DIY FPGA based Mixing Console with OS/2 GUI - and more

[@LoomSun]

Audio Mixers, FPGA programming, vintage computers, horns, recreated NES music .... pretty much you have created my favorite youtube channel. Thanks for sharing all of your skills!

[@bkdbkd]

YES

[@shygrammer]

Yes!!

[@shygrammer]

I thought this only existed in my wet dreams

[@TheIArocks]

I just randomly stumbled upon your video and I have to say that this is one of the most interesting videos I've seen in a long time! Since I'm really into analog DIY-audio but with very limited knowledge of digital audio processing, this was quite enlightening! Looking forward to your future videos and I'm catching up on your old ones in the meantime. Thanks a lot!

[@pcdimmer]

Thank you for your feedback. Yes, it was a challenge for me too, but once you have implemented an IIR filter like this, it becomes easier :)

[@paulinfrancis]

The audio transition with the XP logon is 🔥🔥🔥

[@ChrisShucksmith]

Great video and a very niche set of skills you have here: FPGA design, retro software, trumpet, drums and mixing ;-)

[@tuck1s]

And BASS .. 😊

[@RaunoPaananenAudio]

You are very very talented. It's a pleasure to look at your projects!

[@nnif-pv2pq]

Awesome video! As an electrical engineer and audio enthusiast, I really enjoyed the detailed description and the retro implementation of the UI. Keep it going!

[@lbgstzockt8493]

What a delightful video! I really like the combination of fairly involved programming, signal processing and music, I would love to see more from you!

[@TheLabyrinthTV]

Interestingly I was just in a rabbit hole of KLANG technologies [basically “3D” stereo imaging for musicians that uses similar tech/methods] to try to implement at my job and church, when KZbin recommends this video to me 😮. I LOVE this kinda stuff and I think this video is really well made and explained. I’d be interested in seeing if you continue this series and where you decide to take it. Glad to be a subscriber now!

[@ohmymndy8410]

Same here! Came here after seeing some Klang videos.

[@Mtaalas]

I had the privilege to test and hear the L-Isa system in action and god damn is that something else... I could get into the zone much better with that system since instruments fill the space differently and you can forget that you're in a studio, listening to a recording... It's expensive as hell though... but could be worth every penny in professional setup.

[@djrenault]

i don't know that i'll ever get around to building one of these but this is some incredible work. nicely done

[@Electromakerio]

Great video Chris! We featured this project in the latest episode of The Electomaker Show :)

[@pcdimmer]

Wow, thank you very much for your great summary in your channel! While watching your recent video I realized how many things I've put into this single episode. You did a great job on pulling everything together! A follow-up-video for this Audiomixer-project is in work and will be available in a couple of weeks. Best regards, Chris

[@Electromakerio]

@@pcdimmer I'm so glad to hear that Chris, this project is fantastic, and quite inspiring too! I've been meaning to add some optional saturation, color and bitrate reduction to my recording workflow for a while. It's dreadful for anything clean like vocals but for the type of nostalgic hiphop I've been making lately it's a great way to get some of the sound of early 90s samplers without needing to pay to buy a working early 90s sampler 😂

[@yrath5034]

This is an incredibly niche project, and I love it!

[@pavelpavlov954]

Amazing project!!!!! Thanks Christian! I am just starting FPGA programming and definately will learn a lot from your project!Cheers!

[@korgman2k7]

I'm so glad I found your channel! Great job with this interesting project. Also I love the Enterprise LCARS in the background. Keep up the great work 👍

[@SCHLAPPIENGINEERING]

Awesome! Love the detail you've gone into in describing the EQ and compressor implementations, also the music is excellent!

[@flomojo2u]

Really impressive music skills!!! I play the trombone and a couple other instruments, but to put them all together and have it sound so good is awesome. Well done!

