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OT - digital out on Android phone?

post #1 of 32
9/16/11 at 6:28am
Thread Starter 

Is anyone familiar with the new Androids that are coming out and if they can output pure digital signal to a portable amp (I have NuForce Icon HDP).   I know iPod can do this but I am no Apple fanboy.  

 

Thanks!

Tom

Los Angeles

 

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post #2 of 32
9/16/11 at 7:31am
Yes!

I asked about this once over here:

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/android-forum/30944-using-android-drive-usb-dac.html

But it seems it's not a priority for many...
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post #3 of 32
9/16/11 at 7:40am
Thread Starter 

There is the new HTC Sensation XE with Beats audio (overrated IMHO) --

 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/240099/htc_sensation_xe_first_smartphone_with_dr_dres_beats_audio.html

 

But it doesn't say anything about digital output.   
I want a pure digital signal that is not filtered or equalized.  

 

Tom

Los Angeles

 

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post #4 of 32
9/16/11 at 9:37am
You have to look for MHL(Mobile Highdefinition Link) enabled phones. The HTC Sensation has that protocol.

Basically it allows for a digital a/v output to connect to HDMI ports.
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post #5 of 32
9/16/11 at 3:24pm

Well, I am no expert...

 

At the moment I try around ARM-programming with small dev-boards etc., however I am also interested into something like an Adroid-Device DO.

 

While studying a little further into this topic, following stuff could lead to Android Digital Out:

 

- the ARM chip and also the device hardware must support USB-host mode

- if this USB-host mode is possible, some devices already support usb-keyboard or mice, sometimes external HDDs

- from what i have seen, a driver for Android, for the PCM2906B -chip must be written to make all this possible (this PCM2906B is in most of the USB-DACs the connection between USB plug and DAC)

 

Something like USB to spdif or toslink cannot be done, unless you add further hardware...

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post #6 of 32
9/18/11 at 3:57am

 

Android digital audio out will be available with Android 3.1 (Samsung Galaxy S2 / HTC Sensation XE being commercialized with Android 2.3).
 
“USB host API
Android 3.1 provides built-in platform support for USB host mode and exposes an API that lets applications manage connected peripherals. On devices that support host mode, applications can use the API to identify and communicate with connected devices such as audio devices, input devices, communications devices, hubs, cameras, and more.”

Edited by DanBa - 9/18/11 at 4:01am
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post #7 of 32
9/18/11 at 8:38am
Wicked! ... well I have 3.2 (Honeycomb) on my Xoom, of course... (Seems my Droid 3 will have to wait for Ice Cream Sandwich.)

And both would need to wait for an actual implementation. I already have the USB OTG cable I presume I'd need. (Micro USB to USB A female)
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post #8 of 32
9/18/11 at 8:55am

My Nook Color running Cyanogenmod7 can power the Fiio E7 through USB HOST and a powered USB hub. Any other driverless DAC should work fine too. Audiophile Android tablet? Yes!

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post #9 of 32
9/18/11 at 1:10pm
Negakinu, hang on... I wouldn't be surprised if it can power it as in the amp section would work and it would charge, but...

Are you implying that your Nook can actually send digital into the dac and act as an audio transport?

This is the first I've heard of Android doing that... You haven't taken any special steps? ... just plug it in? (I can't believe it...)
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post #10 of 32
9/20/11 at 3:49am

Here's a link:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=16229673&postcount=587

 

USB-HOST enabled through CyanogenMod7's latest nightly. Audio out through driverless DAC. It works!

 

 

EDIT: I just read someone succesfully used his Beresford Caiman DAC on the Nook. 


Edited by Negakinu - 9/20/11 at 3:54am
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post #11 of 32
9/20/11 at 4:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MozartMan1201 View Post

There is the new HTC Sensation XE with Beats audio (overrated IMHO) --

 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/240099/htc_sensation_xe_first_smartphone_with_dr_dres_beats_audio.html

 

But it doesn't say anything about digital output.   
I want a pure digital signal that is not filtered or equalized.  

 

Tom

Los Angeles

 



 

The Sensation XE has the same internal hardware as the normal Sensation. Decent HPO but no USB host for an external DAC, and I don't believe there is any kind of LOD possibility from μUSB either.

