New USB 2.0 Audio controller from VIA

[mikechai]

VIA has launched industry first USB 2.0 Audio Controller with 24/192 goodness.
VIA Vinyl EnvyUSB 2.0 Audio Controller - VIA Technologies, Inc.

Any comment from our fellow audio engineers here?

 

[Iain McNeill]

Website doesn't say what transfer mode this chip uses for USB or how clock jitter is managed. I've requested a datasheet so we'll see.

very interesting!

 

[eclectic2k]

VIA has launched industry first USB 2.0 Audio Controller with 24/192 goodness.
VIA Vinyl EnvyUSB 2.0 Audio Controller - VIA Technologies, Inc.

Any comment from our fellow audio engineers here?

Awesome. Will be curious to see if parts are available, and what the required driver support will be. Quite promising though.

Thanks for the info!

 

[eclectic2k]

I've requested a datasheet so we'll see

Do let us know how that turns out. VIA have been fairly difficult in some of my past experience. I hope they are more forthcoming on this.

 

[5th element]

Oh happy day, please do let us know how it turns out.

 

[Chris_F]

Does it support asynchronous transfer?

 

[anbello]

cmedia has a similar solution
C-Media Electronics, Inc.
I hope that Micro$oft and some linux driver programmer wite usb audio class 2.0 driver.

ciao
andrea

 

[Iain McNeill]

Well I got a product brief document from Via, it's confidential so I can't post it. But I can say that while it doesn't support asynchronous transfer, it does support 11 isochronous endpoints (5 in, 6 out) and a "feedback" endpoint which somehow guarantees lossless transfer.

 

[eclectic2k]

This is all *very* promising. Even more so now that I see C-media is also keeping up with technology. Not a surprise, their current chip is very widely used, almost as much as the TI solutions... (from what little I can tell).

I'm most interested to hear what the driver requirements are. Will these work with standard windows/linux/mac drivers (OS X "core" audio?) Or do they require custom drivers similar to high speed firewire solutions?

Anything about driver support in the VIA docs?

Thanks!
CK

 

[Chris_F]

Well I got a product brief document from Via, it's confidential so I can't post it. But I can say that while it doesn't support asynchronous transfer, it does support 11 isochronous endpoints (5 in, 6 out) and a "feedback" endpoint which somehow guarantees lossless transfer.

Confidential? lol

Did they make you sign a NDA? If not, please post away.

cmedia has a similar solution
C-Media Electronics, Inc.
I hope that Micro$oft and some linux driver programmer wite usb audio class 2.0 driver.

ciao
andrea

C-Media has had that info up for over a year, but I have yet to see any information that proves it actually exists. As far as I'm concerned it's the Lock Ness monster.

 

[qusp]

very interesting indeed, the only thing stopping me from embracing USB tech in any of my DAC builds has been the lack of forward compatibility with HiRez content. this control mechanism sound good too; perhaps i'll shoot them an email

 

[JoelM81]

C-Media has had that info up for over a year, but I have yet to see any information that proves it actually exists. As far as I'm concerned it's the Lock Ness monster.

It exists. They only like talking to companies that are going to buy tons of chips, though.

 

[phofman]

FYI, today Daniel Mack has posted a set of preliminary patches for USB audio 2.0 support to the linux alsa-devel mailing list. They look pretty good.