01, P12
- Key insight: Sample rate and bit depth define what you can preserve
Filtering and Convolution
- What they are: Systems that shape signals through weighted sums
- Learned in: P02, P03, P05, P07
- Key insight: Filters are mathematical systems with impulse responses
Frequency Analysis
- What it is: Rewriting time signals as combinations of frequencies
- Learned in: P04, P06, P08
- Key insight: The frequency domain is a different, often clearer view
Time-Frequency Tradeoffs
- What it is: You cannot know exact time and exact frequency at once
- Learned in: P08, P09
- Key insight: Windowing is a choice, not a free lunch
Real-World Signal Workflows
- What they are: DSP pipelines used in radio and telephony
- Learned in: P10, P11
- Key insight: Every real signal has noise, drift, and constraints