An Unconventional Loudspeaker system
Latest
change 2019-01-23
Software
General:
The
Arduino software was developed and tested with the
Arduino IDE version 1.8.8. on WXP and on Linux
18.1 / 64
The PC software
was developed and tested on:
- WXP and W7 with FPC version 2.6.2 and
Lazarus version 1.0.14. and several other
combinations.
- Linux Mint 18.1 with FPC version 2.6.4
and Lazarus version 1.4.2.
To compile the ConfigTool software I had the package
lnet065 installed in Lazarus. There may be a more recent
version.
For serial communication with the testtools I had the
5dpo-serial package installed. (also named Sdpo)
Installing the Arduino IDE on Linux intially has a
permissions problem for the (USB)serial port. In most
cases it is sufficient to make the user member of the
group dialout: In a terminal window
type: sudo usermod -a -G dialout
<username> (requires logoff-logon or
reboot)
Lazarus / FPC normally creates enormous executables
because a lot of debug info is included.
In Project-ProjectOptions-CompilerOptions-Debugging you
can check the box "Use external gdb debug symbols file"
You
may download the software in source.
The Pascal Source directories contain executables
for Windows and Linux.
No installation is required, just run the
executable. A settings file will be
generated in the directory of the executable.
Download zip: Arduino software on the FLT
board.
Download
zip: Arduino software in the
Control Amplifier.
Download
zip: GUI_ConfigTool
Download
zip: GUI_TestTool FLT
Download
zip: GUI TestTool TPA
Operation
of the firmware FW_FLT-4.
The FLT-4 firmware is used on the FLT-4 board and on the
TestTool-TPA.
The firmware can run in 3 modi, Local, Remote (=!Local) and
TestTool. And some Fake modes.
In normal use on the FLT board the mode is Local. The mode Local
is left when the Control amplifier or the GUI_TestTool_TPA
starts talking.
On every incoming message an outgoing message is sent. See the Messages Document
In Local operation a number of things are monitored: presence of
mains power, presence of the CR+ signal used to switch-on the
loudspeakers, the supply voltages are measured and range-checked
and the status of the TPA power amplifiers is evaluated. Except
for Clip conditions on a TPA board any of these error conditions
lead to an immediate reset of the TPA boards. This reset clears
the errors signals from the TPA-board, so if that was the cause
of the error it will be cleared now and the reset is taken away.
While there is an error condition the firmware spontaneously
sends meesages to the Control Amplifier where an errorr led
indicates that something is wrong.
If not Local the error conditions do not lead to a TPA reset,
error conditions will be visible on the GUI-ConfigurationTool,
which is normally the only thing which can send messages to the
loudspeakers.
In case the firmware runs on the TestTool-TPA none of the above
mentioned error conditions lead to a TPA reset, they will be
visible on the GUI_TestTool_TPA.
About the program structure:
Most of the work is done in the interrupt handler
ISR(TIMER1_COMPA_vect) which is called at a 1 kHz rate.
In the loop() we test whether there is an incoming message, if
so it is decoded, and an outgoing message is sent.
Also we test whether a spontaneous message is to be sent. (this
cannot be done from within the Interrupt handler, so we use a
flag)
The presence of mains voltage is detected by the pin-change
interrupt ISR(PCINT2_vect) which sets a counter to 15. In the
timer interrupt this counter is decremented at the 1 kHz rate,
and if after 15 msec no new mains interrupt came the counter
will reach zero, which is the mains-fail condition.
The Clip-OTW conditions are evaluated in the pin-change
interrupt handler ISR(PCINT0_vect). Here we find out which pin
did change, and accordingly a Clip-counter is incremented. A
time-out of 2 seconds is set and is evaluated in the Timer
handler. If after 2 seconds we still have a Clip-OTW pin low we
conclude that it is an Over Temperature Warning. This will not
lead to a TPA-reset, but it results in an error led indication
on the Control Amplifier.
There are a few #defines in the code which relate to testing the
firmware. I do not explain these options here.
Operation
of the firmware FW_Control.
This is the firmware in the Control Amplifier which runs on the
Arduino Mega there.
In the loop() we test whether there is
an incoming message from the GUI, by UDP. if so it is
decoded, and an outgoing MessageToGUI is sent. The outgoing
message contains the content of the latest received messages
from the loudspeakers.
In the loop() also the serial ports 1 and 2 are polled for
messages from the loudspeakers.
Most of the work is done in the
interrupt handler ISR(TIMER1_COMPA_vect) which is
called at a 1 kHz rate.
Managed are the LedTest at startup, the PGAled = on while one of
the potmeters is changing, Error leds = on when there is an
error conditon in a loudspeaker, IR remote, Chanel
selection switch, the potmeters for speaker and headphone
volume, and MainsOK inspection.
If MainsOK is detected false immediately the CR+ power to the
loudspeakers is switched off, which causes a TPA reset. Also the
settings for volume correction are stored in EEPROM. The values
for Bass and Midrange matching are stored on the FLT boards.
If there is no communication with the GUI_ConfigTool no messages
will be sent to the loudspeakers.
Operation
of the GUI_ConfigTool.
This software runs on a PC or Laptop and is primarely used to
configure the channel sensitivities in the Control Amplifier and
to match the levels of the Bass and Midrange speakers to the
Tweeter level. This program communicates with the Control
Amplifier over the Local Area Network using UDP.
The sourcecode is t.m.h.o. quite self explaining. Also look in the Messages page.
Operation
of the GUI_TestTool_FLT.
This
software is nearly a subset of the GUI_ConfigTool.
Operation
of the GUI_TestTool_TPA.
This
software is nearly a subset of the GUI_ConfigTool.