Electronics question - potentiometer controlled by FEZ?

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1

For my next fun project I am embarking on an audio related project.

I would like to be able to control the analog volume levels, like a potentiometer or slider might do. But I want my FEZ to control it, rather than a mechanical device.

I guess it would be like a motorized slider, but I would want it to be internal to my case, and not for 20$ (sparkfun price).

Thanks

2

How about using a digital pot like the MCP4261 ?

It allows 256 steps and can be controller over SPI from the FEZ. Further the settings are non volatile and the pot setting will not be lost during power recycles.

You need to add a suitable capacitors before and after the device to avoid hearing digital noise clicks on the audio.

You can get these devices in DIP packages to experiment on a bread board.

1 Like
3

Thanks - I’ll have to do some research on it.

Since it’s SPI, do I need to tie up an S socket for it? Or can use the unused pins on an A socket?

4

You can emulate SPI on any digital pins. Slow but your application do not need speed.

5

There are also I2C digital pots. You could control them from an X or Y socket using SoftwareI2C.