Russian audio card: my attempt at production and crowdfunding
How realistic is a Russian citizen to start producing electronics on the same salary? It sounds crazy, but I decided out of sports interest to try to make a test batch of Russian audio cards and raise money for it with the help of crowdfunding. Of course, to begin with, overcoming the psychological barrier - the conviction that it is impossible to launch high-tech production in Russia.
In the state-of-the-art and innovative Russia, most of the “Russian” technology is produced by the countries of Southeast Asia. I wanted to try to produce something of my own in Russian capacities. It is very expensive to do this, because all the “civilian” technologies have long been abandoned. But if other passionary people join this process, we can come to the conclusion that we will be no less profitable to engage in production than overpurchase. In the end, producing here, the entrepreneur gets a better sense of self, national pride, or something.
')
The criteria for choosing a device are simplicity and low cost (so that risks can be eliminated) and, of course, realistic production in today's Russia. As a result, the choice was on the audio card on the popular PCM2704 chip.
The stated parameters of the chip are:
On your salary out of the blue, a real production enterprise cannot be created. But we have enough enterprises where we are ready to make separate components.
It was easy to develop circuits, boards and order an audio card at one of Moscow enterprises . I tried to make the device as small as possible, for example, the quartz resonator had to be moved to the other side of the board.
The real problem was created by our capabilities of small-scale case production. Of course, you could draw anything plastic, but the prospect of paying a six-figure amount for the mold was not pleasing.
In search of a solution, I first stumbled upon a liquid plastic , which is imported to us from abroad. The technology is that the mixture of two components is mixed, which solidifies within a few hours. I decided to fill the board with plastic, and install two aluminum caps on the connectors.
Of course, dyes are produced for plastics, and an LED is provided on the board. It should have turned a sort of stylish keychain. For casting was ordered cylindrical shape. The results were not at all suitable for production. Air bubbles remained in plastic, and it would be quite beautiful if they did not appear on the walls. Naturally, during the operation they would collect dirt.
The supplier of plastics recommended placing it in a high-pressure chamber in the first few minutes after pouring the mold. These cameras - the pleasure is also not cheap, so it was made improvised. After that, I was convinced that it wasn’t really worth spending on the camera, since the plugs were knocked out by pressure inside the mold, although the surface of the casting was quite flat.
I had to stop at the cylindrical body of Dural, although it is much more expensive. 3D model, prototype - and we get a decent result. The body turned out quite light and pleasant to the touch. As a bonus, of course - strength and maintainability. Such a device cannot be broken by human efforts at all. Naturally, it implies a high level of reliability and the expectation that the consumer will use the device for years. Limited service life is not laid, as is the case with many modern manufacturers. Let's call it a reputation.
It turns out that the limited capabilities of our production lead to the fact that we can produce only expensively and efficiently. It seems to be great, but there is a downside: duralumin device looks too industrial, not everyone likes such aesthetics. Of course, this limits the range of consumers, but otherwise it does not work. We have to rely on those who like this. For example, I would easily have installed the Numark MP102 if I had a need for a CD player.
The sound card was actually tested on Windows XP, 7 and Linux Ubuntu "Iskra" .
There is also a Ploytec ASIO universal driver that supports this chip and significantly improves the sound.
If everything is still fine with the boards and the installation, then for this building (in the series) I was offered to pay amounts that differ 5 (!) Times, 250-1300 rubles. There was a reasonable question - where to get the money.
Taking a loan is not an option, there is too much risk, considering that Terra Incognita is such a market. Option disappears.
Before the arrival of Sobyanin, the support of small business was widely deployed in Moscow. With his arrival, the situation has changed. When the authorities decided to return everything back, they had some problems with the adoption of legislative acts, and the message about this has been hanging on the website of the Department of Industry for half a year already. So, too, disappears.
And then the idea arose to try to raise money by crowdfunding. Since I have been reading Habr almost every day for several years, an event like the first crowdfunding platforms in the country could not pass by me. We have only one really functioning site, and, after passing a series of quests, the project was placed there . In any case, for a start it is more efficient than contacting stores directly. For the project, an image was designed to attract non-geeks to participate. As a participation amount, of course, it’s not the “consumer” price of the device, but rather the minimum permissible figure for which you can release something like a small series for the first time.
