Anyone working on a Si4770 design?

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Just wondering if anyone has used this new part.
I have used the Si4735 in a portable radio media player design and now want to go to the next step using this chip, which has much better performance than the Si4735.
I do not care about IBOC/DAB as I live in Canada and we do not have that here!
I would like some help in this design if anyone is interested. Designs progress faster if more than one are working on them.
Basically make a cheap super tuner. It really is not too much, I have lots of pieces working already.
Minimum parts are
1) Si4770 and associated circuitry per the spec and app notes.
2) A mcu, I have a complete portable radio working, using xmega written in BASCOM-AVR, thousands of lines of code.
3) display,user input. The portable uses a newhaven 4x40 character lcd and bourns encoders. Yes it would be nice for a graphic display, but for now the 4x40 works pretty good and acts as my encoder menus for the user interface(UI)
4) analog buffer depending on what you are planning as a pre/power amp.
5) Power supply, encolsure, stuff to make it look nice :) So ar I have a cheap Hammond Al chassis.

I should have titled this thread Silicon Labs Broadcast tuner so I will do it here now!!

And as for "Analog Source" well eventually the signal has to be analog to hear it, even if it comes from a DSP core :)

The chip is still availble, the price is ridiculously low price for what you get.
http://ca.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Silicon-Labs/Si4770-A20-GM/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMs7/cx9%2bsMHjzQTQSirjYAb

I see that this pcb is still available, if anyone is looking for a Si4735 design, they work really well.
http://www.elektor.com/the-elektor-dsp-radio-pcb
On the mcs electronics site, the code has been updated up to the limit of a mega328. The rds decoder code is updated, it works really well even on a 2x16 display. I took this code and have it running on a xmega prto, so now there is no code size limit. I have to integrate the code into a build for the portable radio.
I'll keep updating this thread as I make progress.

Status:
1)The Si4770 design is still a concept and very little code has been written.
2) I have one design in a near completed stated which is using a spdif transmitter on it.
3) Code needed is mostly low level as the I can use the existing portable radio media player code for the user interface.
4) Still searching for a crystal. I did the one design to have the option of a crystal or a programmable oscillator. I do not like the programmable osc approach as the signal has to be padded for the Si4770 oscillator input specs. AC coupled and limit the swing.
5) Figure out an AM transformer design as they did in the eval design. SiLab did not offer any info., other than an internal part number.
6) The Toko mixer I only have 2 samples. I did find 2nd sources, but still a min order qty item. I think I can make my own, need to figure out a way to test, do not have the necessary RF equip as they use at Toko. I would need to source/find the correct ferrite core. Any RF experts out there?
 
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Hi rsavas,

I just began looking into tuner kits/PCBs/designs, and was really disappointed by the paucity of kits and PCBs available. After looking around I found, and liked, the si4770 & Si4777 chips, but designing a tuner around one of these chips is beyond my ability. All I can say is that if you decide to go ahead and design a board I'm willing to chip in some money to have a few prototypes made, if I get to build one of the prototypes.

My concern is whether or not any one else is interested. Judging by the response to your post, and a search in the diyAudio forum for anything related to radio tuners, we may be the only ones listening to your design.

-Byron
 
Hi Byron,
Thanks for replying to my thread. Well you are correct, you are the only one thus far showing an interest, enough to respond. I have the PCB designed already, so just have to fab, solder, test & write the software. One of my winter projects. I wondering if anyone wanted to help, but no interest, so I am on my own at this time. You may what to look at the kit from Elektor, as that maybe better suited for what you are requiring.
The Elektor DSP radio (100126-91) - ELEKTOR.com | Electronics: Microcontrollers Embedded Audio Digital Analogue Test Measurement
Now that I look, it is saying "Sold Out". The code is still available.
I guess this why I roll my own!!
Also try Birkhard Kianka's site, he wrote the Elektor articles,need to translate as this is in German
Das Elektronik-Labor
HF
Sparkfun Electronics have a few Si4735 kits, as well, check them out.

