USB-I2S module and AB-1 status

[Børge Strand-Bergesen]

Hi guys,

the quotes are finally starting to arrive for USB-I2S module and AB-1 production. It looks like it will be around $130 for the initial kit with cheapo shipping included. I'll probably play it safe and order 10 sets now. If they work as-is there will hopefully be no new tooling cost. After I showed you the last schematics I've added a few things. The LDOs on AB-1 now allow for VBUS suspend.

Question: should I order the boards with RS232 and LCD headers? I have added an RS232 amp and headers for debug purposes. But I was planning not to populate them. The pins are already available on the edge of the module. Are these functions needed now? The headers are easy to put in by hand. The only tricky parts are the RS232 amp and associated 0603s, but I have equipment here to hand solder them if needed.

As you know, I have playing hardware on my DIb board with a patched-in ES9022. Two are built this far, one of which is due in Singapore with Alex in a few days. This setup is very similar to module+AB-1, so I'm getting more confident it will work too. But still, this will be the very first spin of those boards....

I'll ask you to reconfirm once I know if we want the debug functions and exact price.


Cheers,
Børge

[Alex Lee]

I think we can omit the LCD and rs232 parts and headers to save cost at this round. However, they may be useful in future (eg vu meter, mode display, and loading of firmware to FPGA).

I will take one definitely :-)

Alex

Sent from my iPhone

[Roger Critchlow]

Me, too, if I'm invited.

-- rec --

[Loftur Jónasson]

I'm good for one,

Loftur

2011/2/16 Roger Critchlow <r...@elf.org>

[Børge Strand-Bergesen]

Certainly Roger,

just beware of the risks of sub-ideal hardware as an early adopter!

Børge

[Roger Critchlow]

Risks accepted,

Thanks,

-- rec --

[Andrea Montefusco]

B�rge,
I will get one.

*am*

---------------------------------------------------------
Andrea Montefusco iw0hdv http://www.montefusco.com
tel: +393356992791 fax: +390623318709
---------------------------------------------------------

[Børge Strand-Bergesen]

Hi Guys,

here is the last news on AB-1 and the USB-I2S module.

Attached is some test code. It is based on Alex's UAC1_V087b branch
with lots of functionality removed by him. I have added
src/CONFIG/selective_compile.h to statically switch between 44100 and
48000. The firmware is tested on my DIb board where the actual XO
switch is not per GPIO but per soldering iron. But code for the
module's clock select pin (PX16) is in place in main(). Both
frequencies play, both enumerate. I tested enumerating as 44.1 while
clocking at 12.288MHz. That sounds wrong, while enumerating as 48
sounds right at that clock :-)

I have not utilized any of Roger's latest developments. My alterations
are timestamped and marked "BSB". I hope to use a branch of the
developing potentmain tree for AB-1 and USB-I2S module. Until the
hardware is ready, this code can be considered the closest thing there
is to working test code. Its main contribution is the clock select
code in main() and perhaps the sample rate definitions in
selective_compile.h

PCBs and assembly are ordered and pre-paid. I have attached the
documentation for what has been ordered. The test instruction is
initial batchisp cmd line. It's exciting to see what comes back from
them. With XOs and DACs being local samples the manufacturer can't
test audio functionality.

Assuming the order gives 10 working sets of hardware, the cost of one
set in this initial batch is USD120+shipping+your local tax. I'll know
about the shipping once I bring a set to the Post office and weight
it. The set includes 1206 1µF decoupling, but leaves larger,
through-hole decouplers as an exercise for the tinkerer. The BOM file
is mainly for the assembly in China. Some component samples (Thanks
John!) are marked Post assembly in Norway, and will be fitted by yours
truly.

I can't find the previous tally, so this far I believe I have:
Me (1)
John K. (1)
Alex (1)
Loftur (1)
Roger (1)
Andrea (1)

Please confirm. Others are welcome to sign up as alpha testers.

Cheers,
Børge

[Alex Lee]

Hi Borge,

Excellent progress !!!

If no additional persons want to take up the balance of the sets, I
can take one more (total of two sets). The Dib has convinced me that
the ES9022 is very good indeed :-)

Alex

On Mar 1, 11:11 pm, Børge Strand-Bergesen <borge.str...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>  demo_UAC1_v087_b_WinXP_DIb_2102.zip
> 848KViewDownload
>
>  panel_UIMRC9_AB1RC5_Doc.zip
> 364KViewDownload

[Roger Critchlow]

All right Børge --

I'm still in for an alpha board.

