Fates - a DIY norns DAC board for Raspberry Pi

#1

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(coming soon…)

Fates is a pcb add-on board for Raspberry PI 3 Model B+ and Raspberrry Pi 4 Model B that provides a stereo audio codec with headphone driver, 3 (or 4) encoders, 3 buttons, and a grayscale display. It’s fully compatible with norns software. A “DIY norns” if you like.

I’ve been working on this for the last 6 months or so and have been using prototypes to work on norns scripts and to contribute to the norns codebase.

While this is aimed at running norns, I expect this board will also be of use to anyone who might want a nice audio + controls solution for Raspberry Pi.

I hope to work with @TheTechnobear to get the controls and screen working with Orac 2.0 at some point in the future.

Specs:

WM8731 codec with headphone driver
NHD-2.7-12864WDW3 128x64 grayscale display (available separately)
3 buttons
3 encoders (optional 4th encoder for Orac or other software)
2x 1/8in inputs
2x 1/8in outputs
1/8in stereo headphone out

Fates was designed for Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ and Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. It’s not been performance tested with earlier Raspberry PI models.

Status:

Closed beta testing (i.e. not yet available).

I’ve been tracking down a hardware noise issue and have another run of pcb’s coming soon. As soon as I can confirm that issue has been fixed I will update here with more details. Noise issues significantly improved with the most recent board rev.

When it’s ready, I think there will be a few options available:

  • bare pcbs
  • pcbs with surface mount components pre-soldered
  • maybe kits

I’m also slowly getting my github things in order and expect to open source the hardware design files at some point.

More images and whatnot of prototypes on my instagram:

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Critter & Guitari Organelle
Orac : open source instrument thing ;)
#2

Incredible work! I’ve been following your work closely and am very excited to see how this turns out. I read in the SPC thread that there is a monome norns-shield coming as well. I’m interested to see how the 2 approaches differ.

I noticed in the image, that there is some empty space to the right of the screen. I wonder if it would be possible to add a small perf section for potential DIY add-ons?

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#3

uh oh. looks like a great excuse to get a 2nd norns to sequence my norns

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#4

I’m gonna try and get my own up and running, but holy smokes this is great. Really looking forward to it.

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#5

Kinda yeah. Although that pic is from a previous version of the pcb. There is now an i2c header over there now for possible expansion.

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#6

20 characters of excitement! :grin:

#7

Just a bump for an A+++ builder.

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#8

good luck with squashing those final little gremlins.

out of curiosity - why ‘fates’ ? :slight_smile:

definitely, looking forward to this…
be really nice to have an all-in-one solution for Orac for the rPI.

btw: for a ‘cheap’ enclosure solution, I know a few people are using (blank) pcb boards as a kind of sandwich top an bottom (held in place by standard pcb spacers).
its not a perfect look, but I do quite like its ‘minimal’ look, and apparently they are very cheap to buy/get made. (of course, now for the life of me, I cannot find an example :slight_smile: )

for a “supplier”, they are quite good as

  • cheap = less stock cost!
  • completely flat/rugged/same dimension as main pcb,
    so can be shipped in same package as the main pcb.

disadvantage - your fixing a form factor, e.g. which screen to use, and a pain to have variants e.g. option 4th encoder. (though I guess, 4th hole could just be marked, and drilled by user)

my experience with axoloti is whilst many really like to create/order their own enclosures, some find it a little daunting, as there are not in the ‘maker scene’, so don’t really know where to get 3d printing, or laser cutting done - that said, the more DIY it is, I guess the less of an issue.

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#10

just the thing to go with diy varibright upgrade for old grids - this community is amazing.

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#11

but norns create/control fate, but this controls norns… is that not cyclical ?
(ok, im stretching things too far for fun… thanks for the link :slight_smile: )

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#12

Is this the same open source shield that @tehn mentioned, or are there multiple parallel efforts going on here?

Is this based on the terminal tedium? Seems to use the same dac. If so it would be nice to combine them… E.g., a eurorack norns with extra CV ins/outs…

Anyway, I’d be interested in a bare pcb, as well as the design files so I could extend/hack it for my own needs.

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#13

So yeah - this is a different parallel effort to what @tehn is working on.

And also yes - it was initially based on a terminal tedium pcb (picture of the first prototype below). I’ve since redesigned my own pcb (a few times). I initially had the idea to make the same pcb work in both a ‘desktop’ and ‘eurorack’ format, but that got a little too complicated so I focused on the desktop format for now.

With regards to CV specifically, i could add hardware i/o for that, but it would require a custom fork of norns to make that happen from the software side - which is a bit above my pay grade.

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#14

Ultra rad, killing the game man.

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#15

This looks utterly stunning! Way to go!

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#16

Im so in! Hopefully soon :smile:

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#17

ah this is very slick! I love the 1/8in jacks.

#18

Tagging this with interest! Go Fates Go!

Edit: What is the audio like in terms of quality? I am suspicious of minijacks on little boards like this. RME has spoiled me. :slight_smile:

#19

I’m not sure I understand the question. Audio quality is great. On par or better (I think) than some eurorack modular audio devices. The newest revision as of last week has fixed my previous noise issues.

FWIW - I went with minijacks since I have a bunch of modular stuff and was planning on using then all together at some point, and that the 1/4in jacks take up so much real estate on the pcb.

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#20

Need a beta tester :wink: ?