Newark Element14 and Wolfson have launched an HD-ready Wolfson Audio Card for the Raspberry Pi with 192kHz sampling, MEMS mics, and I/O including S/PDIF.
The Wolfson Audio Card extends and enhances the Linux-ready Raspberry Pi’s audio features beyond its native HDMI output with onboard HD audio and a variety of interfaces. Raspberry Pi manufacturer Premier Farnell has the exclusive contract for the add-on, and is distributing it through its subsidiaries, including Newark Element14 in North America, Farnell Element14 in Europe, CPC in the UK, and Element14 in Asia Pacific. The Wolfson Audio Card sells for $33.62 and works with Raspberry Pi Rev2 Model A or B single board computers that include P5 pads for connecting the daughtercard.
The Wolfson Audio Card incorporates Wolfson’s WM5102 audio hub chip, which offers a 192kHz sample rate, 8-channel input, and other HD audio components. Together with the audio I/O and digital MEMs microphones, the chip enables a voice controlled wireless home media network capable of running 24-bit “better than CD quality” playback, says Wolfson Microelectronics.
The Wolfson Audio Card adds the following key hardware components:
- 3.5mm stereo line-in (for digital audio players and mobile phones)
- 3.5mm stereo line-out (for connecting external stereo amplifiers or powered speakers)
- 3.5mm 4-pole jack (for a headset/boom mic combination for gaming or VoIP)
- 3.5mm mic input (for microphones)
- S/PDIF input
- S/PDIF output
- Speaker outputs (left and right) with Wolfson WM8804 transceiver
- 2x WM7220 Wolfson digital MEMS microphones
- Small pin header for extra function expansion (if they are low cost, already on-chip, and don’t require further components)
- Class D power amplifier for external speakers (with connection to external power source if needed)
- Pins to connect card to RaspPi via P5 pad
For more detail: Raspberry Pi gains Wolfson HD audio card
