Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems CLUX-11SA HDMI to analogue converter

Ran into a big snag debugging George's unit.

The unit I did for VK had version 1.7c firmware in it. George's has 1.8c

It appears that Cypress altered the data format used internally in the CLUX in the latest firmware release. I am trying to determine what format it is but whatever it is is not compatible with the options available on either the 3x/4x transceiver board or on my 3x digital output board which used different SPDIF transmitter chips.

I am researching what else is available that might deal with this.

Shawn

If all else fails, you might be able to get a 1.7c BIOS chip from the maker. Hate to see all your work on the unit go for naught.

I have emailed them asking about 1.7c chips.

Shawn

SD scaling with 24p conversion for the SD stuff I watch. It also has 24p conversion for 1080i content that is film-based.

The 1080i --> 24p is good for watching HD films on broadcast and cable networks.

Saw this linked to over on avforums.com :

http://www.tmfsolutions.co.uk/Octava_HDMIto71.htm

Perhaps there is another device suitable for modification ?.

Cheers,

Tony.

The Octava is a 4/2 switch and has RS232 control. It would be excellent with Shawn's mod.

Interesting if the Octava can act as a sink...?

That's a real downer. And there was I worrying that my unit wouldn't have the latest firmware

Good luck, but I think you may have more luck figuring out the 1.8c format.

It should be very suitable as it has Burr Brown DACs. Unfortunately, the unit is �150/$300 more expensive than the CLUX, though this might be offset if you happen to need an HDMI switcher. We've discussed this device in another thread (search for "Octava" in 2008) and I've had conversations with Joe Fernand about "design for modification" if you get my drift. The conversations didn't come to that much, but I'm pretty sure that it will be easily modifiable.

Yeah, having 1.7c in your unit is a good thing.

"Good luck, but I think you may have more luck figuring out the 1.8c format."

I already know the format isn't:

Left Justified 24 bit
I2S 16 bit
I2S 24 bit
Right Justified 24bit
Right Justified 16bit

Those are all the formats supported by the transceiver cards and my original digital output cards and all the formats supported by the chips I am using in each of those cards in the mode I run the chips in.

Up till now everything has been either 24 bit I2S or 24 bit left justified format. Figuring out the format alone would not be enough, it would also take new hardware that supported that format. As far as I can tell most SPDIF transceiver/output chips only support the modes listed above in hardware mode.

Cypress emailed me back looking for more information about why I need the earlier firmware. Will see what happens there.

Shawn

Shawn:

Is the Clux field flashable or are you talking about swapping ROMs?

Once again.... It's Alive!!!!

This was a royal PITA but I figured it all out.

I was correct that they did in fact change formats between 1.7c and 1.8c. I was incorrect in what they moved to. It was 24 bit left justified, 1.8c is now 24 bit I2S which IS supported by my boards so this will work on 1.8c units.

There were two other problems which were throwing me for a loop trying to debug this. My digital oscilloscope was masking them but when I switched over to my old analog scope I could see it better.

Shawn

I've heard that 24bit I2S sounds so much better than 24 bit left justified.

Just kidding, trying to pull VK's leg