How to diy a DAB radio tunner?

[bmpa]

How to diy a DAB radio tunner?

 

[garbage]

i was wondering about the same thing after hearing one of those portable units at a local electronics chain.

the unit was indoors and sounded real clear, with those normal portable type of antenna.

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

maybe some brave souls might want to order a DAB evaluation kit.

 

[arniel]

Why?

No offence, but this strikes me as a bit pointless, unless the main aim is aesthetic (like those ones shown in the post above).
In the UK, DAB has appaling sound (mono in many cases!), as the bitrate is pathetically low in order to squeeze as many channels as possible into the available bandwidth.
Check out this link to see what I am talking about.

Arnie

 

[matt_uk]

I've just started looking into a DIY DAB radio tonight. I have contacted radioscape about the price of there evaluation kit and the basic RS200 module.

The Dab chip itself that is used in the above is a TI chip that could only be used with a professional PCB as it's a complex multiple row package. So building a DAB from components seems out of the question. Although phillips appear to do more lower level chips (dab decoder and mpeg decoder) built onto a board with a long row of pads down the side, to use these you would need to implement the microcontroller yourself.

I'll let you know what radioscape say about there module prices (if they sell single units), and keep looking for others.

Matt

 

[tiefbassuebertr]

How to diy a DAB radio tunner?

In the meantime there are certainly a lot of suppliers for such components.
Here an example:
Frontier Silicon | Digital Audio

various PDFs:
http://www.frontier-silicon.com/products/modules/briefs/Venice7_PB.pdf
http://www.frontier-silicon.com/products/modules/briefs/Venice7A_PB.pdf
http://www.frontier-silicon.com/products/platforms/briefs/Jupiter 8_PB.pdf
Frontier Silicon | Digital audio products | Venice 5 Lowest-power, lowest-cost module for DAB/FM radios
http://www.pressemeldungen.com/2011...odukten-fur-privatverbraucher-verfugbar-sein/

and another example:
Radioscape - End-to-end Digital Radio Solutions /

PDF files from Radioscape:
http://www.ok1mjo.com/all/ostatni/t-dab_dvb-t_drm/Radioscape/RS500_Datasheet.pdf
http://freepdfhosting.com/b790d452e4.pdf

I wonder, why until now nobody have realized a diy project by using this DAB modules.

 

[DF96]

Yes, why? In the UK DAB is awful, worse than MP3, because of low bit rates. Much better to build an FM tuner and enjoy genuine high quality broadcasting while it still survives.

 

[tiefbassuebertr]

another possibility it could be, to buy a cheap radio for tweaking like the DAB+ radio Microspot RA318 (RA-318) resp. King Champion "DB-32F" (DB32F) like by the showed pictures.
King Champion | Products

Here the associated CH threads in German:
http://www.mysnip.de/forum-archiv/thema/11947/790050/Microspot+DAB+Radio+RA-318.html
http://www.mysnip.de/forum-archiv/t...und+Nachteile_+Unterschiede_+Verbreitung.html

Yes, why? In the UK DAB is awful, worse than MP3, because of low bit rates. Much better to build an FM tuner and enjoy genuine high quality broadcasting while it still survives.

"United Kingdom" is not the whole world. This year This year will be launched in Germany DAB+, maybe next month.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernmeldeturm_Kühkopf

 

[tiefbassuebertr]

Evaluation Device Venus "FS4052" (Frontier-Silicon)

also of interest for diy a DAB+ tuner(supports also FM-Stereo/RDS):
http://www.frontier-silicon.com/products/platforms/briefs/Venus_PB.pdf

Introduce of S/P-DIF (SPDIF) digital output by a DAB receiver
I have found by chance a gallerie for refitting a S/P-DIF output (SPDIF) for follow model from Argon-Audio in denmark:
http://www.hifiklubben.com/images/products/big/ARGDABADAP1V3PBK_1.jpg
http://www.argonaudio.com/files/Download/English_version_Argon_DAB_adaptor_3.pdf
about
http://www.minhembio.com/micma18/139168/
you will find all steps therefore.

 

[tiefbassuebertr]

I've just started looking into a DIY DAB radio tonight. I have contacted radioscape about the price of there evaluation kit and the basic RS200 module.

The Dab chip itself that is used in the above is a TI chip that could only be used with a professional PCB as it's a complex multiple row package. So building a DAB from components seems out of the question. Although phillips appear to do more lower level chips (dab decoder and mpeg decoder) built onto a board with a long row of pads down the side, to use these you would need to implement the microcontroller yourself.

I'll let you know what radioscape say about there module prices (if they sell single units), and keep looking for others.

Matt

any news in the meantime?

 

[Turbon]

Hi.

