The Fifi SDR can be controlled using the same API as a Softrock so I've started work on a native MacOS app that can control the frequency, bandwidth, demodulation mode and play through the audio. It's pretty rough so far but looks like this:
The code is based on rockprog and Apples AVRecorder sample.
So with just the Fifi box and this software you have a simple radio that tunes all of HF and plays through your Mac's audio. If you want the full, waterfall style, experience then I recommend DSP Radio which also supports Fifi.
You can download the alpha app here. As I haven't signed it you will need to right click (control click) and choose Open the first time to open it.
Be careful not to choose built-in audio from the input device and turn up the volume or you'll get feedback. Speaking of feedback, let me know if you find this useful.
Update
Build 2 has the following improvements:
- Automatically selects the FiFi audio device if found
- A button to set the frequency directly
- A tuning slider - I'm still experimenting to get this working nicely.
On my device anyway, the frequency is off. I'll have to look at how to fix this.
6 comments:
Hi Peter,
The FiFi SDR Control App looks like a great way to control the frequency of my SoftRock RXTX from my MacBook. Unfortunately, OS X "Sierra" does not detect the SoftRock USB interface. I also tried the rockprog program with the same results. Do I need to install a special USB driver on the Mac?
Thanks!
Jim
N7IHQ
Hi Jim,
Thanks for the comment. I had it working on El Capitain but am running Sierra. I'll give it a go and see what's going on.
Peter
Hi Peter,
Thanks for getting back to me. I just received my new MacBook Pro today! I plugged in my SoftRock RXTX and selected About This Mac > System Report > USB. The SoftRock RXTX was listed as "DG8SAQ-I2C". I launched FiFiControl and it works! The problem recognizing the SoftRock USB interface occurs only on my old 2010 vintage plastic MacBook running MacOS Sierra. Thanks for creating the FiFiControl app. I am building a Peaberry SDR and hope to put it on the air soon.
73,
Jim
N7IHQ
That's great news Jim.
I find my Fifi SDR is not very sensitive compared to the SDRPlay so I haven't been using it for a while. Perhaps it needs better front end filtering or a pre-amp. How is yours?
Peter
Hello
I have now switched from the Windows world to Apple, have a Macbook Air M2 and am now looking for a way to operate my Fifi-Sdr. I have now read your blog but unfortunately the link does not work for testing. Are there still possibilities to get the Fifi-Sdr to run under Mac. I'm brand new to the apple world.
Greeting Karsten
Karsten,
sorry about the link being broken. I no longer have that server and the code is quite old now. (That post was 2016). I didn't find the performance of the Fifi-SDR very good and stopped playing with it.
Greetings!
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