Analog and Digital Signal Processing

Rating:
Summary: Mathematically rigorous.
Review: First Review
I used this book for a senior level DSP course.I must say that it is a good DSP book. I understand that some readers might find it intimidating since the book uses a lot of math.If you are looking for a more introductory book, you might want to try DSP First: A Multimedia Approach -- James H. McClellan and then follow up with this book. The sections on Fourier Ananlysis, Analog Filters and Digtal Filters are very good. I can understand why some of the other reviewers have had such a hard time. If you are not the mathematical kind then you would need a some help from your instructor. If the instructor cannot satisfactorily answer your questions then you might find the going to be tough. One other thing about this book is that it fails to make a connection between the math and DSP concepts in some cases. I had the opportunity to take a course taught by the author which made up for any deficiancies. One suggestion is that you must do the lab exercises at the end of the book. You get a great deal of intution and insight into DSP concepts after doing the labs.

Rating:
Summary: The Best of the DSP Books
Review: I've looked at most of the DSP texts and personally find Ambardar's (2nd edition) textbook about the best. It will train you to use DSP as a tool, both in pen and paper analysis and in practice (e.g., using MATLAB). Some books will only make you a philosopher of DSP, this one will help you master the skills so you can actually do DSP.

Somehow Ambardar manages to discuss and provide examples on nearly every topic of interest to DSP with the exception of the very latest (see below). The sections are brief and to the point with many worked examples. The problems at the end of the chapter are actually do-able without having a Ph.D! Graphical approaches and shortcuts enrich the presentation and make the text fun to read.

On the downside, multirate signal processing is briefly explored and wavelets are only mentioned. Perhaps these topics will be enlarged upon in a future edition.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent student oriented text
Review: The author walks you through the material one small step at at a time.This text is as close to painless learning as learning wil ever get (if I may be forgiven a colloquilism). You don't need answers in the back because he works several examples for you on every page.
If I ever had to teach this I would use this book.