I bought a Philips AE5252 which is built around the Verona module from Frontier Silicon.
The next step is to understand how the module is interfaced to the LCD and buttons. Also I need to figure out the pins of the module.
The Verona has an Atmel processor so recoding is a known procedure. The Verona has at least spdif out and R/L audio.

So far I have connected the radio thru the headphone connector to the stereo and atleast in Sweden SQ is quite good. I managed to find 7 stations sending digital.
Anyone interested to help dissecting the Verona modules secrets? I have emailed Frontier Silicon but haven't recieved anything yet and ain't sure I ever will🙂

Regards

 

[Max Headroom]

I wonder, why until now nobody have realized a diy project by using this DAB modules.

Aussies to the fore...Silicon Chip Online - A High-Quality DAB+/FM Tuner, Pt.1
Regarding sound quality, my evaluation is that DAB+ is certainly better than the same programme content AM services, but generally markedly inferior to the same programme content FM services.
Evidently, I am not the only one saying so...Silicon Chip Online - Mailbag
The bottom line is that DAB+ is effectively MP3 broadcast radio....the bit rate matters.

Utilising the spdif or I2C would likely be an improvement over the module analog outputs.
The DAB+ radios that I have inspected run a Frontier Venice module mounted to a pcb connector...not rocket science to build a mother pcb with much better power supply and audio output arrangements.
On the to do/wish list is hacking one of the $30.00 portable DAB+ radios that I have and remount in a rack mount case with much better support circuitry.

Dan.

 

[Turbon]

The Verona didn't have an Atmel processor, the atmel part is a serial memory module 🙂. The processor is a proprietary Kino3 IC from Frontier Silicon. No info available for that part...

So far I have figured out the buttonworks on Verona pin 25/26, the audio out on 3/5 and the LCD SPI part on pins 7/10/13/16. There are also a number of NC pins namely 8/9/12/15/17/21/23/24, GND on 4/6/14/22. Powerpins are 1=1.2V and 2=3.3V. Maybe pin 18 should be considered a power pin since it is taken down to 2.6V by an R-net and the buttonpins shows 2.4V - coinsidence? Maybe. I still have to follow traces on the Verona module to see if there are any clues. Left are a few pins I have to think about - I have no clue yet of their workings.

There is another thread in parts about the LCD - I believe I have found if not the specific part but almost certain the pin functions of the LCD.

The DAC part of the Verona is built on a CS4344 24/192 capable chip. The datasheet is available on the net so interfacing to a better chip is easy.

And there we go - soon we can DIY our own DAB+/FM/RDS capable radio tuners 🙂

Regards

 

[Turbon]

Note that the NC pins are not connected on this Radios main PCB! These pins have probably functions not implemented such as S/PDIF, 8ch I2S and so forth. But then again one would probably need the SDK to enable them.

Regards

 

[Turbon]

Buttonworks...

The functions of the buttons are activated thru grounding pin 25 or 26 thru the following resistors:

Pin 25:
Menu/Scan 33R
Down 1k2
Up 5k6
Sel/Info 18k
5+ 33k
Vol+ 68k

Pin 26:
DAB/FM 33R
5/10 1k2
4/9 5k6
3/8 10k
2/7 18k
1/6 33k
Vol- 68k

I don't know what happens if we use other values. The Verona might enter some mode we get trapped in and it can (probably) be put in the bin.

So 4 pins left to examinate and Frontier Silicon is still silent. 🙁

Regards

 

[Turbon]

Feels as I'm on my own? Cmon - someone has to have dissected it before me...
Just pins 18, 19 and 20 to be explained in the scope of AE5252. 18 might be an power in pin of 2,6v - nothing shows of another function so I'll go with that. The scope showed 0v on pin 19/20 but they are connected to circuit on the PCB. Maybe they have other values at startup as mute functions until a channel has been found and decoded. I will check but not for a while...

Regards

 

[Turbon]

Ok, the last pins are my own. 😉 You are on your own now.

 

[NATDBERG]

"United Kingdom" is not the whole world. This year This year will be launched in Germany DAB+, maybe next month.
Fernmeldeturm Koblenz ? Wikipedia

Whilst that is technically true (that United Kingdom is not the whole world), look at the data rates in the link you provided:

72kbps
72kbps
72kbps
120kbps !!!
72kbps
etc

OK, it's AAC+ codec rather than MP2 ..

BUT don't let others get in the way of your own personal DIY projects, so please ignore me!

 

[NATDBERG]

Modding a tuner should be easy, to make a good digital out..

 

[Turbon]

In Sweden we get 160kbps.

 

[ryanj]

If your at all interested in good sound quality, DAB/DAB+ isn't the road to go down, FM is still far superior. You are better off purchasing an old FM tuner and sprucing it up a bit (new caps, etc.)

Good information on this site: Tuner Information Center - Jim and Bob's DIY Mods