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freeDSP / freeDSP-INFINITAS

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Feature: AVB #2

Open tschiemer opened 4 years ago

tschiemer commented 4 years ago

Hi there!

Thanks for all the work!

What I think would be a highly appreciated feature would be network/ethernet connectivity - in particular in hindsight with networked audio, ie AVB.

This can be as alternative to USB-connectivity or additionally.

From my little browsing of the documentation (seemingly 4 expansion boards can be added to infinitas). What's the channel limit of each expansion board? I mean, if I could attach a 32 channel AVB expansion board and that 32 channel ADAT expansion board in the making to create a AVB-ADAT converter and possibly add one or two more expansion boards - fantastic.

Still, I would think that a network connection instead of an USB connection is a feasible alternative - if not even a better one. Because networked audio allows for more internetworked and independent architectures instead of an USB setup that is bound to one host.

I wouldn't mind working on an AVB component - for that matter - but I'd need somebody to take care of the electronics side of things, being a software guy and all.

ps. the docs could do with some notes about the architecture and its modularity..

dspverden commented 4 years ago

You can easily build an avb interface card with the XMOS stuff. From hardware side you can connect up to 64 channels to the infinitas mainboard. You need some clever routing inside the CPLD. To me AVB is not so attractive. It requires special hardware. There are not so many network interfaces supporting AVB. Except Apple of course. There AVB is supported by the hardware out of the box. And you need special switches if you want to connect more then one AVB device.

tschiemer commented 4 years ago

Hi! Thanks thanks for the input!

It's true that the problem about AVB is that is not so easygoing to integrate, ie little (affordable) hardware out there supports it. Regarding networked audio, I would go for Dante if not for the general price tag which I also assume to be due to licensing costs. AES67 might be a plausible alternative here which - as I understand - would also integrate well with any Dante systems which can be found here and there. But I'm not sure there is a low-cost solution which provides AES67 connectivity out of the box. I see the BACH Minuet from ROSS; I inquired about the price thereof but have not yet heard anything.

But well, it would be possible to write a software stack for XMOS chips to provide AES67 connectivity. I guess an interesting possibility. Has been done before, just commercially.. https://audioxpress.com/news/attero-tech-helps-solving-the-audio-over-ip-puzzle