RP2040 Powers A MIDI-Controlled Soundboard
Summary
A new soundboard project by Biker Glen enhances livestreaming with an RP2040 microcontroller and MIDI compatibility. This hardware solution offers a fun alternative to software, lightening the load on streaming computers. Files are available on GitHub for enthusiasts.
Key Insights
What is the RP2040?
The RP2040 is a dual-core ARM Cortex-M0+ microcontroller from Raspberry Pi, running up to 133 MHz, with 264 KB SRAM, support for up to 16 MB off-chip flash, and features like USB host/device support, making it suitable for embedded projects like MIDI soundboards.
Sources:
[1]
What is MIDI and how does it work in this soundboard?
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol for communicating musical performance data between devices. In this project, the RP2040 acts as a USB MIDI host, receiving commands from controllers like the MIDI Fighter or Novation Launchpad to play sounds stored on a microSD card via an I2S DAC and amplifier.
Sources:
[1]