Cheers
Rick
 
Hi,

No, still in the works, working on code for Si4735 based radio, which is basically the same for 4770, except a few different prop's etc.Also some other projects, so I can get a few pcb's made at once. I decided to add a I2S to SPDIF using DIT4192, just to make it more functional and to test this ckt out too. So keep tuned, one of my winter 2014 projects to get done.
See attached

Rick
 

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Hi Rick.

Well, populated would be preferable but blanks would do. It is controlled by I2C so whatever arduino or raspberry would do I presume. I know a bit about C and have the ATMEGA studio and arduino compilers installed somewhere in house.
I went thru the Si Labs site about the chips and found the programming guides and some example code - not much but enough to start experimenting. I would like to go forward with the 4777 to possibly at a later stage exploit the HD radio stuff.

So, what options do you offer :)

Regards
 
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Hi,

I offer no options at the moment, looking for feedback, so that maybe I can develop a market, if I can take it that far and their is interest. If not, well a fun project to do, to compare 4735 vs 4770
The Si477x sample code is a good starting point, using the low level code but much more code is required to make it into a full functioning radio. I have the basic workings for the 4735 based radio, down to the fine points of stuff like editing the stored favorite stations stored in eeprom, error checking, 4735 configuration, remote control programming etc.
Sure anything with I2C control using 3.3V signal levels would do the job.
My portable uses a xmega and I have written the code in BASCOM-AVR.
The Si4777 is a different animal, as it requires companion processing, under NDA with the supplier, so that is outside my capabilities at this time. I am not a DSP programmer either.
My Si4770 design/layout is not done to include the Si4777. Minor modification however.
Wondering why you are interested in US style HD-FM, since I understand it to be exclusive to the US. I do not know of 1 station in Canada that uses this technology. I do not even think our DOC(CRTC), has mandated it either. I would think Sweden is DAB, am I correct?

Cheers
Rick
 
Hi,

I offer no options at the moment, looking for feedback, so that maybe I can develop a market, if I can take it that far and their is interest. If not, well a fun project to do, to compare 4735 vs 4770
The Si477x sample code is a good starting point, using the low level code but much more code is required to make it into a full functioning radio. I have the basic workings for the 4735 based radio, down to the fine points of stuff like editing the stored favorite stations stored in eeprom, error checking, 4735 configuration, remote control programming etc.
Sure anything with I2C control using 3.3V signal levels would do the job.
My portable uses a xmega and I have written the code in BASCOM-AVR.
The Si4777 is a different animal, as it requires companion processing, under NDA with the supplier, so that is outside my capabilities at this time. I am not a DSP programmer either.
My Si4770 design/layout is not done to include the Si4777. Minor modification however.
Wondering why you are interested in US style HD-FM, since I understand it to be exclusive to the US. I do not know of 1 station in Canada that uses this technology. I do not even think our DOC(CRTC), has mandated it either. I would think Sweden is DAB, am I correct?

Cheers
Rick

Yes, you are quite right about HD vs DAB. DAB hasn't left the ground here yet anyway. There might be test broadcasts somewhere but not reaching my antennas. Bit confused since I haven't done radios since the analog era. So 4770 it is then :). You seem to be quite done with your project and if I understand you right you are more as you write - trying to develop an market than seeking people helping out with the tuner.

Regards
 
:)
Bit confused since I haven't done radios since the analog era. So 4770 it is then :).
Analog/Digital radio, well depends if it is all analog, ganged var cap or varactor based, PLL or not or a DSP based radio like 4735/4770 variety.
Have you read the data sheet or the short DS for Si4770/77?
Worldwide FM band support(64–108 MHz)
Worldwide AM band support(520–1710 kHz)

If you want to help out, sure i'd be interested. The radio platform can/is tons of code that I franking find to be rather boring. I am not good at coding, almost as bad as my Swedish ;-)
I have always been a HW EE type, but FW/SW is the lion share of work to make the product fully functional.
For you to participate, you need HW since you need to test the code you write. I assume, it would be my responsibility to provide you with the HW.
I started out using a Sparkfun xmega100 breakout board and wire wrap connections adapter boards about 3-4 years ago.
People suggested Arduino, but I decided to design my own stuff, but Arduino is still an option, because it is a big market. So is RasP.
The idea is to hopefully make some $ doing this as a profitable hobby/business.
For me it a retirement income possibility.

