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ronpod  
#1 Posted : Wednesday, November 24, 2010 7:18:44 AM(UTC)
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I have the BufII on the IVY III powered by Placid and PlacidBP controlled by Volumite. Input is from Squeezebox Touch and output to Linkwitz Orion ASP. I am currently placing the working Dac components in an enclosure. The Volumite is connected to the I2C with a Berg connector. Once the connector was installed the Volumite stopped controlling volume - always on the loudest setting (no pot control). I have double checked the correctness and continuity of the connections. I am using the now empty 8 pin IC socket for continuity checks (between the Volumite and the 8-pin socket). Pins 1-4 & 6 are ground; 8 is 3.295V (VCC); 7 is SCL; and 5 is SDA. (I am recalling these from memory and hope I got them right.) The Volumite and system has been working for months prior to this attempt to place in an enclosure. Are there any tests to check components? It is difficult to toubleshoot the circuit without a schematic.

Many thanks,
Ron.

Edited by user Wednesday, November 24, 2010 2:49:08 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Russ White  
#2 Posted : Wednesday, November 24, 2010 7:28:56 AM(UTC)
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It really sounds like a connectivity thing.

Any chance you could post relevant pics?
ronpod  
#3 Posted : Wednesday, November 24, 2010 9:11:45 AM(UTC)
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I will take some pics when I get home from work.

Is the 8-pin socket (on the Buffalo II board; in place of the removed controller) an optional plug-in for the Volumite if I use an 8-pin terminal plug? Is the pin out that I listed above correct?
Quote:
Pins 1-4 & 6 are ground; 8 is 3.295V (VCC); 7 is SCL; and 5 is SDA.

Edited by user Wednesday, November 24, 2010 2:48:51 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

ronpod  
#4 Posted : Wednesday, November 24, 2010 3:09:21 PM(UTC)
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Here are some pics of the errant Volumite

Edited by user Wednesday, November 24, 2010 3:28:45 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

ronpod attached the following image(s):
TWup1.jpg (141kb) downloaded 255 time(s).
TWup2.jpg (140kb) downloaded 252 time(s).
TWup3.jpg (130kb) downloaded 253 time(s).
TWup4.jpg (140kb) downloaded 252 time(s).

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ronpod  
#5 Posted : Thursday, November 25, 2010 8:16:48 AM(UTC)
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I have continued to examine all connections and they seem right. The 3.3V supply measures good as well as the grounds. The SDA line is continuous from the 5th pin of the ATtiny85 to the 5th pin of the empty IC header on the BII board. Also SCK is continuous from the 7th pin of the ATtiny85 to the 7th pin of the header.

Maybe something in the ATtiny85 has failed (ADC for instance) due to ESD, etc? Maybe the SDA or SCK input to the ES9018 has been damaged? Resets do not correct this problem; I have cycled the power on and off multiple times. Have I overlooked something?

Thanks,
Ron.

Edited by user Thursday, November 25, 2010 9:59:33 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

avr300  
#6 Posted : Thursday, November 25, 2010 8:56:19 AM(UTC)
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I once "killed" the ADC in the Tiny, due to ESD - but no more than a re-flash brought it to life again.

Edited by user Thursday, November 25, 2010 12:36:57 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

ronpod  
#7 Posted : Thursday, November 25, 2010 10:07:22 AM(UTC)
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avr300 - This problem has sent me up the learning curve of the world of avr, microcontrollers, and the possibility of creating a IR remote-controlled volume integrated solution. But I must walk before running. Can you stear me in the direction of re-flashing the Tiny?

Thanks
avr300  
#8 Posted : Thursday, November 25, 2010 10:53:23 AM(UTC)
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Well I can.

You first of all need the firmware. The only one that can give you the original firmware are the TP guys. You have to ask nicely and you might get the hex-file ;-)

Then you need to have a programmer - and being able to use it. You need a programmer that can do high voltage programming to bypass the fusebits as set. I did it with an AVR programmer/eval. board something like this:

http://microcontrollersh..._58&products_id=2224

Perhaps it's easier and def. cheaper to ask Brian to sell you a replacement Tiny. I mean, this might be a single incidence.

Edited by user Thursday, November 25, 2010 12:39:18 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

ronpod  
#9 Posted : Thursday, November 25, 2010 5:09:43 PM(UTC)
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I ordered another Tiny with the BII programming from Brian.

