AES ISSUE - 6/21/2022
We have reports from two customers that the AES interface is not behaving. Either erratic output, or no output above 96Khz. Please contact us if you have seen this issue.
Update on Mercury 6/20/2022
The first 100 units of Mercury are sold. The next build is delayed due the metal supplier falling down on the job, So we may need to re-spin the PCB to accommodate a different case. We had looked at other extrusions, but they were more money and even plainer. Given that we only have 75 CM4's left we decided to hold off building more until later this Summer when we can create a new carrier board. Also, price will go up quite a bit to cover all this nonsense!
Back orders are still shipping slowly at about 20 per week. There are 63 left so 3-4 weeks max to wrap it all up.
On another note, we offered Volumio or Ropiee, but our ordering software system does not pass that info to the shipping fulfillment software. I'm not sure if I set it up wrong or if it's a limitation in the export from the ordering software. So we are having to ship just Volumio since that is what the production shop is doing now. We apologize for the hassle, but obviously making a new SD Card is not too painful.
Update on Mercury 7/5/2022
We have sorted out the AES issue and restarted shipping as of late last week. We have 50 more orders to ship and will be done over the next two weeks. The metal enclosure issue still remains, so a new version of Mercury is underway to fit into the new case. The new case is about the same width and depth, but 12mm (~1/2") taller.
Update on Mercury 7/18/2022
Production is slower than hoped for because changing the AES chip takes a while longer than estimated. We have also increased the testing time in order to include verifying 192Khz operation on all outputs. We now have 30 more orders to ship and should be done over the next two weeks. We hope!
We have reports from two customers that the AES interface is not behaving. Either erratic output, or no output above 96Khz. Please contact us if you have seen this issue.
Update on Mercury 6/20/2022
The first 100 units of Mercury are sold. The next build is delayed due the metal supplier falling down on the job, So we may need to re-spin the PCB to accommodate a different case. We had looked at other extrusions, but they were more money and even plainer. Given that we only have 75 CM4's left we decided to hold off building more until later this Summer when we can create a new carrier board. Also, price will go up quite a bit to cover all this nonsense!
Back orders are still shipping slowly at about 20 per week. There are 63 left so 3-4 weeks max to wrap it all up.
On another note, we offered Volumio or Ropiee, but our ordering software system does not pass that info to the shipping fulfillment software. I'm not sure if I set it up wrong or if it's a limitation in the export from the ordering software. So we are having to ship just Volumio since that is what the production shop is doing now. We apologize for the hassle, but obviously making a new SD Card is not too painful.
Update on Mercury 7/5/2022
We have sorted out the AES issue and restarted shipping as of late last week. We have 50 more orders to ship and will be done over the next two weeks. The metal enclosure issue still remains, so a new version of Mercury is underway to fit into the new case. The new case is about the same width and depth, but 12mm (~1/2") taller.
Update on Mercury 7/18/2022
Production is slower than hoped for because changing the AES chip takes a while longer than estimated. We have also increased the testing time in order to include verifying 192Khz operation on all outputs. We now have 30 more orders to ship and should be done over the next two weeks. We hope!
Pi 2 Design - Mercury Streamer
The Mercury Streamer, designed and manufactured by PI 2 Design, is a Compute Module 4 based device designed for Professional, Studio Grade, Digital Audio Streaming. The Mercury Streamer converts the Compute Module 4 I2S Interface to High Definition Professional Digital Audio Coax, OPTO and Balanced XLR. These multiple, simultaneously active digital audio outputs allow the Mercury Streamer to optimally interface with virtually any High Performance DAC on the market.
The major features of the Mercury Streamer are as follows:
The major features of the Mercury Streamer are as follows:
- COMPUTE MODULE 4 - This module provides 4 High Performance ARM Cores, Dual 4K HDMI Output, PCIe x1, Gigabit Ethernet, 8GB DRAM
- M.2 2280 SSD - A Standard M.2 Socket is provided for nVME Storage via the CM4 PCI Express x1 Link. The socket supports both “M” and “B” Key devices.
- GIGABIT ETHERNET - A standard RJ45 Provides the interface to the CM4 Gigabit Ethernet I/F.
- DUAL EXTERNAL USB2.0 - This connector provides two USB2.0 Host Ports.
- EXTERNAL HDMI - One 4K HDMI Connector allows access to CM4 HDMI Output 0.
