ODAC - general and technical discussions

swalter · 26th April 2012, 01:22 PM

Starting this thread so people can discuss the ODAC again in general

guglielmope · 27th April 2012, 12:30 PM

Hello,
I've read many things about ODAC, I've build O2 and I like very much.
But if this is a DIY forum I'd like to have more info about ODAC like schematic and so on.
At the moment for me ODAC is only a commercial product like many others.
I think that I'll buy one but is like to buy a Iphone in a shopping centre.
Ciao
Guglielmo
Italy

GeorgeBoudreau · 27th April 2012, 12:57 PM

Hi,

I have received a note from GFEC and they are agreeable with my releasing the schematic. Once the ODAC cards are available and shipping I will make the schematic available on my site.

I will not make the schematic available sooner as we need to make sure the layout and parts choices made during the prototype phase work properly during manufacturing.

Regards,
George Boudreau
Yoyodyne Consulting

guglielmope · 27th April 2012, 01:44 PM

Ok perfect.
At the moment I'm using ES9023 build on a proto board connected to SDTrans in sincronous mode with I2s and MCLk and in the future I'd like to tweak your board if possible to use in the same way and compare USB with SD card reader.
Ciao
Guglielmo

ethanolson · 3rd May 2012, 09:29 PM

Does ESS Tech discourage the posting of schematics with their stuff? I assume not, but they also are very restrictive with their technology.

I understand why the datasheets don't get posted, but why not schematics? What's GFEC afraid of?

GeorgeBoudreau · 3rd May 2012, 09:55 PM

ESS Technology datasheets are readily available from their distributors, you only have to ask. Just don't ask me for them.

GFEC requires a multi-page, non-disclosure agreement be signed before you can receive any datasheets for their Tenor products. Since I had to sign this agreement to receive the information needed, including programming tools, I felt it wise to ask GFEC it is was acceptable to release the schematic.
NOTE: The programming tools are still restricted and cannot be released.

Generally you will not find schematics of commercial products published so as to keep designs from being cloned. Once the ODAC schematics, with component values, are published it will be easy to duplicate (off shore)

The 'secret' to the ODAC's performance is in the layout and choice of components. NwAvGuy spent hours upon hours tweaking component choices. To achieve the datasheet performance specifications is quite an achievement. To do so with a USB bus powered device with a restrictive footprint is remarkable. The devil is in the details and having the proper testing equipment.

George Boudreau
Yoyodyne Consulting

ethanolson · 3rd May 2012, 10:05 PM

Coolbeans.

I'm certain that once this thing starts getting copied by the Asia-shotgun-suppliers they're going to switch to the TE8802L, add a seperate clock and rework the thing into some frankenDAC that nobody recognizes... and it won't measure nearly as well either.

Hey... any thought of having a version with the GFEC and ESS components prepopulated and programmed, and the rest of the stuff in a kit for us to try our hand at SMD soldering? I'm sure we're a year away from that (if it ever happens), but I can dream, can't I?

GeorgeBoudreau · 3rd May 2012, 10:59 PM

The only thing the TE8802L will bring to the table is extended sample rates. Since the DAC is working at spec there is no room for 'improvement'.

If you want to burn your fingers on SMD and DAC's you can look at the open source audio-widget USB5102. Plenty of chippy things and little parts you can lose as you populate the board. The USB8741, base on the WM8741, is still a few weeks away but will have enough parts to keep any solder sniffer happy.

Regards,
George Boudreau
Yoyodyne Consulting

ethanolson · 5th May 2012, 07:36 PM

My current DAC/Amp uses the same USB interface as the ODAC, so maybe I'm just looking for different. It is cool that the TE8802L can be programmed to UAC1 and also includes 88.2kHz. So far, I've only seen two people in all the various forums who have requested the 88.2kHz functionality.

