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Project Information
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Project DescriptionSDR-Widget is an interface based on the Atmel AT32UC3A3 microcontroller that provides the following functionality to SDR circuits such as the SoftRock. A branch of the project called audio-widget provides a USB-I2S module and various Analog Boards (AB) for audiophile USB-DAC playback.
The interface also aims to be used as a general platform for future experimentation with SDR peripherals. A branch of the widget, called the audio-widget, provides a USB-I2S module for mating with various Analog Board (AB) designs featuring different DAC, IV conversion, buffer/amplification, and power supplies. So far with have AB1.1 (ES9023), USB9023 (ES9023) and USB5102 (PCM5102) produced. AB1.12 for experimenters (PCM5102 and ES9012) is being developed. For descriptions and photos of the hardware and other info, see: sdr-widget: http://sites.google.com/site/lofturj/sdr_widget audio-widget: https://groups.google.com/group/audio-widget?hl=en http://www.yoyodyneconsulting.ca/pages/Audio_Hardware.html Instructions for flashing firmware, firmware images (.elf files) etc. can be found in the Download area of this site. There are instructions and tips in the Wiki area of this page as well. If you would like to participate in the hardware or firmware development request to join the sdr-widget Google Discussion Group. The firmware source files are hosted at github. (This is for EXPERTS only, not for casual users): git://github.com/amontefusco/sdr-widget.git Note that the above git://...... is NOT a web link. It is NOT http:// so you CANNOT click it and expect it to work. You need to be an experienced user and you must know how to use git before you can work on the source code. Would be developers please contact us (alexlee188 att gmail dott com) The master branch is for sdr-widget. The audio-widget-nik branch is for audio-widget. Project Status
Audio capture @48khz 24bits stereo demonstrated. I/Q demodulation demonstrated with widget-lite + Mobo v4.3 + SR v6.3 Mobo interface with DG8SAQ emulation. ALPHA board testing ongoing. BETA board design started. Demonstrated 96khz 24bit stereo capture. Now working on 192khz sampling. Widget-lite Alpha-2 kits are sold out. Alpha-2 is expected to have better noise performance and ENOB than many commercial sound cards with Windows, UAC2 for Linux kernel 2.6.36 and Mac OSX. We have demonstrated 192khz 24bit stereo capture with UAC2 branch, both under Linux kernel 2.6.35rc3 and Mac OSX Snow Leopard. Widget-lite-alpha-2+ kits with both capture and playback at 192khz 24bits are sold out. of the BETA kits when ready. BETA will have all difficult to solder surface mount parts pre-soldered.
demonstrated. Asynchronous OUT playback tested in Linux and in OSX. In WinXP it causes Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). When connected to Softrock and Mobo, full transceiver (both receive and transmit) functions demonstrated. When configured for Synchronous OUT playback, it works in WinXP without any crash. (Of course, the quality of playback audio will not be as good as Async OUT.)
About 100 sets of BETA will be made available. We are deciding whether to have the BETA fully assembled. The remaining firmware development task is the UAC2 ASYNC OUT with rate feedback playback at 48/96/192khz.
So under Linux 2.6.35 or later and OSX, the widget has full 48/96/192khz 24 bit stereo capture and playback capability. We are planning for two BETA versions. (1) widget with full sdr control connectivity and 20x4 LCD connectivity; (2) Audio Widget with only soundcard functions, but with an upgraded DAC for audiophile playback. Both will be fully assembled.
duplex capture and playback demonstrated. Testing with Windows UAC2 drivers pending. Started work on firmware to use the HPSDR protocol instead of UAC, for interfacing with SDR software such as GHPSDR3 and PSDR that can communicate with Ozy (of the HPSDR project). This way, the widget will emulate an Ozy device with a Janus card. 96/192khz operation should be possible as there are no Windows UAC1 driver limitations. Early firmware running the HPSDR protocol to emulate Ozy/Janus demonstrated. Using ghpsdr3 software, 192khz 24bit Rx demonstrated.
