Audio hardware: Difference between revisions

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== Network/Hardware Ideas ==


== Microphone ==
This content should all be dispersed to other pages in the [[Category:Hardware Ideas]]. Do not be afraid to create a new page for a certain class of idea if needed.


=== Microphone ===
===Sound Codec===


The [[Hardware specification]] page says the Audio Codec is an [http://www.analog.com/en/prod/0%2C2877%2CAD1888%2C00.html Analog Devices AD1888], AC97-compatible audio codec.
A built in Microphone would be usefull if dirt and echo/feedback could be controlled. If you have a microphone and speakers included with these laptops then then if you include a small peice of software they can be used as telephones or walkitalkies -- like an instant message local channel that is as easy to use as a CB radio. If the hardware looked like a radio, the oporator could use it before they learend how to use the computer.


The paper - 'The One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Audio Subystem' by Jaya (Alsa) provides useful information on the audio subsystem. The link is -
===The provenance laptop===
[http://www.kgw.tu-berlin.de/~lac2007/papers/lac07_kumar.pdf The OLPC Audio Subsystem]
--[[User:Arjunsarwal|Arjunsarwal]]


===Microphone Sensor Input===
An issue about the provenance of the particular copy of the (yet-to-be) published program obtained for running by a child on a laptop has been written about in the http://wiki.laptop.org/index.php/Application_Program:_Test_of_ability_with_arithmetic#Verifying_the_program section of the
http://wiki.laptop.org/index.php/Application_Program:_Test_of_ability_with_arithmetic page.


The microphone input can be used to measure voltage or (using the Microphone bias voltage) resistance. This should enable us to use this as a form of sensor input with the audio analog to digital converter converting the sensor signal to a signal that can be displayed on the screen or logged by the computer. More info is required on the use of the codec in this mode.
A possible solution has been suggested. This is termed a provenance laptop therein. It is different from the server version which is suggested above.


* max voltage that can be withstood safely by the mic input
In view of the fact that the provenance issue is likely to be important for many programs, not just for the application program in relation to which the issue was raised, the idea of the provenance laptop is copied to this Hardware Ideas page.
* Voltage corresponding to AD converter full scale.
* Bias voltage output (open circuit)
* Bias voltage output (short circuit)
* Frequency range of mic input
* anything else?


===Uses of making measurement using the analog input port on the laptop===
Would it be possible for there to be a special, variant, version of the laptop, say moulded in a colour different from the laptops issued to the children, which is read-only of files, with files being obtainable only over the internet and then only from one particular webspace? This special, variant, version is herein termed a "provenance laptop". The system software for such a provenance laptop could be in read-only memory. Thus, if the idea is feasible, a child could obtain files from a provenance laptop with confidence. The provenance laptop might, from time to time, need to be transported several miles to a place where files could be obtained from the internet. However, the availability of a provenance laptop facility in a rural school where there is no direct connection to the internet could be a good second best to having a direct internet connection. The provenance laptop could be used to select which files are obtained from the one particular webspace. The one particular webspace could either be a special webspace run by the government of the country where the laptop is deployed or a special webspace of the OLPC project run by the OLPC management under secure conditions, depending upon the policy choice of the government of the particular country.
This section is useful for compiling a list of important and interesting uses for sampling analog input voltages using the analog input port of the laptop.It would also help in determining the end requirements of voltage range that would be required to be supported int he laptop at input.


=== Broadcast and Satellite ===


Uses and their electrical requirements (Voltage range, bandwidth, Bias)
See [[Hardware Ideas - Broadcasting]]


1. Checking the voltage of an AA/AAA/C/D type cells- Should be able to sample DC in the range 0-1.5V
===Motorcycle Net===
There are already people using motorcycle delivery services to carry email from village to village in Cambodia's [[Motoman]] project. This type of networking is likely to grow once there are large numbers of wireless capable laptops in place. They either exchange info wirelessly with the motorcycle, or, more likely, a teacher runs a village base station that can collect messages all week, then do a quick upload and download while the motorcycle driver is dealing with the paper mail. Bulk data transfers would be on CD or DVD since USB drives are readily available. The villagers will quickly learn how a single USB-CD drive can multiply the usefulness of those laptops 100-fold.


