DAB+ Radio with P2
Christof Eb.
Posts: 1,195
in Propeller 2
Hi,
the idea is to combine a P2 board with a DAB+ module. Upgrade my https://forums.parallax.com/discussion/175286/a-self-filling-audio-player-radio-on-demand-without-internet#latest to DAB+ .
Has anyone already played with with a module? Keystone T4x ? There is some Information about it here: https://excitron.be/en/product/t4a-dab-tuner/
Are there alternate modules ?
https://www.dabshield.com/circuit ?
I would like to study a datasheet, before I spend 50€...
I think, a DAB+-Radio with recording might be a nice project for P2?!
Thoughts, ideas welcome!
Christof
Comments
Wow, zero documentation product. But these do seem to have I2S outputs, which probably performs better than the ADC solution you have now. But god only knows how you actually set the channel
The astonishing thing is, that the P2 adc performs quite good for this application. I think, that radio audio is already compressed. Additionally I have some automatic compression adjusting the output volume of the radio chip.
I2S will be new to me but I should give it a try.
Ok, ordered modules, after some helpful contact with the vendor https://excitron.be/en/product/t4a-dab-tuner/
May the yourney begin!
Did they provide you (or at least point you to) with the documentation of the module ?
I certainly do hope so because I was going to say it's a "no go" without proper docs (~ 50 EUR apiece for a module is no small change to throw out after all, at least for me).
Good luck with the project.
I very much like your projects described here for their interdisciplinary aspects and adequate descriptions. And I know there are at least some described elsewhere that are equally interesting (not Propeller related but stil..)
Some update here:
The T4A modules have arrived here and I got parts of datasheets, which I am not allowed to share. Also I received Arduino code for Teensy 4.0. I use Taqoz. The information provided got me to the point, where I can send and receive information from/to P2, which can be done with UART 115200Baud or I2C. I use UART. I can get the senderlist and can play FM and DAB+ radio with analog audio output. Display station names. So the basics are working. I had to do a second buffered serial receiver, which I think, I will share.
At my place I can get a DAB+ senderlist of 66 stations, which is certainly more than with FM, if I use an outside antenna. With indoor whip antenna it's only about 20 DAB+ stations. A bought Dab+ radio can receive the long list with indoor telescope antenna. So the antenna question needs a lot of attention once again.....
Most of the additional stations are not too interesting, I think. Only perhaps 2 additional stations are an improvement.
The prove of concept, that I can switch over from FM to DAB+ seems to be done.
At the moment I am not sure how to go on. If I switch over to DAB+ for the person with reduced eyesight, the handling of the radio will become more complicated. Normally I would now introduce a rot-encoder to select from options in the display, but the person cannot read the display. Perhaps I could display very big symbols or just 2 BIG letters or I could insert some sound as feedback.
Questions? Suggestions?
Christof
If you have a particular person in mind for this, I’d involve them in the solution consideration process. Audio feedback might work well, but they may find it annoying depending on the form it takes; some may prefer simple clicks and beeps, while others may prefer spoken cues. Visual feedback is probably going to be limited. A bit of both might help.
One suggestion.
How about voice communicated menu ?
All the hardware is already on board.
I am aware this may not sound too intelligent but ...while my eyesight is still all right I tednd to prefer listening to the voice commands from the car GPS raher than constantly looking at the screen so, for me, a voice communicated menu seems like a perfectly feasible solution.