What to do with a NAD C541?

Unkan · 5th November 2006, 10:18 AM

Hello.
I bought a NAD C541 that started to produce noise from time to time. Unfortunately, it decided not to produce noise when I left it to the repair shop so now I'm stuck with a useless CD with expired warranty... (Thanks)

I'm wondering if there's something fun I could do with the "carcass"? Is it possible to, for example, modify a PC CD-ROM to fit in it? Or maybe rebuild the player into a DAC? Or perhaps just see how far I can throw the heap of junk?

//Unkan

P.S. Sorry if the subject has been up but I couldn't find something similar. DS

dangus · 6th November 2006, 10:24 AM

Gut it, stuff a CDROM (or DVDROM) drive in place of the original loader, and fit a small PC mainboard inside, like a 1/2 ISA or "biscuit PC" industrial embedded processor board, or ITX. Or maybe skip the CDROM and just run a hard drive with a network connection. Use it to play music off hard drive or CD or DVD. For a display, hook up an alphanumeric LCD to the parallel port. For controls, use the stock buttons and wire 'em to a game controller or numeric pad.

If that's too much work, get a PC CDROM drive that at least has a "Play" button on it and kluge it in there. Most of the time, play and eject are all the controls you really need.

Or... buy a $25 DVD player, and transfer the guts into the NAD. It'll play CD, DVD, probably MP3 CD and DVD as well. You don't need to implement all the buttons, since it'll have a remote control, although play and eject might be convenient.

As for the DAC idea... if you can locate and identify the digital filter chip, you might be able to cut the I2S lines going to it and feed in from a digital receiver chip.

Unkan · 7th November 2006, 10:56 AM

Hehe. Yeah, turning it into a HTPC or something like that would be fun but a little to much work. I would like it if it was possible to utilize as much of the functioning interior as possible. So you think it would be possible to use a cd-rom? Is it possible to extract the I2S signal and use it as a replacement to the faulty drive?

dangus · 7th November 2006, 11:07 PM

Most CDROMs already have S/PDIF outputs (TTL level), which is all you need if you're using it with an external DAC or a home theatre receiver/processor. The most straightforward solution might be to just use a digital receiver chip to turn that S/PDIF back into I2S... basically use the NAD as a DAC. But, it'd be worth checking inside the CDROM to see if you can identify the chips, find a data sheet and see if there are I2S signals available.

okkyn · 23rd February 2007, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dangus
Most CDROMs already have S/PDIF outputs (TTL level), which is all you need if you're using it with an external DAC or a home theatre receiver/processor. The most straightforward solution might be to just use a digital receiver chip to turn that S/PDIF back into I2S... basically use the NAD as a DAC. But, it'd be worth checking inside the CDROM to see if you can identify the chips, find a data sheet and see if there are I2S signals available.

The PCM1732 from NAD C541 receive an CD-ROM XA command input. My question: Is CD-ROM XA command = I2S? I mean in term of data format, not electrical characteristics. Thanks

mhifi508 · 5th March 2009, 11:58 PM

Sorry bring back this old thread cos is the same NAD 541.

Anyone know how to open this NAD CD3 remote control? Could not find any screw, not even in battery compartment.

5th November 2006, 10:18 AM	#1
Unkan diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2006	What to do with a NAD C541? Hello. I bought a NAD C541 that started to produce noise from time to time. Unfortunately, it decided not to produce noise when I left it to the repair shop so now I'm stuck with a useless CD with expired warranty... (Thanks) I'm wondering if there's something fun I could do with the "carcass"? Is it possible to, for example, modify a PC CD-ROM to fit in it? Or maybe rebuild the player into a DAC? Or perhaps just see how far I can throw the heap of junk? //Unkan P.S. Sorry if the subject has been up but I couldn't find something similar. DS

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6th November 2006, 10:24 AM	#2
dangus diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Vancouver Island	Gut it, stuff a CDROM (or DVDROM) drive in place of the original loader, and fit a small PC mainboard inside, like a 1/2 ISA or "biscuit PC" industrial embedded processor board, or ITX. Or maybe skip the CDROM and just run a hard drive with a network connection. Use it to play music off hard drive or CD or DVD. For a display, hook up an alphanumeric LCD to the parallel port. For controls, use the stock buttons and wire 'em to a game controller or numeric pad. If that's too much work, get a PC CDROM drive that at least has a "Play" button on it and kluge it in there. Most of the time, play and eject are all the controls you really need. Or... buy a $25 DVD player, and transfer the guts into the NAD. It'll play CD, DVD, probably MP3 CD and DVD as well. You don't need to implement all the buttons, since it'll have a remote control, although play and eject might be convenient. As for the DAC idea... if you can locate and identify the digital filter chip, you might be able to cut the I2S lines going to it and feed in from a digital receiver chip.

7th November 2006, 10:56 AM	#3
Unkan diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2006	Hehe. Yeah, turning it into a HTPC or something like that would be fun but a little to much work. I would like it if it was possible to utilize as much of the functioning interior as possible. So you think it would be possible to use a cd-rom? Is it possible to extract the I2S signal and use it as a replacement to the faulty drive?

7th November 2006, 11:07 PM	#4
dangus diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Vancouver Island	Most CDROMs already have S/PDIF outputs (TTL level), which is all you need if you're using it with an external DAC or a home theatre receiver/processor. The most straightforward solution might be to just use a digital receiver chip to turn that S/PDIF back into I2S... basically use the NAD as a DAC. But, it'd be worth checking inside the CDROM to see if you can identify the chips, find a data sheet and see if there are I2S signals available.

5th March 2009, 11:58 PM	#6
mhifi508 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2008	Sorry bring back this old thread cos is the same NAD 541. Anyone know how to open this NAD CD3 remote control? Could not find any screw, not even in battery compartment.

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