And I'll see how to fit the clock code and selective compilation into the merged sources.

-- rec --

[Andrea Montefusco]

On 03/01/2011 04:11 PM, B�rge Strand-Bergesen wrote:
Hi B�rge,
please keep me on board :-)

Ciao e grazie

[Loftur Jónasson]

Hi Børge,

You can keep me on your list, I'm definitely in :)

Loftur

2011/3/1 Børge Strand-Bergesen <borge....@gmail.com>

[bjlaur]

Do we have an estimate of the price when we do a beta test?

I've not made of money over here, but if it's not much different then
I'd probably take one.


On Mar 1, 10:11 am, Børge Strand-Bergesen <borge.str...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>  demo_UAC1_v087_b_WinXP_DIb_2102.zip
> 848KViewDownload
>
>  panel_UIMRC9_AB1RC5_Doc.zip
> 364KViewDownload

[Børge Strand-Bergesen]

Hi guys,

latest on module and AB-1 is that they have supposedly been
manufactured and all flashed successfully. I hope to get the tracking
number for the shipment tomorrow morning. I'll have to put in the XOs
and DACs myself, so I'm excited to check if the thing plays.

When they arrive I will try to play music on WinXP UAC1 at 44.1 and
48. Then, if all is well, it's off to the post office to get your
packages on their way. In the meantime, Roger and Alex have prototypes
(DIb boards) which are functionally very similar.

If all goes according to plan, there will be spare boards for a few
more brave alpha test troopers :-)

The cost is $120 for the kit. Shipping with a tracking number is USD
60(50) for World-wide(Europe). Without a tracking number it is USD
39(18). I'm opening up for PayPal payments to borge....@gmail.com.
I hope to be able to discount parts of this knowably high cost when
the next batch is made.

Cheers,
Børge

[Børge Strand-Bergesen]

Well, 10 kits have arrived on my desk. They look quite good. The
debugging commences....

I have successfully flashed three of them, and the manufacturer said
they have programmed all ten. One kit has received its clocks and DAC
chip. It produces utter silence..... After I sent my last DIb board to
Roger, I decided not to build another one before the kits arrived. So
I don't have a working prototype for comparison.

So I'll have to look at all the details to see where it stops. I'll
keep you posted!

Børge

[Børge Strand-Bergesen]

... And we've got audio!

This far I've tested one board at UAC1-44.1 and UAC1-48. As soon as
the last samples arrive with me, I plan to finish and test all boards
so that we can throw our collective intelligence at this :-)

Turned out the culprit was the 10k resistor on the ES9022's VREG net.
Anybody having experience with this component? Roger? George?

Cheers,
Børge

[jkenny]

Yes, don't put any resistor on Vreg - it is just a limited voltage output control (not a volume control a sit can only be adjusted between ~1.8V & 2V) 

[jkenny]

From the datasheet, there's very little difference between the ES9022 & ES9023 - 23 can use 3.6V Vcc & give 2V output???

[Alex Lee]

Hi Borge et al,

Congrats!!! Well done :-)

Test with the unifies firmware and see whether all the sampling rates
44.1-192 works as advertised :-)

Eagerly awaiting some sonic analyses !!!

Alex

[Børge Strand-Bergesen]

Hi Guys,

the first USB-I2S module + AB-1 kits are in the mail. I have tested
UAC1/WinXP at 44.1 and 48. They ship with Golledge XOs. Judging from
the specs of thins, those were the best XOs John K. and I could find.
Better specs are available for $$$ as TCXO and OCXO, but we haven't
quite sorted those out yet.

To get your boards, please PayPal borge....@gmail.com

The cost is $120 for the kit. Shipping with a tracking number is USD
60(50) for World-wide(Europe).

Shipping without a tracking number was cheaper than I thought, and
unless you protest, I'll use PayPal to refund those of you who have
overpaid for this. I miscalculated the weight of the package. As a
letter without a tracking number it is USD 8(4).

Cheers,
Børge

[Børge Strand-Bergesen]

I just uploaded the test firmware I have used on the USB-I2S module +
AB-1. I used the same code to test my first DIb boards, so
unfortunately it is not from Roger's unified code tree. I'm hoping to
catch up soon.

The file is called demo_UAC1_v087_b_WinXP_DIb_2112.zip

Cheers,
Børge