SPE035 Serial Audio Module

Circuit

Senior Member
Delighted to open an envelope this morning containing my order of the new SPE035 Serial Audio Modules - potentially a most useful addition to the PICAXE stable. One problem; the circuit board is marked R1 - 1K and the SPE035 document refers to R1 as being 1K. The module kit, however, contains a 330R resistor. Do I fit a 1K or the supplied 330R? Has there been a spec change or packing error? As page 16, section 6.0 Circuit Diagram is marked "to be added" it is a little difficult to check this out. Please advise soonest as I really want to get this piece of kit up and running.
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
The resistor should be 1K.

This does therefore appear to be a packaging error which we hope you will accept our apologies for and will investigate.

The player can operate on a supply up to 5V but the serial input is rated as 3V3, so this resistor operates as a current limiting resistor with 1K recommended in its official datasheet. I did accidentally use a player module at higher than 3V3 without any resistor and that has continued working without apparent damage but we would recommend 1K as per the datasheet.
 

Circuit

Senior Member
Many thanks for that clarification. I bought several of the modules and they all have a 330R in the kit.
 

tmfkam

Senior Member
Those modules look really interesting. Are Revolution Education planning on selling the 'player' modules separately and/or making a motherboard with USB support (and no speaker or buttons)?

I have a job in mind that requires playback from (or updated from) a USB disk, I've been looking at using the VLSI VSMD001 which would be near ideal for the task, if the microSD card connections were available to allow remote access to the microSD card. I'm currently working on a PCB that uses the VS1000 chip and has the connections for the card brought out to a header which then connect to a second PCB with an SD card mounted on it. Factoring the time it will take for us to manually build such a board (along with the cost of the VS1000 chips, SD card sockets and so on) would make the SPE035 near to half the price.

I've emailed the spec. to myself at work and next week will look at ordering a couple in. Oh, hang on, looks like I'll have to borrow the works credit card as Rapid don't seem to have them in...
 

Circuit

Senior Member
I have the module built (with 1K Resistor!) - took all of five minutes to get it from the plastic bag to a functioning unit. Does precisely what it says on the tin - brilliant device at an astonishingly good price. The accompanying on-line 20 page .PDF manual is superbly comprehensive and well-written, giving clear guidance on all relevant aspects of its operation. Referencing a different on-line manual for the DFPlayer Mini that is at the heart of the kit, I read that the sound output is 3 watts into 8 ohms. Later, therefore, I substituted a larger 8 ohm Mylar speaker (fitted with a baffle box) in place of the micro speaker that is provided and was simply amazed at the sound quality and volume. It is the perfect stocking-filler for Picaxers!
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
Those modules look really interesting. Are Revolution Education planning on selling the 'player' modules separately and/or making a motherboard with USB support (and no speaker or buttons)?
My understanding is the plan is to only sell the SPE035 as a kit which includes the MP3 Player Module, PCB and associated components. I don't know of any plans to manufacture a board with USB socket.
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
We have a number of manuals on-line which saves having to go searching the web -

www.picaxe.com/docs/axe171.pdf - AXE171 PICAXE 14 Audio Kit
www.picaxe.com/docs/spe035.pdf - SPE035 Budget Serial MP3 Player Kit
www.picaxe.com/docs/spe033.pdf - DFPlayer Mini Datasheet

The controller at the heart of the player module appears to be a YX5300. There are datasheets for the YX5300 online but those are in Chinese. The SPE033 datasheet is effectively the English equivalent of those. The AXE171 and SPE035 datasheets are all which most PICAXE users will need.

Direct product links are -

www.picaxe.com/products/axe171 - AXE171 PICAXE 14 Audio Kit
www.picaxe.com/products/spe035 - SPE035 Budget Serial MP3 Player Kit
 

Circuit

Senior Member
We have a number of manuals on-line which saves having to go searching the web -
This just gets better and better! Thank you for those references. Now all I need for Christmas is PICAXE Editor version 6.0.8.4 which is mentioned in the manual as providing direct support for the SPE035 - when will this be out?
This afternoon, motivated by the improved sound I got with my first substitute speaker, I connected up a really HQ 8ohm speaker and the sound was even more impressive! I got three SPE035s in my order and I am just waiting for the release of the AXE171 which is marked "to follow". I have several projects that these will get fitted into in a pretty timely fashion.
(and almost as a postscript, following on from the incorrectly supplied 330R, one of the kits only contained two 6mm push-switches instead of three. Not a problem as I have a few of these in the workshop, but if Tech Supplies are checking out the erroneous resistor packing they may wish to check this aspect also.)
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
Now all I need for Christmas is PICAXE Editor version 6.0.8.4 which is mentioned in the manual as providing direct support for the SPE035 - when will this be out?
Very soon.

And "sorry" again for the missing push button and thanks for pointing that out. We will fully investigate the issues and take the appropriate action.
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
I substituted a larger 8 ohm Mylar speaker (fitted with a baffle box) in place of the micro speaker that is provided and was simply amazed at the sound quality and volume.
And it is even better quality when put through a Hi-Fi system!

The DFPlayer Mini module appears to have the DACL and DACR filtered so you can take those signals straight to an amp. At least that worked for me.

And it also works using a USB memory stick with just the addition of a type-A socket. I unsoldered a socket from a Poundland USB hub and, being through-hole 0.1" pitch, it's perfect for soldering onto a piece of vero-board.
 

Attachments

Circuit

Senior Member
This just gets better and better!
...and better again!

