[LAD] FOSS Ethernet Soundcard

[Folderol]

On Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:20:07 +1100
Patrick Shirkey <pshirkey at boosthardware.com> wrote:

> 
> On 12/01/2009 12:46 AM, Karl Hammar wrote:
> > pshirkey at boosthardware.com:
> >    
> >> On 11/29/2009 03:36 PM, Ken Restivo wrote:
> >>      
> >>> On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 10:33:45AM +0100, Karl Hammar wrote:
> >>>        
> > ...
> >    
> >>>> My goals is "just" to extend another project (industrial i/o).
> >>>> What would your goals be ?
> >>>>          
> > ...
> >    
> >>> The original thread converged on a goal pretty quickly: an
> >>> inexpensive, multi-channel audio interface which is open hardware and
> >>> software, and uses Gig Ethernet as its physical connection method.
> >>>        
> > ...
> >    
> >> Did anyone have a good reason for not including support for a
> >> usb-1.0/2.0/3.0 interface seeing as we can write the driver ourselves
> >> and adhere to the standard?
> >>      
> > The usual open source reasons, time and interest, and maybe money.
> >
> > If someone provides the usb-knowledge (or firewire, adat, ... etc.)
> > I'd be happy to have it included, and I assume others would not mind.
> > Or, others might include it. I encourage people do their own versions.
> >
> >    
> 
> 
> How many chipsets come with support for adat or firewire ootb? I have 
> used arm, freescale and zilog in the past. None of them did. It will be 
> a challenge to find a reasonably priced chipset that has support for all 
> the above but maybe there is a family out there that can be easily 
> switched without needing major surgery to the board design. The other 
> thing to consider is whether the firmware will be open. I have no 
> problem with an NDA for development purposes but others might not like that.
> 
> What chipsets have been put forward/decided on so far?
>
> >> Most chipsets these days have support for both port types. It would be
> >> very useful if the schematic provided tracks for both ootb.
> >>      
> > It should be doable, please tell us what components to inlucde.
> >    
> 
> 
> I'll get back to you on this.
> 
> 
> >    
> >> BTW, I will be able to contribute development funds towards this project
> >> if required once we have a BoM.
> >>      
> > I think the most valueable contributions would be
> >
> > . a good set of specs to aim at (I cannot provide that)
> >    
> 
> 
> I would like to add usb-2.0/3.0 to the specs. 2.0 is probably easier but 
> 3.0 is more cutting edge.

I have some concern that too much addition to the spec, will end up
with a monstrosity that is a nightmare to build, and no more compatible
with the core goal than anything else already available :(

> 
> > . hw and sw knowledge
> >    
> 
> Of course.
> 
> 
> > . testing and evaluation, and equipment for that
> >    
> 
> 
> I have an oscilliscope and some other random hardware for testing with.

My new millivoltmeter/dB meter is nearly finished - All I need now is
precision resistors 9M, 900k, 90k :?

> > . prototype boards for testers
> > . components, chips and mundane things like that
> >    
> 
> Once we have an idea of how many people are prepared to contribute to 
> the test phase we can get an idea of what kind of costs we are looking 
> at and whether it is better to purchase in bulk or seperately.
> 
> > . cummunication, git-repo, webserver, mailing list, ...
> >    
> 
> I have a server to use for this or we can go with one of the many 
> existing free services.
> 
> 
> > If someone wish to contract me to work on this, I'd be happy, but
> > that is not a requirement.
> >
> >    
> 
> I can contribute funds but cannot afford to fund the project completely.
> 
> 
> 
> Patrick Shirkey
> Boost Hardware Ltd

I'll be able to contribute some funds as well

-- 
Will J Godfrey
http://www.musically.me.uk
Say you have a poem and I have a tune.
Exchange them and we can both have a poem, a tune, and a song.