- AES TRANSMITTER – The industry standard WM8804 converts the CM4 I2S stream to AES3/SPDIF formatted data at 24-Bit up to 192Khz Frame Rate
- AES COAX OUTPUT – A 1:1 Isolation Transformer provides Bit Perfect Impedance Controlled Digital Audio Data @ 1V AES Standard Level.
- AES BALANCED OUTPUT – An RS-485 Transmitter with a 1:1 Isolation Transformer provides balanced audio data via the Professional XLR Connector
- TOSLINK OPTICAL OUTPUT – Isolated Optical Transmitter Drives Consumer Level DAC’s
- SPDIF COAX OUPUT - A 1:1 Isolation Transformer provides Bit Perfect Impedance Controlled Digital Audio Data @ 0.6V Consumer Standard Level.
- DIFFERENTIAL I2S OUTPUT – An LVDS Differential Transmitter drives the I2S Bus over an HDMI Connector. Pinout conforms to PS Audio Standard.
- HIGH RESOLUTION CLOCKS – A pair of Ultra-Low Noise NDK NZ2520SDA oscillators drive the WM8804 in non-PLL mode for the lowest possible noise.
- ULTRA-LOW NOISE LDO’s – Two Ultra-Low Noise LT3042 LDO’s (0.9 uV noise and 80 dB PSRR) are used to supply the WM8804 and the NDK Clock’s.
- LINEAR PRE_REGULATOR - LT2941 LDO 5V pre-regulator allows the entire power chain to be linear when an external linear PSU is used.
- LOW NOISE PCB LAYOUT – 4-layer Split Ground PCB with noise reduction techniques refined from years of High-Speed Mixed-Signal Design work.
- EXTRUDED ALUMINUM ENCLOSURE – Rugged, Aircraft Grade Aluminum, Anodized for Scratch Resistance
- PRE-PROGRAMMED 32GB SD CARD - Mercury comes with a 32GB SD Card loaded with Volumio 3.x (other OS's TBD)
Hardware Reference Manual
| mercury_streamer_hw_reference_manual_p8.pdf |
Getting Started with Volumio
For Volumio start guide is here:
https://volumio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Quick-Start-Guide-Volumio-1.pdf
You can skip steps 1-2 and go right to step 3. Do Not Change the I2S DAC settings! This does not refer to the external DAC, but instead is used to load the proper driver for Mercury.
https://volumio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Quick-Start-Guide-Volumio-1.pdf
You can skip steps 1-2 and go right to step 3. Do Not Change the I2S DAC settings! This does not refer to the external DAC, but instead is used to load the proper driver for Mercury.
Pre-Configured Volumio SD Card Image - 32GB
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yndogx10qhfpcj0/volumio_3_mercury.zip?dl=0
Note that the card must be completely erased. Or have a single FAT32 partition for the entire drive (most new cards have this). The Win Disk Imager tool will completely overwrite the drive whereas others do not. This unfortunately makes it much slower.
win32diskimager.org/
Note that the card must be completely erased. Or have a single FAT32 partition for the entire drive (most new cards have this). The Win Disk Imager tool will completely overwrite the drive whereas others do not. This unfortunately makes it much slower.
win32diskimager.org/
Pre-Configured Ropieee Image - 32GB
This is a compressed image for the 32GB card that comes with Mercury.
www.dropbox.com/s/na2t2i99gfun7wg/ropieee_mercury.zip?dl=0
Uncompressed ropieee image (warning, big - 32GB)
www.dropbox.com/s/sm4mrxd4zrvt6d9/ropieee_mercury.img?dl=0
www.dropbox.com/s/na2t2i99gfun7wg/ropieee_mercury.zip?dl=0
Uncompressed ropieee image (warning, big - 32GB)
www.dropbox.com/s/sm4mrxd4zrvt6d9/ropieee_mercury.img?dl=0
Pre-Configured Moode Image
This is a compressed image for the 32GB card that comes with Mercury.
www.dropbox.com/s/axkvry6d7df210m/moode_mercury.zip?dl=0
Uncompressed Moode image (warning, big - 32GB)
www.dropbox.com/s/79nrsowo3qi0ikp/moode_mercury.img?dl=0
www.dropbox.com/s/axkvry6d7df210m/moode_mercury.zip?dl=0
Uncompressed Moode image (warning, big - 32GB)
www.dropbox.com/s/79nrsowo3qi0ikp/moode_mercury.img?dl=0