The only HW I have, at this time, is two Si4735 based portables radio/media players.
The idea is to use them as the controller for the Si4770 based test board.
I can re-arrange the building blocks into a myriad of possibilities for final products that I would call fully functional.

In the US Bose has their wave systems, which are expensive media players, so I use them as a target large volume market. My problem is I ain't Bose, I am a nobody, so a big challenge.

You seem to be quite done with your project and if I understand you right you are more as you write - trying to develop an market than seeking people helping out with the tuner.
Done, well good enough for hobby grade, work in progress, but does it cut the mustard for something saleable? and for what market?
My biggest challenges are, FW/SW and packaging.
So far packaging is a cheap Hammond AL box.
FW, challenges, gotta get a good/reliable IR receiver going.

Let me know about your capabilities and maybe we can find a means to put two minds together. It would be good to test the radio in a different market/environment, have a second opinion etc. You say you have a few antenna's? What HW are you using now? What's your name :) is it really Turbon or Groucho ;-) and we can exchange email addr too.

Cheers
Rick
 
Hi Rick.

To make something that would be sellable is sorry to say out of my scope. It would put responsibility on my shoulders which I prefer to avoid since it would no longer be just joy. As for the HW I use now - garbage which I won't try to tweak.
I found some eval boards for DAB and FM so I will probably go that path instead.
As for packaging - most of the stuff I build don't even have boxes so I'm probably worse than you when it comes to that.

Hope you get it working in every respect and that it becomes a success - maybe I'll buy one in the future :)

Regards
 
Si4777

Hello
À littlebit late but i am working on a new design with the SI4777
I have a lot of experience in the rf part of receivers and transmitters
I will combine the design with a dab+ receiver chip also
So i am curiuos how your design is progressing
In our design we will both use mpx and stereo output, and aes digital audio out
The receiver will also have a ethernet output with audio also for monitoring audio

So Lets hear something from you
Regards
Rob
 
Wow it has been a year now and no or very little progress from me. I did the design but did not make a pcb. I will get back to it, hopefully soon.
I am using a Si4735 design now so it serves as a software proto.
The hardest parts to get for me were the Toko baluns and the odd ball xtal freq. I got a couple of samples from toko and for the 36.4MHz osc I planned on using a programmable osc.
Nice to hear that you are doing a design and using the Si4477, so I take it you are doing US style HD radio too?
Sounds like ethernet is a good option as well. Might want to think bluetooth too, seem lots are using this comm protocol. I do not know, remote radio for your cell phone :)
I see Silicon labs is also introducing a new family and to include DAB IIRC.
Good luck and I would like to follow your progress.

Cheers
Rick
 
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Hi justn,

Well no progress, even the eval pcb never seems to be in stock at mouser. The chip price is a ridiculous low price these days of around ~$4, so it a very cheap radio, that really only needs a special crystal and i2c control.
I was thinking of putting the Si4770 chip in another design,that I am working on, see the pitchfork pre-amp thread. I think the part will really shine with a precision external DAC such as TI PCM1794A.
There you go, you convinced me to put the Si4770 on my pitchfork implementation.

Cheers
Rick
 
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Hi Rick,

sorry, I just read to-day about your si4770 project. I'm interested, if you want. I am looking for an SDR radio module with very good features. It has to receive AM - FM, DAB is a plus. It should work better than Tivoli One. I think I could buy several modules if you are interested and if the price will be reasonable. You can contact me privately if you want.
BR
Milo
 
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