Key finding: Most modern “decoder kits” have evolved from pure hardware DSP chips to featuring an onboard DSP (e.g., Cirrus Logic, Analog Devices, or Texas Instruments) plus a microcontroller for user interface (LCD, IR remote, volume control). True bitstream decoding for protected formats (DTS, Dolby) requires licensed firmware.
The kit arrived as a dense decoder board protected by electromagnetic interference shielding. It was a masterpiece of micro-engineering: 7.1 dts dolby digital decoder kit