[sdiy] FPGA based synthesizer progress....

[Eric Brombaugh]

Jim Patchell wrote:
> I will have to take a picture of it...it is mostly off the shelf stuff...

Please do - it sounds interesting.

> For the FPGA, I am using a Spartan3 Starter Kit with an XC3S1000 on it. 
>  This board is available from Digilent.
> 
> For the micro controller, I am using an Atmel ATmega2561 mounted in an 
> STK500/501 board set.
> 
> I made a custom board to interface between the Spartan board and the 
> STK500.

Atmel makes good stuff - it's simple, inexpensive and there's a whole 
lot of free development tools available. I've been interested in some of 
the stuff based on the Processing language, (Wiring, Arduino, etc) as 
well as the Make Controller. I wonder if you could leverage any of that?

> I still have to make the audio interface.  I purchased some SIOC to Dip 
> conveter boards from Sparkfun and have some Crystal Semiconductor delta 
> sigma DACs to mount on them.

I've used their DACs - I've got a simple project going which plugs into 
the 6-pin peripheral port on most Digilent FPGA boards. Seems to work 
pretty well:

http://members.cox.net/ebrombaugh1/synth/audiodac/index.html

Eric