As a result, the participant does not just “buy an audio card”, but votes to continue this activity: after collecting money for a test batch, I can start working with engineers, improve solutions, or think about releasing other devices.
After the launch of the project, of course, I wanted to tell people about the project on the Internet. After which several interesting discoveries were made about the psychology of the Russian buyer.
As for the possibilities ... We can produce only expensive and high quality. Since things are bad with plastic and other non-professional user-oriented things, I came up with an interesting solution. If it is impossible to make a product like everyone else, perhaps it is worthwhile, using the available possibilities, to use them as a plus? That is, to market products that are based on industrial visual culture, but at the same time, still relying on home and office use? Fortunately, there are enough such production capabilities and element base in Russia.
Again, at the forefront of reliability. For example, a mass product with a price of 1 conditional unit has a life expectancy of 3 years, and a product of 1.5 conditional units will work 7 years or more. I propose to return to the well-forgotten old notion of production "conscientiously." Which, by the way, was implemented in the described product.
Of course, in the future we plan to implement new versions and new devices. With an eye on the reaction of the consumer in the first place. Sometime this will lead to the fact that Russian products will be recognizable and respected, at least by the population of the country producing it.
If you are ready to start an independent activity, look for opportunities, the same collective sponsorship can facilitate your tasks, and allow you to start at minimal cost, at the level of buying an average laptop. Although the culture of such productions is still in its infancy, with your contribution you will accelerate its arrival. By joining this case now, today's engineers, entrepreneurs, start-ups will not be the last people when the market is formed.
Update. As for the dimensions, I will explain: a 1.5 meter wire goes out of the device.
Update 2. In the case of pre-order, you can choose the color and length of the wire.
In the state-of-the-art and innovative Russia, most of the “Russian” technology is produced by the countries of Southeast Asia. I wanted to try to produce something of my own in Russian capacities. It is very expensive to do this, because all the “civilian” technologies have long been abandoned. But if other passionary people join this process, we can come to the conclusion that we will be no less profitable to engage in production than overpurchase. In the end, producing here, the entrepreneur gets a better sense of self, national pride, or something.
')
Device selection
The criteria for choosing a device are simplicity and low cost (so that risks can be eliminated) and, of course, realistic production in today's Russia. As a result, the choice was on the audio card on the popular PCM2704 chip.
The stated parameters of the chip are:
- 16bit
- 32 / 44.1 / 48 kHz
- USB 1.1
- 0,006% THD on high-resistance load or 0.025% when working with headphones
- 12mW output power at 32Ω
- No driver needed for Windows, MacOs and Linux
Technology and production
On your salary out of the blue, a real production enterprise cannot be created. But we have enough enterprises where we are ready to make separate components.
It was easy to develop circuits, boards and order an audio card at one of Moscow enterprises . I tried to make the device as small as possible, for example, the quartz resonator had to be moved to the other side of the board.
The real problem was created by our capabilities of small-scale case production. Of course, you could draw anything plastic, but the prospect of paying a six-figure amount for the mold was not pleasing.
In search of a solution, I first stumbled upon a liquid plastic , which is imported to us from abroad. The technology is that the mixture of two components is mixed, which solidifies within a few hours. I decided to fill the board with plastic, and install two aluminum caps on the connectors.
Of course, dyes are produced for plastics, and an LED is provided on the board. It should have turned a sort of stylish keychain. For casting was ordered cylindrical shape. The results were not at all suitable for production. Air bubbles remained in plastic, and it would be quite beautiful if they did not appear on the walls. Naturally, during the operation they would collect dirt.
The supplier of plastics recommended placing it in a high-pressure chamber in the first few minutes after pouring the mold. These cameras - the pleasure is also not cheap, so it was made improvised. After that, I was convinced that it wasn’t really worth spending on the camera, since the plugs were knocked out by pressure inside the mold, although the surface of the casting was quite flat.