I don't care. What I am stewing about though is what enclosure to use and how to best mount it. I think I'll be using mounting pegs from the bottom since I can't seem to find anything that is dimensionally perfect for a slide-in.

swalter · 24th May 2012, 08:54 PM

Hi, pretty stalled here.... maybe we can get some discusions going now, George posted the schematics on his webpage, have fun analyzing

Stefan

26th April 2012, 01:22 PM	#1
swalter diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Germany	ODAC - general and technical discussions Starting this thread so people can discuss the ODAC again in general __________________ everything O2 and ODAC related can be found here: www.headnhifi.com - your DIY and audio resource or have a peek in our vendor forum: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/head-n-hifi-walter/

24th May 2012, 08:54 PM	#10
swalter diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Germany	Hi, pretty stalled here.... maybe we can get some discusions going now, George posted the schematics on his webpage, have fun analyzing Stefan __________________ everything O2 and ODAC related can be found here: www.headnhifi.com - your DIY and audio resource or have a peek in our vendor forum: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/head-n-hifi-walter/

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27th April 2012, 12:30 PM	#2
guglielmope diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Udine	Hello, I've read many things about ODAC, I've build O2 and I like very much. But if this is a DIY forum I'd like to have more info about ODAC like schematic and so on. At the moment for me ODAC is only a commercial product like many others. I think that I'll buy one but is like to buy a Iphone in a shopping centre. Ciao Guglielmo Italy

27th April 2012, 12:57 PM	#3
GeorgeBoudreau diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Toronto	Hi, I have received a note from GFEC and they are agreeable with my releasing the schematic. Once the ODAC cards are available and shipping I will make the schematic available on my site. I will not make the schematic available sooner as we need to make sure the layout and parts choices made during the prototype phase work properly during manufacturing. Regards, George Boudreau Yoyodyne Consulting

27th April 2012, 01:44 PM	#4
guglielmope diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Udine	Ok perfect. At the moment I'm using ES9023 build on a proto board connected to SDTrans in sincronous mode with I2s and MCLk and in the future I'd like to tweak your board if possible to use in the same way and compare USB with SD card reader. Ciao Guglielmo

3rd May 2012, 09:29 PM	#5
ethanolson diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: http://binged.it/ukmr5Y	Does ESS Tech discourage the posting of schematics with their stuff? I assume not, but they also are very restrictive with their technology. I understand why the datasheets don't get posted, but why not schematics? What's GFEC afraid of?

3rd May 2012, 09:55 PM	#6
GeorgeBoudreau diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Toronto	ESS Technology datasheets are readily available from their distributors, you only have to ask. Just don't ask me for them. GFEC requires a multi-page, non-disclosure agreement be signed before you can receive any datasheets for their Tenor products. Since I had to sign this agreement to receive the information needed, including programming tools, I felt it wise to ask GFEC it is was acceptable to release the schematic. NOTE: The programming tools are still restricted and cannot be released. Generally you will not find schematics of commercial products published so as to keep designs from being cloned. Once the ODAC schematics, with component values, are published it will be easy to duplicate (off shore) The 'secret' to the ODAC's performance is in the layout and choice of components. NwAvGuy spent hours upon hours tweaking component choices. To achieve the datasheet performance specifications is quite an achievement. To do so with a USB bus powered device with a restrictive footprint is remarkable. The devil is in the details and having the proper testing equipment. George Boudreau Yoyodyne Consulting

3rd May 2012, 10:05 PM	#7
ethanolson diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: http://binged.it/ukmr5Y	Coolbeans. I'm certain that once this thing starts getting copied by the Asia-shotgun-suppliers they're going to switch to the TE8802L, add a seperate clock and rework the thing into some frankenDAC that nobody recognizes... and it won't measure nearly as well either. Hey... any thought of having a version with the GFEC and ESS components prepopulated and programmed, and the rest of the stuff in a kit for us to try our hand at SMD soldering? I'm sure we're a year away from that (if it ever happens), but I can dream, can't I?

3rd May 2012, 10:59 PM	#8
GeorgeBoudreau diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Toronto	The only thing the TE8802L will bring to the table is extended sample rates. Since the DAC is working at spec there is no room for 'improvement'. If you want to burn your fingers on SMD and DAC's you can look at the open source audio-widget USB5102. Plenty of chippy things and little parts you can lose as you populate the board. The USB8741, base on the WM8741, is still a few weeks away but will have enough parts to keep any solder sniffer happy. Regards, George Boudreau Yoyodyne Consulting

5th May 2012, 07:36 PM	#9
ethanolson diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: http://binged.it/ukmr5Y	My current DAC/Amp uses the same USB interface as the ODAC, so maybe I'm just looking for different. It is cool that the TE8802L can be programmed to UAC1 and also includes 88.2kHz. So far, I've only seen two people in all the various forums who have requested the 88.2kHz functionality. I don't care. What I am stewing about though is what enclosure to use and how to best mount it. I think I'll be using mounting pegs from the bottom since I can't seem to find anything that is dimensionally perfect for a slide-in.