 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Negakinu View Post

Here's a link:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=16229673&postcount=587

 

USB-HOST enabled through CyanogenMod7's latest nightly. Audio out through driverless DAC. It works!

 

 

EDIT: I just read someone succesfully used his Beresford Caiman DAC on the Nook. 


 

 

Is that without a hub now? Using the E7 in non-charging USB mode?


Edited by bcpk - 9/20/11 at 4:55am
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post #12 of 32
9/20/11 at 5:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bcpk View Post


Is that without a hub now? Using the E7 in non-charging USB mode?



Nope, you need a powered hub for it to work. So it's not very portable unless you can make a battery powered hub. :)

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post #13 of 32
12/29/11 at 7:00pm

@ Negakinu

 

Wow, you got the digital output to work, that' great! So you definitely need CyanogenMod7 to do this? Is it a whole OS install, or can I just patch my Gingerbread OS?

 

So basically there isn't enough power coming from the phones usb port to amp the Digital Output enough? Seems like one could buy-make a battery powered inline usb amp, have you researched this at all?

 

I have the Samsung Galaxy S2. Perhaps it has a higher powered usb output then the phone you are using? I wonder has anyone tried this with the gs2?

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post #14 of 32
12/29/11 at 8:00pm

Hey guys I found a guy who built a battery pack for his USB hub here http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=162744. All he did was chain 4 C battereis together and then splice the whire ends to a USB cable, and boom, portable power. LOL it uses 4 C batteries so this is a bit big for jacket pockets, especially considering the size of the hub, but hey it works. Perhaps you wouldn't need so much power for what we are trying to do.

 

My USB hub needs 7.5 volts to power it.I just did some research and apparently AAA, AA, C, and D batteries all produce 1.5 volts. When you chain batteries together the volts + up. So 4 C batteries chained together creates 6 volts. But you could also get 6 volts by chaining 4 AAA batteries, the charge just wouldn't last as long. Perhaps a 9 volt battery would be easier, but I don't know if the extra voltage would create problems.

 

So our goal is simple. Find the smallest portable usb hub out there, and then make a battery pack for it. Then preferably attach the battery pack to the hub. We might be able to make something say the size of 2 9volt batteries piggybacked together. I don't know about you, but I would carry that around so that I could get digital streaming on the go.

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post #15 of 32
12/29/11 at 8:34pm

Ok, so before I start buying stuff I guess I should ask this. Does the hub have to be an externally powered hub, or can it be a buss powered hub assuming that only the amp and the phone are connected to it. Also, is the phone going to drain the batteries in the hub to charge the phone battery, lol that would be annoying.

 

I looked it up and usb ports put out 5 volts. So 4 AAA batteries would probably be the best fit, at 6 volts to power a buss powered hub. I found this one which is nice and small. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=2+port+powered+usb+hub&gs_upl=1075669l1084447l5l1084888l22l18l0l3l3l1l317l3272l0.10.7.1l21l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=851&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=3294761403035180482&sa=X&ei=6Tf9TuTyJrDZiQLT3PzCDg&ved=0CH8Q8wIwAA.

 

Assuming this would work, and assuming that you wouldn't burn through batteries quicker then **** while unintentionally charging your cellphone. We should be able to get a compact cube shaped chassis from radio shack for the batteries. We could just cut the usb cord from the hub nice and short, and splice the power lines from the striped usb cable to the battery pack, and then glue it together. Then we would preferably have a very short usb to mini usb cable, and a short USB to micro USB cable, depending on the phone.

 

So how much would this device cost? The hub is like 6 bucks, 4 or 5 for batteries, probably 5 bucks for the battery pack, and then another 10 bucks for cables if you don't want a mess of USB cabling in your pocket. So 26 bucks.

 

On further thought, you might be able to do this using a lithium ion battery. Then check it. You buy a charger pad, and you drop the whole bundle, phone, amp-dac(if you have an e7), and USB hub onto the pad and it's all getting charged. Also if I'm right that the phone will drain the USB battery, this would essentially give you double the battery life on your phone.

 

This all seems pretty ghetto, but I'm getting excited, this might actually work and be functional.

 

Common guys, get online and tell me what you think.

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