[@pcdimmer]

Thank you very much. It took me around two days, to bring all instruments together and I also somewhat underestimated the work on the music video. My finger technique on the bass is not very good and you can hear that - but that also makes it somehow authentic :) In any case, it was great fun!

[@attilapal3786]

This is insane. I was just struggling with the buffer sizes while convolution EQing my new Bluetooth headphones on Linux, trying to get reasonable delay between audio & video. Going hardware is a whole another dimension, great video

[@Levibetz]

I gave up on headphone eq in software due to similar issues, but in windwos (because ASIO is a clusterfuck with pro tools), so I bought a Nux Pulse IR loader for guitar cabs and downloaded a headphone correction IR, did a couple tweaks after loopback testing it in REW and bam, done.

[@EqDior]

Man I am such a Greek for this kind of stuff🤦🏾‍♂️ subconscious! Awesome video!

[@kagameen]

lmao i love the duck tales IRL cover in the end

[@nuclearmonster]

Incredible video, what a twist with duck tales at the end!

[@pcdimmer]

Thank you very much! Yes, I couldn't let an audio episode end without music, could I? :)

[@nikbivation]

this is gold, thank you!

[@fronbasal]

Amazing, thanks for sharing Christian!

[@dasczwo]

i´m shocked. pretty solid drumming for a blasmusiker... and that coding... jeez. next level!

[@pcdimmer]

It took me more than 10 takes to finally succeed at the drums for this song 😅

[@bsmith4185]

this is incredibly cool! makes me want to try to learn how to use an fpga

[@theblowupdollsmusic]

This is awesome, I still can't believe SSL has not done this in a rackmount to re-create some of their famous console sound.

[@TheCookiesir]

Brilliant

[@MrJvlake]

Thank you for making these videos, and for making them in English. I really like the reverse engineering from oscilloscope trace back to aes/ebu to spidif output. Not knowing the beringer powerplay it wasn't immediately clear if it was a 16 channel mixer or a 16 channel head phone distribution amp (the ADC in your video suggested this wasn't the case, but the beringer website made my assumption confusing); seems like a 16:2 multichannel mixer where a split is taken so a performer can create a really good headphone mix?

[@pcdimmer]

Thank you :) The Behringer Powerplay PM16 is a personal mixer device. It receives 16 individual mono-channels via UltraNet from the X32 console (or other UltraNet devices). Then you are able to create your own headphone-mix with this device. We use these devices for our band to get individual stage-mixes for our drums, the trumpet-section, piano and the other parts of the band. As the device has general functions like EQing and a limited it is quite easy to create an individual and good headphone mix, yes.

[@Zamsky39]

This is fascinating

[@Xsiondu]

I'm just gonna subscribe. You're building the NCC 1701D bridge as your studio. I'm sold.

[@JudgeFredd]

Impressive !

[@MixMeMcGee]

Your studiooooooo 🤩🤩🤩

[@Alkatross]

I love the windows xp startup theme music! Did you compose it?

[@pcdimmer]

Hi, no, this Windows XP Extended Startup Theme was made by youtuber Bas3008. Have a Look at his channel :)

[@jackbootshamangaming4541]

As a guitarist who's getting more into Studio stuff, and a big FPGA user(Learning VHDL currently).

[@pcdimmer]

That's great, keep the ball rolling. FPGAs are a bit tricky, but it is worth of working with this kind of technology!

[@computer_toucher]

Really nice! Both technically and musically. Love the drums (oh, what a kit!) but you should start using a click for the drum parts 😘Good job though!

[@pcdimmer]

Its the drumset of our big-band - if it was just me playing on it, it would be total overkill. I tried the click, but the click was always slower than me so I played just with music on the headphones🤣

[@antiphlex]

Great video. I'm into reconditioning of old audio hardware and development of new effects, and this is very interesting and applicable. I'm just wondering, regarding the transfer of files back to a 1994 system, would an ethernet network be a solution? I know ethernet was not as popular back then with IPX and token ring solutions, but I have seen a number of boards that use RPi pico and other microcontrollers to implement modern networks on old systems. Might be worth taking a look.

