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WART: (really) cheap audio playback

WART may be the the worst sounding audio playback systems ever created. But it's six lines of code and works on the tiniest processors.

r-d-poorR. D. Poor
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WART uses the garden-variety UART available in any microcontroller to generate PWM audio. This project shows you how the PWM works, and includes schematics, photos, an Arduino project file and a python script to convert your favorite .WAV file to a "WART format" .h file. As a special bonus, you get a pre-made wart.h file for your listening enjoyment!

Full build details and other goodies are in https://github.com/rdpoor/WART

Beyond the basics shown in this project, some future directions to consider:

  • Run at a higher bit rate
  • Use an H bridge to drive the speaker
  • The current system uses one full byte to represent nine different PWM levels.  This is inefficient -- create a more compact representation.
  • Make it easier to convert audio files into WART-format .h files.

LICENSE

You are free to copy and modify the code under the terms of the MIT License.

license - 1.07 kB - 07/12/2021 at 12:05

Download

Rolling.wav

A sample recording of the WART output.

x-wav - 1.49 MB - 06/28/2021 at 13:13

Download

wart.py

Convert a .wav file to a WART-format .h file

x-python-script - 3.25 kB - 06/27/2021 at 02:41

Download

wart.h

Sample wart.h file for your listening enjoyment.

h - 974.75 kB - 06/27/2021 at 02:41

Download

wart.ino

Arduino project file (only six lines long!).

ino - 205.00 bytes - 06/27/2021 at 02:41

Download

  • 1 × Any Arduino-style processor
  • 1 × Any garden-variety NPN transistor
  • 1 × A 10K Ohm resistor
  • 1 × Any 8 or 16 ohm speaker you have laying around

View all instructions

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Discussions

Dejan Ristic wrote 07/09/2021 at 19:02 • point

Dammit I got rickrolled! You bastard :D
Seriously though, that's a pretty cool hack. 

  Are you sure? yes | no

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