Bye Bye V4... V5 is coming!

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You are legendary… Well done.

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I agree as software support with RBPI is as its best regarding other platforms.

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Cant wait to see!!!

:face_with_monocle: :face_with_monocle: :face_with_monocle: :face_with_monocle: :face_with_monocle: :face_with_monocle: :face_with_monocle: :face_with_monocle:

Integrated clown horn? Church bell noise canceller? All new zynthians globally… No… Interplanetary… to sync to same singular midi clock?

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Well!, It’s time to release some stuff :wink:





This is the Z2 Main Board and it’s the core of next official zynthian kits. It features:

  • A very decent power supply circuit, that can be fed with DC voltage from 9V to 48V using a good & reliable “barrel” connector. And we found a very nice power connector with switch!
  • Balanced Audio Input + Output (2 channels) => Almost the same design than ZynADAC
  • Headphones => We use a good headphones amplifier from Texas Instruments.
  • DIN-5 MIDI-IN/THRU/OUT => Almost the same design than Zynaptik
  • RTC with Battery (very accurate and ultra-low power)
  • SD-Card extender, for easy accessing the SD-card
  • USB-B connector for connecting Zynthian to your computer as a MIDI device
  • Z2 Display Connector => Power + HDMI + Touch
  • Z2 Control Connector => Power + WS32 LEDs + I2C + 6 GPIO
  • Mechanized Aluminum Thermal Block => Acts as a massive heatsink that connects the RBPI’s hot surfaces to the aluminum chassis, allowing overclocking up to 2GHz without problems.

I will release the design files very soon.

Enjoy!

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Looks very cool.
Oh, is that really USB Device support? That’s something I’ve wanted for a long time. :smiley:

Er, what? :slight_smile:

Wonderful!!! :heartbeat: :heartbeat: :heartbeat: :heartbeat: :heartbeat:

Let’s hope the Raspberry emergency clears up… :grimacing:

Hi Jofemodo and Zynthianers,

That is HUGE news!

I was just wondering how to possibly assemble a second Zynthian - with no RPis 4 8Gb readily available around -, now that I have finally put my V4 to full multitimbral swing and would like to have another unit, to share the sometimes heavy computational workload.

Waiting for the V5 release - and very much looking forward to it - I would advance some suggestions, for features to design or implement in the new version:

1] Provide a larger case, with room for ensuing modifications, more encoders/buttons and enough connectors, in order for the Zynthian platform to be prospectively RPi 5-ready in (perhaps) 2024.

2] Offer the option of a screen-less Zynthian box also, or possibly just one model but with a modular window to remove/screw back in place. I find the workflow considerably more enjoyable on my external Arzopa HDMI portable screen, configured in Webconf as a custom FHD display. Moreover, there exist now a vast array of touch and non-touch portable screens for Raspberry.

3] Consider to implement a dedicated UI for larger screens, with more parameters exposed in graphical fashion on the same page. In this case, some kind of stylised technical scheme of each plugin’s inner workings would be very useful, and possibly fun to contribute on the part of the community, should you give us simple means to draw it. To this end, two or four more encoders would be welcome, since the already existing ones work like a charm for a workflow with external monitor. Also, a couple more of push buttons might turn out to be very handy.

4] A resident DAW program would be fantastic, and a porting of a free to adapt version of Cubase - my sequencer of choice - particularly welcome.

I will keep and eager eye on coming announcements on V5. In the meantime, thanks for all guys and keep up with the good/hard work!

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Very, very promising, with the added feature of really liberal overclocking!

Judging from the new arrangement of the connections, it looks like we are going to have a different form factor of the metal container…

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If we’re sharing wishlists, I would wish for a version with a multi-channel codec - even if just on output, six channels would be amazing for stuff like sending different synths out of different outputs for further processing in outboard gear, or doing a channel or two of DSP internally for other gear.

When will you be shutting up and taking my money?

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Hi @jtode

as is, it’s unfortunately not doable with some kind of I2S Hat.
Due to the limitations of the RaspberryPi SOC.

There’s a huge thread on RBPi Forum called STICKY: The I2S sound thread. [I2S works] (+1000 posts), where some hackers have tried to explore multichannel audio without really luck except for the audioInjector Octo (based on the Cirrus Logic CS42488 codec which is capable of 6 ins + 8 outs).
But the creator of the Octo sound card has had to write the driver and so far I understand it’s a dirty hack.

To resume: I2S works only in a single stereo channel (1 in + 1 out)

USB multichannel sound card should be supported but I can’t really confirm, as I don’t own this kind of gear.

Maybe some others fellows here can confirm ? @riban , @wyleu

For sure more inputs will be JOTT
image

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How about adding a 2,54 header (maybe unpopulated) for accessing any possibly unused RPi GPIOs? Or are there none left? It looks like there is also plenty of space for much more optional extensions of the board…

Well, would be nice to deploy some more powerful hardware, but I understand the reasons against such experiments…

Multichannel and DSP are also nice ideas (not necessarily for everyone, however).

Multichannel audio is supported via USB. I have used a Behringer UMC1820 to add more audio inputs and outputs. It works well and is great with the Zynthian mixer.

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:+1: :+1: :+1:

I also have a Cirrus Logic Audio card here, which purports to support six channels. I never got it working back in the day, but I did a bit of googling just now and apparently it’s much easier to get it working now. Decent specs too.

Hi @jtode what kind of card is it ? I’m just curious.

Long dead.

Wow this is exactly what I expected a future zynthian kit to be. No doubt you hitting a massive milestone!
Hats off for the awesome work achieved by the zynthian team

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There is an amazing history behind this main board. In the next days i will tell you the tale of how a mysterious benefactor and open source lover financed this development and more.

Stay tuned!

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