[@pcdimmer]

Thank you for your comment. If you look closely at the close-up video of the back of my 486 computer, you can see, that there is a bit more hardware: I've installed a NE2000-compatible ethernet-card and the system itself boots from a CF-card - and the system has a CD drive. So there are plenty of ways to get the files on this computer, but around the year 2000 I've wished a ZIP-drive but never got one. As I found a ZIP250-drive on the scrapyard I took the opportunity and bought a ZIP100-drive with parallel-port for my 486 and used it for this youtube-video. OS/2 is working with the NE2000-card as well.

[@MapleAudio]

Hi Christian, wirst du hierzu und/oder auch zum Ultranet Receiver ein Tutorial erstellen? Ich kann ehrlicherweise nicht nachvollziehen wie man das Ding zum laufen kriegt. Weder wie man es vernünftig hochlädt oder wie man alles miteinander verbindet. Prinzipiell klappt alles, aber es kommt kein Sound raus bei mir.

[@pcdimmer]

Ja, das ist eine gute Idee. Ich werde versuchen innerhalb der nächsten zwei Wochen ein Tutorial mit Bildern auf meiner Website anzufertigen und die einzelnen Schritte zum Dekodieren vom UltraNet Signal aufzeigen. Vielleicht kann ich dann noch einmal ein Kurz-Video dazu machen. Beste Grüße, Chris English-Part: Yes, that's a good idea. I will try to create a tutorial with pictures on my website within the next two weeks and show the individual steps for decoding the UltraNet signal. Perhaps I can then make another short video about this topic. Best regards, Chris

[@MapleAudio]

@@pcdimmer Mega! Wenn man versteht wie die einzelnen Komponenten zusammengehören, kann man auch leichter das Projekt an seine Wünsche anpassen. Ich persönlich sehe ja eine Riesenmöglichkeit im persönlichen In-Ear-Monitoring, wenn man einige Funktionen einschränkt um Logikvektoren für zusätzliche Outputs freizumachen. Ich spiel in einem 28-köpfigen Rockorchester und für uns kann es nie genug Mixe geben, die wir an unser X32 anschließen können 😄

[@pcdimmer]

Hi, hier habe ich mal ein Tutorial begonnen: www.pcdimmer.de/index.php/hardware/fpga/tutorial-ultranet-receiver Es ist noch nicht ganz fertig, aber vielleicht hilft es bereits ein wenig. Ich werde in den nächsten Tagen noch weitere Details einfügen.

[@Phil-D83]

Where did you get the background enterprise d screen saver for the monitor on the back

[@pcdimmer]

Hi, there are wonderful LCARS animations collected by Adge Cutler on the following page: www.lcars.org.uk/lcars_TNG_panels.htm He did a wonderful job here :)

[@udirt]

und so sieht das dann aus, wenn jemand wirklich[tm] was von dem zeug versteht! einfach nur 'wow'.

[@MixMeMcGee]

Jaa, oder?! Echt mega, dass er so viele Sachen draufhat, von denen ich nur träumen kann.

[@niemusze5078]

22ms is a bit od latency, but still much greater achievement than my sitting and commenting.!! :P

[@pcdimmer]

Well, there are indeed incredible 20 to 40 MICROseconds (plus/minus) latency, so only one to two single audio-samples - depending on the number of EQ and filter blocks you are using. Each EQ takes around 200 NANOseconds processing-time, the LR24 crossover a bit more, the NoiseGate a bit less. Therefore it is a maximum of Realtime-processing you could achieve from such a device 😎. By increasing the sample time to 96kHz or even 192kHz we could go even lower, but then the coefficients would take a bit more space.

[@niemusze5078]

@@pcdimmerwow

[@kennyzee3221]

Microseconds not milliseconds. So the latency is tiny

[@ralmslb]

How near the limit of this FPGA would you say you are? Like, would it be capable of applying all those processing (5 EQs, Noise gate, Compressor) in like 10 channels?

