Ether Dream: new Ethernet DAC

**j4cbo** · 10-11-2011, 00:44

This is the evolution of the j4cDAC DAC project. I've been working on turning my new DAC into something I can produce and sell, and here it is.

What's it got onboard?
- 96 MHz ARM processor, 512kB Flash memory, 64kB on-chip SRAM
- 100mbps Ethernet interface
- USB slave interface
- ILDA output:
- 12-bit DAC for each of X, Y, I, R, G, B, U1, U2
- TTL Shutter output
- Controllable relay across interlock pins
- microSD socket
- Expansion headers:
- Three six-pin headers for off-board DMX, MIDI, TTL, etc interface circuitry
- One 12-pin header with high-speed serial I/O and extra microcontroller pins
- 26-pin header with ILDA
- Serial port and standard ARM JTAG debug header

As for the software:
- Embedded TCP/IP stack
- Real-time streaming of points over Ethernet
- Built-in geometric correction controlled over OSC
- ILDA playback from SD card

On the PC side, I'm working with drlava to include deep support for the Ether Dream in his multi-DAC interface library (and, therefore, ILD SOS and LSX). Additionally, there's an EzAudDac/EasyLase-compatible DLL that should work with any application supporting that API.

I'm about to send out for the first production run of 25, and am taking reservations now; I'll accept payment once they're ready to ship. The price for the first batch is $275 per board. (I'm hoping that this will drop somewhat, but prototyping is *expensive* and I need to recoup my costs.) In the future I'll also be making available a kit with a case and power supply for something under $50, but that's taking a back seat to getting the first boards out the door.

As before, the firmware is open source and the board is designed to be an expandable platform - I'm excited to see what other people can do with this. All the expansion headers are on a 0.1" grid and it should be quite easy to make add-on modules for TEC control, DMX, MIDI, and plenty of things I haven't even thought of yet.

If you'd like one of the first 25 boards, send me a PM, and you should have it by the end of the month.

**dave** · 10-11-2011, 01:15

Awesome!

Might well be interested here i think

**dnar** · 10-11-2011, 02:06

Nice. Do you have a GIT repository or similar setup for your firmware source? I would like to take a look.

**j4cbo** · 10-11-2011, 02:23

It's all right here: https://github.com/j4cbo/j4cDAC

**dnar** · 10-11-2011, 02:30

Thanks, I'll check it out and take a look.

EDIT: Nice, well written. I can follow the code quite well.

How do you plan to manage MAC addresses moving forward?

**gashead** · 10-11-2011, 04:24

This is wonderful news!

I'm very much excited about this project, it's somthing I've been dreaming of (no pun intended) for a long long time!

I'll certainly be interested in buying a few when I actually get some budget for it

Cheers,

N.

**kl79** · 10-11-2011, 06:51

Excellent Job ! I may be interested by 2, the Ethernet interface is really a good point !

**mixedgas** · 10-11-2011, 07:11

Originally Posted by kl79

Excellent Job ! I may be interested by 2, the Ethernet interface is really a good point !

I'm in if Drlava can supports it.

?

Steve

**LaNeK779** · 10-11-2011, 07:17

i'm also in, pending LSX support

**j4cbo** · 10-11-2011, 17:39

Originally Posted by dnar

How do you plan to manage MAC addresses moving forward?

The current run of boards have an I2C EEPROM that I buy pre-serialized with a MAC address (Microchip 24AA02E48); that EEPROM will also be used to store a little bit of config info. The hardcoded address you see in the code is only used on the boards I built last year that don't have that chip.

**polishedball** · 10-11-2011, 17:51

Was this also the interface that was to handle built on abstract generation?

**JohnYayas** · 10-11-2011, 19:31

That is a nice looking DAC. Good luck!

**gashead** · 10-12-2011, 03:22

Just a thought for a Wednesday morning (For me at least)

Do you think POE support could be a possibility in the future ? Running these off your on-stage switch (With redundant power supply) would be lovely!

Cheers,

Nige.

**j4cbo** · 10-12-2011, 04:26

Originally Posted by gashead

Do you think POE support could be a possibility in the future ? Running these off your on-stage switch (With redundant power supply) would be lovely!

