The difference between the DSP and single chip microcomputer

Previously just learned single-chip computer, after a set of programming, can achieve a lot of different functions, at that time, it is felt that single-chip microcomputer is really powerful. Later came into contact with DSP, found that DSP processing digital in communication, more convenient. So I was curious to ask myself, DSP and microcontroller, what is the difference

See a forum on the DSP and the difference between the single-chip post, after careful collation, now again introduce the difference between the DSP and MCU, at the same time let yourself revisit the real charm of DSP and MCU:
1. Different memory structure
Single-chip computer use von. Neumann memory structure. In this structure, only one memory space is connected to the processor core via a set of buses (a address bus and a data bus). Most DSP uses the Harvard structure, divides the memory space into two, stores the program and the data respectively.

2. Fixed-point calculation
Most DSPs use fixed-point calculations instead of using floating-point. To ensure accurate numbers without using floating-point machines, the DSP processor supports saturation calculation, rounding, and shifting in both the instruction set and hardware.

3. Special Addressing Method
DSP processors often support specialized addressing modes. These very specialized addressing modes are infrequently used in GPP and are only implemented using software.

4. Support for dense multiplication operations
Single-chip microcomputer is not designed to do intensive multiplication task, even some modern GPP, also requires multiple instruction cycle to do a multiplication. The DSP processor uses specialized hardware to achieve single-cycle multiplication. The DSP processor also adds an accumulator register to handle the sum of multiple products. Accumulator registers are generally wider than other registers, and additional bits called result bits are added to avoid overflow.

5, 0 overhead cycles
SCM is a more accurate translation of single-chip microcomputer, but the most accurate reflection of SCM design ideas, and has a long-term technical perspective of the vocabulary is microcontroller (microcontroller).

The difference between the DSP and single chip microcomputer