[@pcdimmer]

Challenging, but combining 2 channels to stereo would result in 5 stereo-channels and 5 stereo-EQs are possible with the current design - but only with one single setting. For multiple setpoints you have to put more IIR-filters in series. This specific FPGA on the Vidor 4000 has around 16000 LogicElements and 112 9-bit hardware-multipliers. The EQs need a minimum of bit-headroom for the multiplication and for 24bit you already need 3 DSP-slices per channel. Combining multiple channels to use only one DSP-multiplier will take more logic so you have to find a good middle way between sacrificing logic-elements or hardware-multipliers. In the end 3 to 5 Stereo-EQs, one stereo-noisegate, one three-way-compressor and a LinkWitz-Riley crossover was possible. But removing the LR24 crossover, you could spend more EQs so it is kind of an optimization problem. But there are larger Cyclone 10LP available. The largest has 120000 LogicElements and 576 multipliers. Keep in mind, that FPGAs are quite expensive and the use of a dedicated audio-DSP could be more effective...

[@ralmslb]

@@pcdimmer thank you for the insights. I've been wanting to embark in the adventure of initially create a DSP for my pc, and as a later project create a custom Atmos modular receiver, as what is on the market is very overpriced due to the niche.

[@kennyzee3221]

Woah this is interesting. I’ve subbed to your channel. You’re doing such an amazing job

[@pcdimmer]

Thanks. And this topic is not over yet. Currently I (better "we") are working on a great extension of this FPGA-system. Only two words: "More Power!". More information in a couple of weeks...

[@deantiquisetnovis]

Oh Mann! Mit OS/2 habe ich ewig gearbeitet. Es war ein geiles Betriebssystem. Schade, dass IBM das versaubeutelt hat.

[@jensdroessler3575]

Hast du mal geprüft, ob die EQs über ~10kHz noch das tun, was sie sollen?

[@pcdimmer]

Ja, die EQs funktionieren gut. Da der Sigma-Delta-Wandler am Ausgang die Höhen ein wenig abdämpft habe ich mit den EQs einen High-Shelf einstellt um die Höhen wiederherzustellen. Das hat gut funktioniert. Insgesamt bin ich mit der Audioqualität inzwischen sehr zufrieden. Ich habe mit diesem System nämlich noch deutlich mehr gemacht - da gibts in den nächsten Wochen ein weiteres Video zu :)

[@jensdroessler3575]

@@pcdimmer Interessant! Kann ich mal angucken kommen?

[@pcdimmer]

@@jensdroessler3575 Hi, klar, spricht nichts gegen. Bin ab dem 19.08. wieder aus dem Urlaub zurück. Wir können uns in Kassel in der Wilhelmshöher Allee 71 treffen. Dort steht der momentane Aufbau. Ich bin im Raum 1151 zu finden :)

[@LunyaTheGay]

Nice Video would like to see it with actual faders

[@pcdimmer]

Well, receiving MIDI-Data is not a problem for neither the ESP32 nor the SAMD21. A Behringer BCF2000 or a X-Touch (or any other Faderboard) could be connected to the system to control the Audiomixer via MIDI. Thats a nice idea for a future upgrade :)

[@dradux2079]

Maybe it is dead simple and I am stupidly blind / dumb at the current moment, but I do not understand your fixed point multiplication at 5:12. You multiply by 2^30, which is the same as shifting left by 30 binary digits, easy so far. Then you do the real multiplication of the audio sample and the koefficient - okay. And then you said, that you shift back to the right by the same number, but in the displayed equations you shift by 32, instead of 30. Is there a reason, that I am just missing or is it just a typo in your equations? Please enlighten me. PS: This channel nails exactly, what I am interested in - FPGA's & Music! Thanks for your content!