I considered it. The thing is, although PoE can supply plenty of power for the DAC itself, it really isn't enough to power a whole laser projector. (The lasers, possibly; the galvos, not so much.) So the projector would need its own power feed anyway, and PoE would be a significant amount of added cost and complexity. If there's a really compelling case for it, then maybe in a future revision, but probably not.

That said, the DAC board is designed to be able to be built right into a projector. It'll run off of anything in the 8v-25v DC range, so you can feed it from the galvo power supply or a convenient +12 rail or whatever, and there's a pin header for the output signals as well as the DB25 connector.

Originally Posted by polishedball

Was this also the interface that was to handle built on abstract generation?

Yes, there's also a built-in abstract generator, though the user interface for it isn't exactly ready for prime time yet. "Coming soon..."

**no-esc** · 10-12-2011, 16:32

This looks excellent.

Do you have plans for a sound activated playback off the SD card?

(the user could build frames and they would display in sync with a mic or line in input)

Will the abstract generator be able to sync to a audio input?

**swamidog** · 10-12-2011, 16:46

there will be LSX support for this dac and LSX has a number of sound related effects. i'm not sure that any of them work for external audio, but they do work if the computer is playing wave or mp3 files.

Originally Posted by no-esc

This looks excellent.

Do you have plans for a sound activated playback off the SD card?

(the user could build frames and they would display in sync with a mic or line in input)

Will the abstract generator be able to sync to a audio input?

**dnar** · 10-12-2011, 20:11

j4cbo, you didn't respond to my question regarding the MAC address (hard coded currently).

Can I suggest you take a look at the Microchip 2AA02E48 (or similar) EEPROM. These come shipped with a unique MAC address stored. It's a cheap and simple way to buy a unique MAC address, the 48 bit address is stored in the upper-most bytes. Simply read the address at boot, load and go.

http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/e...Doc/22124B.pdf

**chad** · 10-12-2011, 20:18

Dnar: He did answer your question

Originally Posted by j4cbo

The current run of boards have an I2C EEPROM that I buy pre-serialized with a MAC address (Microchip 24AA02E48); that EEPROM will also be used to store a little bit of config info. The hardcoded address you see in the code is only used on the boards I built last year that don't have that chip.

chad

**edison** · 10-12-2011, 23:23

Looks fantastic!!! Very impressed by your development skills!

Keep up the good work!!!

**dnar** · 10-13-2011, 02:20

Originally Posted by chad

Dnar: He did answer your question

chad

Aw, I missed it. Need more sleep...

**gashead** · 10-13-2011, 02:52

(POE Support)

Originally Posted by j4cbo

I considered it. The thing is, although PoE can supply plenty of power for the DAC itself, it really isn't enough to power a whole laser projector. (The lasers, possibly; the galvos, not so much.) So the projector would need its own power feed anyway, and PoE would be a significant amount of added cost and complexity. If there's a really compelling case for it, then maybe in a future revision, but probably not.

That said, the DAC board is designed to be able to be built right into a projector. It'll run off of anything in the 8v-25v DC range, so you can feed it from the galvo power supply or a convenient +12 rail or whatever, and there's a pin header for the output signals as well as the DB25 connector.

Yeah, I understand where you're coming from, I initially imagined the DAC external to the projector and in the majority of cases this is what I'd prefer.. hence my POE interest.

I do however understand and appreciate that the board will become a internal component in most builds - this is also very cool!

It sounds like the extra work to POE enable the board is just not worth the time, I'm afraid I don't have a compelling argument at this time

although I do see it as being an advantage in very large installations - that said at the current price it's definitely more viable to have a DAC inside every projector which is probably the ultimate configuration anyway.

Sorry - thinking out aloud this morning.

Cheers,

Nige.

**Elmi** · 10-15-2011, 09:59

May be there was a link or an information but I did not found it, so my (stupid) question: is there somewhere a manual that describes how to access this card out of own applications?

Edit: OK, I found it :-)

**j4cbo** · 10-20-2011, 02:26

And there's now a web site with order form!

http://ether-dream.com/

DZ · 10-20-2011, 05:41

I see, it all makes sense to me now....

**dzodzo** · 10-20-2011, 08:35

in the next production batch will there be also the possibility to buy complete box with casing? or is the "projector-inside" the primary use for this DAC? thanks

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Ether Dream: new Ethernet DAC

Brilliant.

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