Rating: 
Summary: A Pulitizer Prize winner for technical writing.
Review: A book full of practical advice on how to design a digital processing system and insights on how digital processing systyems work. The first book I have found that explains how the one bit output of a comparator in a Sigma Delta analog to digital converter is converted to a m, m is the A/D resolution, bit word. If you only buy one digital processing book in your lifetime this should be the book.
Rating:
Summary: Know what you're buying
Review: As a graduate student in DSP, I highly recommend this book to anybody who would like to get an overview of digital signal processing. However, you should know what you're buying. Download the free version from the website first to check it out. This is not a textbook for a DSP course. Treat it as you would an encyclopedia -- you don't use the encyclopedia to do major research, you use it to get an introduction to the topic and get ideas on what you want to pursue. Some mathematically-inclined people are able to understand what the equations are saying right away, but others may need to learn through different ways. This book offers that alternative way, by explaining in understandable English what's going on. To grasp the real beauty and applications of DSP, you'll still need to eventually use the equations, but this book is a good start to gaining insight in what those equations mean.
Rating:
Summary: Know what you're buying
Review: As a graduate student in DSP, I highly recommend this book to anybody who would like to get an overview of digital signal processing. However, you should know what you're buying. Download the free version from the website first to check it out. This is not a textbook for a DSP course. Treat it as you would an encyclopedia -- you don't use the encyclopedia to do major research, you use it to get an introduction to the topic and get ideas on what you want to pursue. Some mathematically-inclined people are able to understand what the equations are saying right away, but others may need to learn through different ways. This book offers that alternative way, by explaining in understandable English what's going on. To grasp the real beauty and applications of DSP, you'll still need to eventually use the equations, but this book is a good start to gaining insight in what those equations mean.
Rating:
Summary: Best Text to understand, perform and enjoy DSP
Review: Coming to DSP from a non-mathematical back ground I wanted a DSP guide that would allow me to 'do something' useful, quickly for a biomedical signal processing applicition- but I initally had difficulty finding a good textbook.
I painfully struggled through Lathi's "Signal Processing and Linear Systems" with little to show for it. Lyons' "Understanding Digital Signal Processing" was very good at explanation (I recommend it) but somewhat lacked a practical focus. In the end "DSP a Practical Guide" turned out to be even clearer and easier to read than Lyons while being more complete and having a more practical focus.
The book is punctuated with practical examples- sonar, audio processing, code optimisation and accompanying BASIC. After literally a few hours of reading I applied some provided algorithms to clean up an EKG signal (with considerable success).
I found the chapter on neural networks to be so clear and enthralling it became a 'toilet read'- certainly a first for a book of this genre :) - the sections on image processing, audio processing and data compression are likewise accessible.
The only caveat with this book is that those seeking a rigorous 'first principles' mathematical analysis of DSP (Lathi style) may be disappointed by the conceptual focus- a lot of the 'harder' items like Laplace and complex fourier come towards the latter half of the book.
Purchasers should also note that there seem to be differences in the composition of the similar hardback versions of the book (I have the softcover).
Rating:
Summary: The perfect compliment to any standard DSP text
Review: DSP can be a daunting subject at the best of times. To make matters worse, most standard texts such as the definitive "Discrete-Time Signal Processing" by Oppenheim et al, lean heavily on the mathematical theory behind Fourier analysis, filter design, etc., which can leave most readers dazed and confused. Precious little insight is to be gained from studying page after page of equations which stare blankly back at you.This is where Smith's practical guide steps in. With economical use of mathematics, this book provides clear and concise explanation of all the essential elements of DSP, providing the overall picture so sadly lacking in more technical texts. There are only a few texts that match up to Smith's guide, the next best being "Understanding Digital Signal Processing" by Lyons. While much of the same material is covered and with the same sensitivity to maintaining your sanity, the real selling point that separates these two is the CDROM that accompanies Smith's book. On it you'll find all the code that is littered throughout the book, as well as the book itself! Simply put, this book is the one all others have to aspire to.
Rating: 
Summary: Good reference for engineer, good motive for student
Review: I have searched DSP books theoy and practice well balanced.
This is an excellent book in practical view, and it also outlines relevant theorys to be studied afterwards by yourself.
I studied DSP first with Oppenheim book in my school life, it induces DSP formulas very strictly but somewhat dull. After I met Sedra's DSP book, it was very good book relatively well balanced. Nevertheless I was very happy to meet this book now as an audio DSP engineer. For example, reading chapter 22(Audio processing) was a very pleasant thing. and Chapter 4(DSP Software), Chapter 28(Digital Signal Processors) also helpful. I think it is enough worthy of collection for students and also for engineers.
Rating:
Summary: The way it should have been taught in college
Review: I want to take a copy of this book and throw it through my Signal and Systems professor's window with a note that says, "Why couldn't you have taught it to me this way?" This book makes sense of all the mathematical nonsense in my college course so many years ago.
Rating: 
Summary: If your a dsp engineer (or student) DON'T BUY IT!!
Review: I was looking for a reference book and read all the rave reviews about this particular book. Once I got it home I was extremely disappointed. It's more of an overview than anything else. This book was definitely written for non-electrical/computer engineers. If your not an electrical/computer engineer and interested in signal processing then this book is for you, otherwise, don't waste your money. There's absolutely no math (derivations) in this book.
Rating:
Summary: If your a dsp engineer (or student) DON'T BUY IT!!
Review: I was looking for a reference book and read all the rave reviews about this particular book. Once I got it home I was extremely disappointed. It's more of an overview than anything else. This book was definitely written for non-electrical/computer engineers. If your not an electrical/computer engineer and interested in signal processing then this book is for you, otherwise, don't waste your money. There's absolutely no math (derivations) in this book.
Rating:
Summary: This is the best book I have ever seen on DSP's
Review: Steven W. Smith has updated his previous book, "Scientist and Engineer's Guide to DSP", with a bit more material, better typesetting, and an added section with program listings and also a software CD. I went to the technical section of the best bookstore in my area, and looked through several books on this topic. Without a doubt, this one was the most clearly written and informative. My technical background is that I have a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, my native language is English, and I have never taken a course on DSP's. I have read a bit about digital signal processors, and used some electronic equipment (lock-in amplifier) that was DSP-based. I am interested in learning about processing video image arrays, and audio and real time instrumentation signals. (I am including this information so that you can get an idea of whether your impression will be similar to mine.)
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