[@pcdimmer]

Oh man, your are totally right, it is a typo. We have to shift the same amount of bits back as we did before in the first direction. I'm not sure if I can change the video, but I will stick a comment under this video later. Thanks for your comment!

[@dradux2079]

@@pcdimmer You are welcome and now I can at least tell my prof in Berlin, that he did something right in teaching me :)

[@jsonslim]

Do you use C++ code in Arduino IDE for the FPGA?

[@pcdimmer]

Hi, the FPGA is programmed in VHDL with Quartus Prime Lite. Using Quartus this VHDL-code is synthesized (compiled) to a Tabular-Text-File (TTF) containing the bitstream of the FPGA. This TTF is then converted to a regular C-Header-File and piggybacked into the Binary-File of the SAMD21 using Arduino IDE. When starting the SAMD21 this bitstream is then copied to the FPGA using an emulated JTAG-connection. Typically you would use the onboard Flash, but this method was easier for me during development and as the SAMD21 has enough space, I leaved this as it was. And you need only the Arduino IDE to programm the ESP32 and the SAMD21 without additional programming-tools for the Flash :) cu, Chris

[@jsonslim]

@@pcdimmer WOW, that's an interesting pipeline!

[@FVDaudio]

✨✨👏🏻👏🏻

[@ianmoore5502]

you got me with the Enterprise NCC-1701-D display within 0.01 seconds...live long.

[@babblo]

What kind of wizard are you?

[@mitkopetrovik259]

Impressive Chris, if only it were 1984! Unfortunately no one has absolutely no use for a 40 year old OS, wasted time... and the potential you have, you waste on such toys, sad It would be nice for someone like you sir to make a DIY matrix on FPGA with all known digital audio protocols with digital inputs and outputs I2S, no one can buy expensive equipment every week with new standards, protocols, etc. that are incompatible with each other, or simply dedicate time to something of public benefit of course to the detriment of super rich corporations that can never satisfy the need for more and MORE money! For start, make a CLONE of P16-I or similar I/O on FPGA based on AES50, alternatively on AES67, UltraNet, MADI, CobraNet, SoundGrid, dSNAKE, Dante etc. etc. and I will donate for your work ;)

[@pcdimmer]

Well, that's one way of looking at it. Here in Germany, however, there is a very important definition of a hobby: “Maximum financial outlay with minimum economic benefit” :) For me, playing around with ancient software in combination with more up-to-date technology is not a waste but a welcome change. I always learn something that I can use in my daily work lateron. Creating the mentioned Audio-matrix could be a nice thing. The FPGA has enough power for switching/converting between lot of different protocols if no EQing or other effects are applied. I will think about this as a future option. But if all goes well, I will be able to show something else, but more practical and relevant with this FPGA audio system in the next video. But unfortunately it's not ready yet and some reverse-engineering work has yet to be done...

[@Mtaalas]

intro IS in 15/8!!!! :)

[@pcdimmer]

You wouldn't believe how many times I re-recorded the intro-part. It hasn't worked out any better than now. This special rhythm is really heavy.

[@Quentins-Veranstaltungstechnik]

Maaan haha wie das Deutsch da rein kickt! Haha

[@pcdimmer]

@@Quentins-Veranstaltungstechnik Tja, die Herkunft kann und soll ja nicht verborgen werden. Aber die Hoffnung ist da, dass im internationalen Raum mehr Leute etwas mit den Sachen hier anfangen können. Auf jeden Fall habe ich schon einige vielversprechende Rückmeldungen erhalten. Beste Grüße 👍

[@MixMeMcGee]

Ja! Ich bin sehr grateful personalisch! 🤭

[@Kyoz]

🤍

[@WiihawkPL]

this is an oddly specific project

[@garethde-witt6433]

Os2 was always crap

[@pcdimmer]

Well, it depends. I wouldn't want to work with it every day and it can't keep up with today's systems, but everyone loves Lost Places, right? :-)

[@wulliest]

Geek pr0n. #dropsmike