2. Checking the voltage of a PP3(9V) type cell - Should be able to sample DC in the range 0-9V
===Radio distribution of content===


3. Checking the voltage of a car battery - Should be able to sample DC in the range 0-15V
The basic suggestion is to adapt existing technology for broadcasting data over the radio and use it as a widespread distribution tool for content to the laptops or, more likely, to some central site in the village. Once in the village it can be distributed further using the built-in wi-fi of the OLPCs. The radio would presumably be similar to existing USB DVB-T receivers available in Europe to receive digital television broadcasts. This could be done in one of two ways. One way is to fill up a shared library in each village. The other way is to constantly repeat the same documents so that villages do not need to have large storage capability.


4. Interfacing an LDR/photo voltaic cell/Temperature sensor - Bias voltage required . Voltage range =
[[MHP_to_laptop_interface_possibility|MHP]] has been suggested as a possible source of this technology.


5. Robotics applications - The interface that is usually provided with commercial
== Hardware/Accessory Ideas ==
modules such as distance ranging modules is a 0-5V digital output. If the output voltage interface is RS232 type then voltage sampling requirements extend upto -12V - +12V. But then the XO has a serial port ? (Yes, but the connector is not exposed. --[[User:Walter|Walter]] 20:58, 24 June 2007 (EDT))


--[[User:Arjunsarwal|Arjunsarwal]]


--[[User:Doug|dlarue]] 07:02, 15 January 2008 (PST)

=== Green Hardware ===

Some Ideas from [http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/003881.html WorldChanging]:
"...We typically discuss organic polymer electronics (OPE) as a feature of the fabrication future, but the clean leapfrog application is important, too. The production of OPE is much cleaner than traditional electronics, and the materials themselves contain few if any heavy metals. Recent OPE developments include a microprocessor able to run at around 100MHz (far slower than today's fastest laptops, but easily fast enough for the kinds of basic information and communication tasks described for the OLPC project), a variety of slower circuit and sub-processor plastics, an organic polymer battery and even a colorful, fast flat-panel display. Even the solar panels often suggested as an add-on for the hundred dollar laptop could be made with organic polymer materials."


=== Microphone data input ===
=== Microphone data input ===


The microphone input jack can double as a dataport for some class of devices (when supporting a "DC-coupled" input mode), but a more general-purpose USB analog to digital device would be a great peripheral for the laptop. --[[User:Walter|Walter]]
The microphone input jack can double as a dataport for some class of devices (when supporting a "DC-coupled" input mode), but a more general-purpose [[USB peripherals|USB analog to digital]] device would be a great peripheral for the laptop. --[[User:Walter|Walter]]

=== Including built-in streaming from e.g. teacher to students ===

Would the current architecture, including display design/resolution/framerate etc. allow for this in principle?

On the software side, how about some peer-to-peer streaming stuff; one CD or DVD drive/player per school class, and groups of kids watching a (same) movie on several laptops? This is possible with e.g. VLC - but could be built-in, preconfigured/high-lighted and very simple - thingie pops up saying "A neighboring laptop has started streaming video, would you like to watch?" - done.


== Old thoughts ==
The hardware exists off the shelve... but will they all work out of the box? Drivers? Can player software be included in the "default" software? If not a full-blown "certification" program, at least at page (on this Wiki!) with "external devices known to work" (or if not, instructions on how to get them to work will probably be needed.