I had to stop at the cylindrical body of Dural, although it is much more expensive. 3D model, prototype - and we get a decent result. The body turned out quite light and pleasant to the touch. As a bonus, of course - strength and maintainability. Such a device cannot be broken by human efforts at all. Naturally, it implies a high level of reliability and the expectation that the consumer will use the device for years. Limited service life is not laid, as is the case with many modern manufacturers. Let's call it a reputation.
It turns out that the limited capabilities of our production lead to the fact that we can produce only expensively and efficiently. It seems to be great, but there is a downside: duralumin device looks too industrial, not everyone likes such aesthetics. Of course, this limits the range of consumers, but otherwise it does not work. We have to rely on those who like this. For example, I would easily have installed the Numark MP102 if I had a need for a CD player.
The sound card was actually tested on Windows XP, 7 and Linux Ubuntu "Iskra" .
There is also a Ploytec ASIO universal driver that supports this chip and significantly improves the sound.
Crowdfunding
If everything is still fine with the boards and the installation, then for this building (in the series) I was offered to pay amounts that differ 5 (!) Times, 250-1300 rubles. There was a reasonable question - where to get the money.
Taking a loan is not an option, there is too much risk, considering that Terra Incognita is such a market. Option disappears.
Before the arrival of Sobyanin, the support of small business was widely deployed in Moscow. With his arrival, the situation has changed. When the authorities decided to return everything back, they had some problems with the adoption of legislative acts, and the message about this has been hanging on the website of the Department of Industry for half a year already. So, too, disappears.
And then the idea arose to try to raise money by crowdfunding. Since I have been reading Habr almost every day for several years, an event like the first crowdfunding platforms in the country could not pass by me. We have only one really functioning site, and, after passing a series of quests, the project was placed there . In any case, for a start it is more efficient than contacting stores directly. For the project, an image was designed to attract non-geeks to participate. As a participation amount, of course, it’s not the “consumer” price of the device, but rather the minimum permissible figure for which you can release something like a small series for the first time.
As a result, the participant does not just “buy an audio card”, but votes to continue this activity: after collecting money for a test batch, I can start working with engineers, improve solutions, or think about releasing other devices.
Philosophy, conclusions, opinions
After the launch of the project, of course, I wanted to tell people about the project on the Internet. After which several interesting discoveries were made about the psychology of the Russian buyer.
- The meaning of the collective sponsorship model is far from clear to everyone. Letters came from those who panicked fear of deception. Presumably, many are why they passed by.
- Russian production is still considered by many to be of poor quality. Only this is a myth. We have enough responsible manufacturers. The level of technology, of course, lags behind, but it is enough for most tasks. Of course, if you are not going to engage in the production of central processing units.
- The consumer believes that the quality does not fall with a decrease in cost. And that with the same identical figures and the same quality of the product.
As for the possibilities ... We can produce only expensive and high quality. Since things are bad with plastic and other non-professional user-oriented things, I came up with an interesting solution. If it is impossible to make a product like everyone else, perhaps it is worthwhile, using the available possibilities, to use them as a plus? That is, to market products that are based on industrial visual culture, but at the same time, still relying on home and office use? Fortunately, there are enough such production capabilities and element base in Russia.
Again, at the forefront of reliability. For example, a mass product with a price of 1 conditional unit has a life expectancy of 3 years, and a product of 1.5 conditional units will work 7 years or more. I propose to return to the well-forgotten old notion of production "conscientiously." Which, by the way, was implemented in the described product.
Of course, in the future we plan to implement new versions and new devices. With an eye on the reaction of the consumer in the first place. Sometime this will lead to the fact that Russian products will be recognizable and respected, at least by the population of the country producing it.
If you are ready to start an independent activity, look for opportunities, the same collective sponsorship can facilitate your tasks, and allow you to start at minimal cost, at the level of buying an average laptop. Although the culture of such productions is still in its infancy, with your contribution you will accelerate its arrival. By joining this case now, today's engineers, entrepreneurs, start-ups will not be the last people when the market is formed.
Update. As for the dimensions, I will explain: a 1.5 meter wire goes out of the device.
Update 2. In the case of pre-order, you can choose the color and length of the wire.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/146082/
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