The AVR Dragon looks to be an interesting development/programming tool for the ATTiny85 http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?FullDetail&name=ATAVRDRAGON-ND#usewithchildren. Also this IR remote looks interesting: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10280 This warehouse is just down the street from me. If a transceiver for the IR is connected to the Tiny a remote volume control could be realized.
Could be fun.

Edited by user Thursday, November 25, 2010 5:14:08 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

glt  
#10 Posted : Saturday, November 27, 2010 12:43:55 AM(UTC)
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If you are starting with microcontrollers, I would recommend the Arduino platform
ronpod  
#11 Posted : Tuesday, November 30, 2010 6:47:57 PM(UTC)
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Brian was exceeding helpful by sending out a Volumite with Buffalo firmware in response to my post in this thread. I then ordered the Volumite and paid for it only to find that my payment was refunded. Thank you Brian!

Unfortunately, I installed the new Volumite but the problem persists; the volume does not adjust but remains always high. It appears that the I2C circuit into the ESS Sabre chip is very simple with few components that could fail in this way. Could the 9018 I2C data inputs be fried? d'oh! Any suggestions on what I should do next? Think
Russ White  
#12 Posted : Tuesday, November 30, 2010 8:34:07 PM(UTC)
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It is possible the the I2C inputs are dead, but not very likely. I would check your I2C wiring with a continuity checker or ohmeter. It could be your connector. Try wiring directly.

Edited by user Tuesday, November 30, 2010 9:29:30 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

ronpod  
#13 Posted : Tuesday, November 30, 2010 8:57:23 PM(UTC)
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Russ, thanks for your suggestion. I think I may have found the problem. The circuit board trace for the SDA signal from the I2C header travels parallel to the edge of the circuit board and under the stenciled letters "I2C" as it courses (under a digital power cap) toward the ES9018 dac chip. The SDA trace at the bottom of the "I" in that stencile has a blackened spot that may be discontinuous; indicating a possible break in the circuit board trace. This could interupt the SDA signal from communicating to and from the 9018. Is there a good way to "patch" a broken trace? Lacking another solution, I may just try to solder a small wire across the break some how.

Additional evidence is that I am not getting continuity between the SDA header (or pin 5 of the empty 8-pin socket)and the 9018.
Brian Donegan  
#14 Posted : Tuesday, November 30, 2010 9:08:18 PM(UTC)
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You may have already answered this (reading on iPod), but why are you not just using the i2c header?
ronpod  
#15 Posted : Tuesday, November 30, 2010 9:16:33 PM(UTC)
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Brian, I think the circuit trace between the i2c header and the 9018 has a break in it. I am not getting continuity between the SDA pin of the i2c header and the associated pin on the ES9018. I also think I see where the circuit trace may have "burnt" or broken as explained above. Do you know a good way to repair a break in these small circuit board traces?
Brian Donegan  
#16 Posted : Wednesday, December 1, 2010 5:30:40 AM(UTC)
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Did you check continuity between the pad itself (from the solder joint under the board) to the pin on the 9018? Just want to rule out a cold solder joint or bad crimp pin before trying surgery on the DAC traces, which can be tricky.

When I test the Buffalo modules, I do it with a Volumite in place, so I am confident the I2C stuff works (or worked).

Edited by user Wednesday, December 1, 2010 9:15:10 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

ronpod  
#17 Posted : Wednesday, December 1, 2010 11:57:31 AM(UTC)
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Brian, I will check this out and effect repair (heat the cold solder joint or even if it requires delicate surgery) after work today. I'll let you know what I find.
ronpod  
#18 Posted : Wednesday, December 1, 2010 6:08:52 PM(UTC)
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I placed the Buff II board under a microscope and confirmed that there was a divot under the SDA circuit board trace adjacent to the "I2C" stenciled letters (close to the i2c header). The SDA line was discontinuous there so I did micro surgery; jumping the gap with tiny wires that were soldered to the scrapped traces on either side of the gap. This fixed the problem. I'm not entirely sure what caused the divot; maybe I messed it up when installing the Berg pins into the i2c header through holes.?

What a relief, I am a happy listener once again; the DAC sounds sooo good when everything is working as it should.

I now look forward to my next projects; the Tridents and the Legato2! I will take better pics when the the project thread when these additions are installed.

Many thanks for the excellent kits!
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