A key technology enabling fast-paced embedded media processing developments is the high-performance, low-power, small-footprint convergent processor, a specialized device that combines the real-time control of a traditional microcontroller with the signal processing power of a DSP. This practical guide is your one-stop shop for understanding how to implement this cutting-edge technology. You will learn how to: * Choose the proper processor for an application. * Architect your system to avoid problems at the outset. * Manage your data flows and memory accesses so that they line up properly * Make smart-trade-offs in portable applications between power considerations and computational performance. * Divide processing tasks across multiple cores. * Program frameworks that optimize performance without needlessly increasing programming model complexity. * Implement benchmarking techniques that will help you adapt a framework to best fit a target application, and much more! Covering the entire spectrum of EMP-related design issues, from easy-to-understand explanations of basic architecture and direct memory access (DMA), to in-depth discussions of code optimization and power management, this practical book will be an invaluable aid to every engineer working with EMP, from the beginner to the seasoned expert. * Comprehensive subject coverage with emphasis on practical application * Essential assembly language code included throughout text and on CD-ROM * Many real-world examples using Analog's popular Blackfin Processor architecture.