There are a couple of other threads about using an Arduino board for controlling those reasonably-priced PGA2311 preamp kits, but this one is about a direct replacement for their CPU board. The board combines the CPU (mega328 with Arduino bootloader), the LCD display, a port extender and IR receiver, using the same form-factor as the original PGA2311 kit CPU. The board is shown below. It's a compact solution that allows adding more circuitry inside the chassis. This board also has an FTDI USB receiver, so you can write code for the PC using the .NET FTDI drivers and send commands and data to this board.
This board was used along with the PGA2311 preamp board to make a volume-compensated A/B speaker switchbox. But because the code is so easy to modify, the CPU and chassis can be used for a number of different audio projects where you need to control I2C devices or other devices. The CPU board was done with DesignSpark, and if anyone wants the files they are welcome to them.
One of the benefits of using the Arduino code is being able to leverage the very good library code. For example, the remote control code from Ken Shirriff allows using just about any remote control you have laying around, and with some simple user interface code you can assign the buttons on the remote to a specific action:
The software provides all of the functions of the original CPU board, plus it has code for controlling external relay boxes. But because it uses the Arduino development tools, it is very easy to customize the displays and add new devices for the CPU to control. Also, you aren't limited to low-contrast LCD displays, as Newhaven makes a nice pin-compatible OLED display. I don't have a picture of the OLED display, but I've used both the green and blue, and both are very nice looking.
This board was used along with the PGA2311 preamp board to make a volume-compensated A/B speaker switchbox. But because the code is so easy to modify, the CPU and chassis can be used for a number of different audio projects where you need to control I2C devices or other devices. The CPU board was done with DesignSpark, and if anyone wants the files they are welcome to them.
One of the benefits of using the Arduino code is being able to leverage the very good library code. For example, the remote control code from Ken Shirriff allows using just about any remote control you have laying around, and with some simple user interface code you can assign the buttons on the remote to a specific action:
The software provides all of the functions of the original CPU board, plus it has code for controlling external relay boxes. But because it uses the Arduino development tools, it is very easy to customize the displays and add new devices for the CPU to control. Also, you aren't limited to low-contrast LCD displays, as Newhaven makes a nice pin-compatible OLED display. I don't have a picture of the OLED display, but I've used both the green and blue, and both are very nice looking.
This project has been posted at Audiodevelopers: CPU for PGA2311 Preamp – Audiodevelopers Reborn. There's both hardware (DesignSpark source files with Gerber plots) and software for the Arduino.
The hardware won't be developed further, as the next-generation CPU board for this chassis will use a 3.3V CPU. The software does what it is supposed to for this application, so there won't be any additional revisions for this iteration of the board.
Feel free to use the hardware design however you see fit--there are no restrictions. The software license is a CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, which allows modifications and sharing.
The hardware won't be developed further, as the next-generation CPU board for this chassis will use a 3.3V CPU. The software does what it is supposed to for this application, so there won't be any additional revisions for this iteration of the board.
Feel free to use the hardware design however you see fit--there are no restrictions. The software license is a CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, which allows modifications and sharing.
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