No microcontroller for PGA2310?

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Can a simple volume controller with PGA2310 do without programming a microcontroller?

I know nuts about programming but would like to build a volume controller to go with my Class-A Amp.

Can anyone provide me with a simple schematic of a 2-channel volume controller using a PGA2310? Hopefully no PICs or other chips that need programming needed. 3 push-buttons to control it; volume up, volume down and mute.

Thanks!

-Louis
 
The amount of standard 7400 series logic you'd need to drive a PGA2310 makes it unfeasible. You;d have to have two 8 bit counters supporting increment and decrement, and some shift registers, and a clock.

I belive there was someone on DIYAudio that had made a simple kit that basically had an 8 pin PIC which connected to a potentiometer. This then drove a PGA2310/11. Try searching here. Thing is, a microcontroller is pretty much unavoidable.

edit: The kit i was thinking of was the Twisted Pear Kookaburra. Hardly simple, but it'll do the job :)
 
You could probably do it with an FPGA. Lattice makes a few that have built in FLASH so the program self loads. They behave more like a CPLD. You may be abe to use a CPLD as well but the per gate cost on those tends to be much higher compared to FPGA's. Lattice aso has a free version of their software that you can use to develop the code. The programming cable, however, is not free. And the parts, through distribution, would also cost more than a small micro. And it is still a programming job. Instead of using C or assembler you would use Verilog, VHDL or ABEL.
So I am not sure if this is a cost effective solution, but it is a possible solution. In any case you would probably have similar expense and hurdles to deal with when using a micro. For a one off application the cost of the silicon itself is the least of your worries. BTW, I have no affiliation with Lattice. I just happen to think they are making some great CPLD's and some fairly innovative FPGA's these days. I've used these parts.

If you are a serious hobbyist, programmable logic opens up all kinds of other design doors for you. It wouldn't hurt to get your arms around this technology as a good learning exercise.
 
jaycee said:
The amount of standard 7400 series logic you'd need to drive a PGA2310 makes it unfeasible. You;d have to have two 8 bit counters supporting increment and decrement, and some shift registers, and a clock.

I belive there was someone on DIYAudio that had made a simple kit that basically had an 8 pin PIC which connected to a potentiometer. This then drove a PGA2310/11. Try searching here. Thing is, a microcontroller is pretty much unavoidable.

edit: The kit i was thinking of was the Twisted Pear Kookaburra. Hardly simple, but it'll do the job :)

it is the twisted pear (www.twistedpearaudio.com)
kookaburra. you can buy just the programmed pic and PCB. it works very well i use it for my PC audio
 
The Elektor Magazine has published in April/May 2004 a preamp project based on the PGA2311 (same as PGA2310 but operates on a different voltage span).

If you don't want to mess with microcontroller and/or digital logic, you could simply order the pre-programmed microcontroller (The firmware is free if I remember correctly so a friend can do it for you too) from elektor and follow or adapt the circuit to your tastes. They even included support for a 2X16 character lcd display.

Elektor article :
http://www.elektor.com/Default.aspx?tabid=27&art=51734&PN=On

http://www.elektor.com/Default.aspx?tabid=27&art=51749&PN=On

Regards,

Emmanuel
 
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