FM/DAB digital radio - THAT WORKS!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mitchjs

NO, not unless u wrote a plugin to do it

---

I thought you might say that! :yo:

What I was thinking that I could maybe do is keep running the Silabs in RR and embed the standalone app for the DAB into RR. Then using the "RADIOMUTE;ON" and "RADIOMUTE;OFF" commands I should be able to integrate it so that it the sound from the two doesn't overlap. Feasible? I guess I'll find out soon enough. :peep:

BTW, in the text file of new radio commands it has the command listed as "RADIOMUTE;OF" which I'm assuming is a typo?

Ok guys. Sorry for the delay. Updated standalone plugin to fix the C++ redistributable error and to make it work like our Centrafuse plugin is now at http://www.craigbrass.net/standalone.zip

It is obviously still in need of a decent skin but this will come later.

Centrafuse plugin hasn't been updated since the other day and is still at http://www.craigbrass.net/centrafuse.zip

I am planning an update to the Centrafuse plugin tomorrow to fix a hibernation bug and to slightly change the way audio is done to fix a "buzz" some people hear in the background.

Would appreciate people giving this a good test and reporting any bugs here.

Does the standalone have this hibernation problem?

It shouldn't as that is Centrafuse specific but I haven't tested it so can't say for sure. Will add to my notes for checking tomorrow.

Hi Craig,

Haven't had a chance to do much more troubleshooting to get the plugin visible in CF on my carpc, but I thought of another question.

As I mentioned, it worked fine on my home PC (Windows 7 64bit), but following the same process on the carpc (XP, 32bit) didn't work. Could that be having any influence, or would W7 just be running it as 32bit anyway?

Thanks again, Tom.

Besides 32-bit and 64-bit, there are other incompatabilities between Windows XP and 7.
Hopefully Craig's developers are making everything for XP which I think is the majority of the userbase (but I could be proven wrong on this view).

We develop on an XP system but I test on a 32 bit Win 7 Car PC and also on my desktop 64 bit Win 7 installation so it gets a good test. All works fine...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by craigbrass

Dave: http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/Bosch_B...ar_aerial.html is the aerial I use and with the latest design, it works well with both DAB and FM in my car.

---

Craig,
Do you only connect the DAB cable from the antenna to the module to receive both DAB and FM ?

Well the problem is that I have not found an off the shelf aerial / antenna that combines (multiplexes) the signal down one cable - they all use separate cables. This is a problem as the Venice module has 1 input. As such, you have to manually switch over when you want to move between FM and DAB. I personally build a simple board with a switch on to move between but we are working on a multiplexer board that will combine the signals. It should be available as an addon shortly.

I have installed my radio tuner in the car and run it for a couple of days. I only had the original active window antenn for my BMW E39T that was not so good so I decided to install a new FM antenn on the roof on the car. Then I cut an old FM antenn conector cable and solider it directly to the SMF(B) connector.

It's working good and I can receive both FM, DAB and DAB+ channels. I haven't driven any longer distance yet but so far it is no problem on either radio stations during driving.
I have a question when it comes to DAB/DAB+ radio, is it normal to have some signal errors when driving? When I'm standing still I have 0 in lost bytes but when I drive I have between 0 to up to 20 bits lost in the info window. I don't hear this lost bytes so it is no problem. Just wonder if it's normal or not.

The FM receiption is better than my original Head unit had with the original antenna. But I guess they would be quite the same if I would try to connect my HU to my new antenn mounted in the roof.

I have only run into two minor problems. For the moment when I start my PC, RideRunner is loaded but the venice7 module failing to load. I have to exit riderunner and start it again. I guess this has something to do with the usb/serial software is not loaded fast enough in the startup and I have to delay the startup of Riderunner some seconds in some way to get it to work.

The second problem is that I have very smal amount of disturbance. This is hardly notice when I have the volume on the venice7 module on maximum. But if I lower it to half I can hear it. This is something to do with some ground loops or something from the antenn ground. I will have to trouble shoot my ground. When I remove the connector between my soundcard and the radio modul it stops.

I can realy recomend this radio module. I'm very happy with the result in my car. The only thing I missing would be sound over the usb module so I didn't have to trouble shoot my ground/earth problem.