A built in Microphone would be usefully if dirt and echo/feedback could be controlled. If you have a microphone and speakers included with these laptops then then if you include a small piece of software they can be used as telephones or walkie talkies -- like an instant message local channel that is as easy to use as a CB radio. If the hardware looked like a radio, the operator could use it before they learned how to use the computer.
[[User:Vorburger|Vorburger]]


These are ideas related to both audio input and output. Please review the [[hardware specification]] to see what is already included. Some audio-related ideas are also dealt with in the [[Radio and Broadcast]] page.
== Not a laptop, but an X-Term! ==


== Librivox ==
<b>Is anyone willing to consider a more immediately available, dumb-terminal version of the device which would have nothing more than a touchscreen and an ethernet port?</b>


Human-read audiobooks for children as well as literature are going to be included in the OLCP project via content packs. A recurring idea I've seen crop up a few times is that of children recording their own audiobooks in return. What is the final quality of the built-in microphone?
:: I WANT! A small silent X-Terminal/Media player connected by WiFi/Ethernet to a big box will be a killer app for the Linux based home or office network. Doesn't work with Windows, Microsoft see to that. This is a different spec to the OLPC though, you'd want POE or better yet network over 6-pin firewire (firewire is designed to supply lots of power) you'd probably want a 1024x768 full colour screen and perhaps more memory. This is the $2000 version of the PC. [[User:62.252.0.11|62.252.0.11]] 03:35, 12 April 2006 (EDT)


[[Category:Hardware]]
[[Reinventing the OLPC]]
[[Category:Hardware ideas]]
{{cleanup}}

Latest revision as of 07:13, 17 December 2008

  english | 한국어 HowTo [ID# 187591]  +/-  


Microphone

Sound Codec

The Hardware specification page says the Audio Codec is an Analog Devices AD1888, AC97-compatible audio codec.

The paper - 'The One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Audio Subystem' by Jaya (Alsa) provides useful information on the audio subsystem. The link is - The OLPC Audio Subsystem --Arjunsarwal

Microphone Sensor Input

The microphone input can be used to measure voltage or (using the Microphone bias voltage) resistance. This should enable us to use this as a form of sensor input with the audio analog to digital converter converting the sensor signal to a signal that can be displayed on the screen or logged by the computer. More info is required on the use of the codec in this mode.

  • max voltage that can be withstood safely by the mic input
  • Voltage corresponding to AD converter full scale.
  • Bias voltage output (open circuit)
  • Bias voltage output (short circuit)
  • Frequency range of mic input
  • anything else?

Uses of making measurement using the analog input port on the laptop

This section is useful for compiling a list of important and interesting uses for sampling analog input voltages using the analog input port of the laptop.It would also help in determining the end requirements of voltage range that would be required to be supported int he laptop at input.


Uses and their electrical requirements (Voltage range, bandwidth, Bias)

1. Checking the voltage of an AA/AAA/C/D type cells- Should be able to sample DC in the range 0-1.5V

2. Checking the voltage of a PP3(9V) type cell - Should be able to sample DC in the range 0-9V

3. Checking the voltage of a car battery - Should be able to sample DC in the range 0-15V

4. Interfacing an LDR/photo voltaic cell/Temperature sensor - Bias voltage required . Voltage range =

5. Robotics applications - The interface that is usually provided with commercial modules such as distance ranging modules is a 0-5V digital output. If the output voltage interface is RS232 type then voltage sampling requirements extend upto -12V - +12V. But then the XO has a serial port ? (Yes, but the connector is not exposed. --Walter 20:58, 24 June 2007 (EDT))

--Arjunsarwal

--dlarue 07:02, 15 January 2008 (PST)

Microphone data input

The microphone input jack can double as a dataport for some class of devices (when supporting a "DC-coupled" input mode), but a more general-purpose USB analog to digital device would be a great peripheral for the laptop. --Walter

Old thoughts

A built in Microphone would be usefully if dirt and echo/feedback could be controlled. If you have a microphone and speakers included with these laptops then then if you include a small piece of software they can be used as telephones or walkie talkies -- like an instant message local channel that is as easy to use as a CB radio. If the hardware looked like a radio, the operator could use it before they learned how to use the computer.

These are ideas related to both audio input and output. Please review the hardware specification to see what is already included. Some audio-related ideas are also dealt with in the Radio and Broadcast page.

Librivox

Human-read audiobooks for children as well as literature are going to be included in the OLCP project via content packs. A recurring idea I've seen crop up a few times is that of children recording their own audiobooks in return. What is the final quality of the built-in microphone?