has added support for the widget with the hpsdr firmware. Rx at 48/96/192 24 bits has been demonstrated. The sampling rate can be switched on-the-fly within the Pebble GUI. Design of the audio-widget has started. It will have: (1) A USB-I2S module, which provides the USB interface to the PC andthe I2S interface, I2C interface, and 10 gpio pins for the ADC/DAC; (2) Several Analog Boards (AB), the 1st AB being designed will featurethe ES9022 DAC. Other AB's will feature other DAC's, different IV conversion and output buffer/amp etc. One AB will feature an FPGA for multichannel and digital oversampling/filtering/crossover function; (3) Power Supply Boards, which will provide the super quiet +/-9VThe first PS Board will likely feature bipolar DC-DC coversion, Wenzel Finesse regulator etc. Another PS Board will use the USB +5V to charge LiFePO4 battery or supercap when not in operation. Then the bettery/supercap will supply the AB during operation.
is listed below. We are waiting for feedback from the 90+ BETA users before deciding on the production run. Hardware Features: - Compact 3" x 2.5", 2 board stack. 3.5mm audio connections. - Powered from the USB port, no external power supply needed - 24-bit AK5394A ADC - the premier audio ADC in commercial use today - CS4344 24-bit DAC - I2C control bus - 16-bit LCD panel interface (configured for 4-bit) with drivers for HD44780 based 4-line displays - Connector for quadrature rotary encoder input (with push switch) - 3 optocoupler buffered inputs - 3 mosfet 'contact' outputs - Firmware update via USB port - JTAG port (connector not mounted)Software Features (either present or coming soon) - USB composite device with audio I/O, control and CDC channels - Supports USB Audio class 2 (480mbs) on the latest Linux kernel as well as the latest Mac OS - Support 24-bit 48k/96k/192k sample rates on Linux and MacOS - Support USB Audio class1 on Windows at 48k sample rate. NOTE: Windows does not support UAC2 - Has an integrated CDC, Communications Device Class, channel for debug messages - A superset of the DG8SAQ control interface - 4-line LCD message engine - Menu system with selection control via external rotary encoder and switch.Mark J Dulcey eloquently explains the issues with Windows data rates: " The widget supports the industry-standard UAC2 (a standard for audio over USB); UAC2 offers sample rates up to 192KHz and multiple channels operating over a high-speed USB (480MHz) interface. Mac OS X and recent Linux kernels support UAC2; Windows does not. UAC1 firmware is also available for the widget. That's the older USB audio spec designed for full-speed USB (12MHz), and it supports full-duplex stereo at sample rates up to 48KHz. USB audio devices that support higher speeds on Windows use custom Windows drivers; there is currently no such driver for the widget, which was intended to work without any need for such drivers. " --- The software is open source and there is nothing stopping the creation of a custom driver that will allow higher transfer speeds under Windows. The HPSDR USB protocol has been implemented. audio-widget ALPHA We are preparing for the fab of the audio-widget ALPHA, which has the USB-I2S module and the Analog Board (AB-1). AB-1 has the ES9022 DAC and the whole widget is USB powered. The output is 2Vrms and can drive a headphone directly. If you are interested in the audio-widget ALPHA you should join the audio-widget group now: https://groups.google.com/group/audio-widget?hl=en
with feature set that can be selected at run time (and then stored in non-volatile flash user page) so the feature set will be used at subsequent resets, is available: git://github.com/amontefusco/sdr-widget.git There are 3 branches under active development: master, audio-widget-win and audio-widget-nik The selectable features include: board = none widget usbi2s usbdac test image = flashyblinky uac1_audio uac1_dg8saq uac2_audio uac2_dg8saq hpsdr test in = normal swapped out = normal swapped adc = none ak5394a dac = none cs4344 es9022 lcd = none hd44780 ks0073 log = 1sec 2sec 4sec
board USBDAC version with the ES9023 DAC is still available for order. Contact George.
another run in 3 month's time. AB1.12 for experimenters is being developed by Borge. A Windows uac2 ASIO driver is available for the audio-widgets. It is developed by Nikolay is an open source design. The Windows installer (drivers and WidgetControl.exe) is available in the Download area. The source code is in a git repository. So under Windows (and OSX and Linux), 44.1 -> 192khz 32 bit playback is now possible. |
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