[geeks] home mp3 system suggestions

[Dave Kimmel]

On Thu, 30 May 2002, Joshua D Boyd wrote:

> A buffer between the microcontroller and DAC might make life a lot
> easier (something along the lines of a simple FIFO buffer), but I
> betray my lack of knowledge on circuit design when I say that I don't
> know if ready make buffer chips exist, or would I have to make my own
> buffer using ram and a controller.

I'm sure there's something ready-made available, but I don't know of
anything off hand.  From what little I know about DACs, you would probably
need either a special buffer or a custom-made one to feed it the data at
the right rate.  If you could find a DAC with a built in buffer and timing
stuff, then it might be as easy to use as the STA013 MP3 decoder - blast
it the data as fast as you can until it tells you to stop, then wait for
it to tell you to go again.

> People say that you should work up from the lowel lever stuff to these
> projects, but there isn't really anything in between that interests
> me.  I do wish I still have my osciliscope.

I wish I had a scope period.  It would have made debugging some things so
much easier.

-- Dave Kimmel
   crisco_kid at shaw.ca