New official Zynaptik-3 module

Hardware
1

Hi @zynthianers!

[EDITED 2022-04-02 => Added “MIDI” flavour]

We just released a new version of the zynaptik module:

zynaptik3-module
zynaptik3-module1024×683 134 KB

It comes in 3 flavours:

  • MIDI: 3 x MIDI ports (IN/THRU/OUT). Nothing more. It’s the right choice for people buying v4 kits that already include the Zynscreen display and don’t need the extended options.

  • Standard: adds 16 x GPIO (MCP23017) and include 4 x JST-SH connectors for connecting the official v4 controllers (encoders with switches). With this, now you can build your custom zynthian using v4 parts and the display you like more. The 40 pin “zynaptik” connector is also there, 100% compatible with versions 1 & 2, so you can use the GPIO ports as you like: connecting the zynface module, adding custom switches, etc.

  • Extended: adds 4 x analog inputs (ADS1115) & 4 x analog outputs (MCP4728) that can be used for CV/Gate, etc. The “extended” version is similar to the older zynaptik-2 module, but adding 4 x JST-SH connectors for the encoders.

We decided to release 3 flavours for good reasons:

  • Most of users don’t want/need the analog input/outputs, so they don’t need to pay the extra price for features they don’t want/need.

  • ADS1115 & MCP4728 chips are really difficult to find in these days. We have very limited stock of them and the price has increased more than 4x. Lead times are 12 months or more.

  • Due to this, we don’t want to risk our valuable chip-stock by shipping it overseas for soldering on a China facility, so we are soldering the chips at home, by hand. Yes!!! We are soldering this tiny TSSOPs of 0.5mm pitch by hand!! It’s really hard, but when things comes to normal (if they ever do!) i will be a master of SMD soldering, what i consider a valuable skill :sweat_smile:

BTW, the venerable v2 basic kit has been replaced by the new v4 basic kit:

https://shop.zynthian.org/shop/product/zynthian-basic-kit-v4-447?category=13

Bye bye v2 kits!! Long life to v4 kits!! Of course, latest zynthian software will remain compatible with kits v1, v2 & v3 as long as possible, hopefully forever :wink:

And that’s all!! Enjoy!

5 Likes
3

Incredible. And the day before pay day as well. I shall be ordering first thing tomorrow! Thanks…

1 Like
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Payment complete.

5

Nice! But… (sorry to bring back the annoying question again)… how about the software support for additional switches connected directly to unused RPi GPIO? I still have a button connected and I just want to use it as a kind of power-off or panic button :slight_smile:

1 Like
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This would need some development resources assigned to and currently i’ve other priorities. You should open a feature request on the tracker and wait we have the time for implementing this. It’s not so easy, as we have to modify ui and webconf code.

Thanks!

7

Understood. Request created (I hope I used the correct place!). I thought there must have already been one, because quite a few “traditional zynthianers” supported the request previously. I had a look at the zyncoder.c, but I have to admit I wasn’t able to find a head and tail in the code myself, so I quickly gave up. Sorry.

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Hi @jofemodo , I’m interested too in this NFR.

So, not only the Zyncoder lib would be impacted but Zinthian-UI too as you said,.

Could you point me the file(s) too look at in that lib ?