Hippy, I have tried the amplifier connection with success also; the USB stick connection is another most helpful addition - next thing for me to wire up. Again, I am astonished at what this little PICAXE accessory is delivering for such a low cost.
Interestingly, the DFPlayer Mini manual that you referenced a couple of posts earlier mentions FOUR types of playback device and then shows a table listing playback devices "U-disk; TF Card; SLEEP" (Section 3.4.3). I haven't started sending serial commands to the toy yet, but it is the "SLEEP device" that interests me. The quiescent current seems to be around 50mA - a little higher than I would like for a battery-powered device. Have you looked at the quiescent current and possibly the effect of the strangely-named "Sleep device"? Perhaps something was lost in translation.
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
We are not sure what 'sleep' as a playback device does. When I tried the (separate) Standby command that did not seem to reduce current but perhaps I had missed something else when trying that. The main problem is trying to figure things out from the Chinese datasheets and the rather terse equivalent English translation plus it simply hasn't been possible to try everything out.

I think it's going to be a case of, 'we know what we know', and more things will turn up as people start to use it and experiment. I was surprised that I could find no results for anyone having used the module connected to a stereo amp or USB memory.
 

1968neil

Senior Member
Command (hex) 16 00 00 - Very bottom of page 18 in SPE035.PDF
Thanks for that, looks like a great little module maybe a great replacement for the hard to source Tenda unit and much cheaper too.
Great discovery / idea with the USB stick, will have a play with mine when it arrives :)
Regards
Neil
 

Circuit

Senior Member
Now all I need for Christmas is PICAXE Editor version 6.0.8.4 which is mentioned in the manual as providing direct support for the SPE035 - when will this be out?
...And there it is - as Hippy promised. Many thanks... but why not announce it? ...and the SPE035 ...and the AXE171 - the "New Product Releases" Forum is STILL stuck in 2013 :)
 

Circuit

Senior Member
The best news is that the latest version of PICAXE Editor includes the long-awaited (and much appreciated) update for PICAXE Manual 2. All those new commands that one had to go on-line to get the syntax and application information on are now there in the manual. Well done, many thanks and a Merry Christmas!
 
This looks like a nice little solution for a number of projects I have in mind, can anyone answer a few questions for me?

1. How quick can you select between files, for example could it be used to add short sound fx to button pushes?
2. Can the files be made to loop? For example the busy pin goes low and then the command to replay the file is sent by the picaxe, in this scenario would you be able to get a seamless loop or would there be some delay?
3. Is it possible to turn this into a "proper" mp3 player - that is add a LCD/Oled display and have proper file names and navigate to them?
4. Any info on the midi capabilities?

Thanks!
 

Technical

Technical Support
Staff member
1) You can restart a new track at any time.
2) Yes, you can turn looping mode on where the MP3 player repeats the same track indefinitely. Or you can get the PICAXE to detect the end of the track and play it again, you wouldn't 'hear' the gap.
3) You can display filenames on a LCD screen via a PICAXE, but they would have to be downloaded separately into the PICAXE (you can't read them from the sd card).
4) Its not a 'midi' module, but can playback midi sounds that have been previously saved into an mp3 track.
 

3buns

New Member
Hi all, I have one of these kits, I'm making one of the HAL 9000 units for my brother. So far I have the unit working, playing random clips from the uSD card, no problems except for one nagging thing... I can't get any joy from the onboard speaker output.

I am using the miniboard on its own, I have tried three different speakers, curiously the DAC outputs will drive a speaker directly, but I need a little bit more drive without resorting to an outboard LM386 or similar. Do I have a duff player module or has anyone else found the speaker output dead?

Cheers, Buns.

PS I did look for commands that hinted at seperate output levels for the speaker as opposed to the stereo DAC outputs, but concluded the volume commands were the same for each. I have also tried using the volume set to max and the reset commands.
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
The player modules have the on-board speaker amplifier connected to the DAC outputs so if you are getting DAC output you should also get speaker output. Perhaps post a photo showing your connections.

We would advise against connecting speakers to the DAC outputs as this could damage the modules.
 

3buns

New Member
Hi Hippy, thanks. The speaker connected to the DAC output was only temporary to test, the device is connected to a seperate amplifier at the mo. It's not a show stopper, I just wondered if I had a damaged board.
Here is my intended schematic.
Cheers Buns.
HAL_Controller.png
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
That would seem to be correct wiring. Perhaps try the player module on the SPE035 board to see if the provided speaker works there. The buttons allow track selection and volume control so you won't need to connect a PICAXE.
 

3buns

New Member
Hi Hippy , just done that, no joy, the blue LED lights to indicate playback, but no audio from onboard speaker. Don't worry, I will use an outboard LM386, I just wondered if others had any similar issues.

Many thanks, Buns.
 

3buns

New Member
Being curious, I got out the trusty loupe, found the PAM8002 3W amplifier, and found that the supply pin, pin 6 had escaped the flow solder process. Soldered it manually and now the test speaker is happily rattling round the desk...

Cheers, Buns.
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
We are glad to hear you have found and fixed the problem. Thanks for letting us know and please accept our apologies for that issue.

These are third party assemblies but we will of course replace any components we supply which have manufacturing faults. We are not aware of others having had similar problems so believe this is a rare case of a faulty board.
 

erco

Senior Member
Just saw this item on Picaxe.com. Looks great, need one or two to try. Any US distributors?

I guess these are new? Would have featured these in my PICAXE magazine articles if I knew about them. Please bang the drum louder, guys. PR is king.
 
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