CableChecker
A portable tool for techies to check XLR cables.
23rd June: Initial conception and part sourcing.
Initial conception of the idea: an easy way for theatre techs to check whether xlr cables work.
After a bit of brainstorming, heres the BOM I arrived at:
| Item | Model | Qty | Price | Shipping | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio Codec | ES8388 | 1 | $26.99 | $12.40 | ES8388 Module |
| Audio Transformer | ED8 | 2 | $2.92 | $2.50 | ED8 Transformer |
| XLR3 Male | NC3MAAV | 1 | $1.74 | $3.98 | |
| XLR3 Female | NC3FAAV | 1 | $1.74 | ||
| Microcontroller | ESP32-S3 | 1 | $9.30 | Free | ESP32-S3 Mini |
| Rotary Encoder w/ Button | EC11 | 1 | $5.25 | Free | EC11 Encoder Module |
| LED Bar Graph | HDSP-4836 | 1 | $8.50 | Free | 12-LED Bargraph |
Total: $56.44
Total (inc. Shipping): $75.32
Yes, I know the ES8388 is expensive, I'm going to do some more digging over the next few days for some alternatives.
Anyway, this is my first time doing anything to do with pcb's and the like, I normally code my way out of problems. So we'll see how it goes.
With that being said, I'm onto wiring and modelling tomorrow.
Thanks for following along,
Josh
Total time spent: 2h
25th June: Finalising BOM and starting Wiring/Modelling
This is my updated parts list:
| Part | SKU | Model | Quantity | Price | Shipping | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio Module | PCBA2103 | ES8388 | 1 | $26.99 | $12.40 | Link |
| Audio Transformer | ED8 | 2 | $5.84 | $2.50 | Link | |
| XLR3 Male | NC3MAAV | XLR3 | 1 | $1.74 | $3.98 | Link |
| XLR3 Female | NC3FAAV | XLR3 | 1 | $1.74 | '' | Link |
| Microcontroller | WS-25081 | ESP32-S3 | 1 | $9.30 | Free | Link |
| Rotary Encoder w/ Button | ADA377 | PEC11 | 1 | $9.95 | '' | Link |
| LED Bar Graph | ADA1719 | KWL-R1230XDUGB | 2 | $8.50 | '' | Link |
Total: $64.06 (AUD) Total (inc. Shipping): $82.94 (AUD)
I found a rotary encoder with a lower profile. I think, unfortunately, that I'm going to have to shell out for the PCB artists ES8388.
On another note, I've started wiring and modelling the body using KiCad and Fusion360.
Thanks for following along,
Josh
Total time spent: 5h
9th July: Schematic editing and firmware
Ok a lot to cover in this one, I've been busy for the last week, and so have been unable to get around to this project. But the day til highway ends draws near, so this project needs an update. I decided to make a start on the firmware, the majority if my time was spent figuring out how to use Espressif's IDF with CLion, and the rest on working out how to interface with the ES8388 using espressif/espcodecdev, a very poorly documented library. Despite all this I have made a definite start, with more to follow in the morning. Most of the parts I'm using don't have KiCad symbols or footprints available, however, thanks to the symbol design guide, I have been able to push through and finally lay down a rough plan for wiring (we'll see how I go).
!(KiCad Schematic)[https://hc-cdn.hel1.your-objectstorage.com/s/v3/b071340b75857397ee74b12427548386edf4560e_screenshot_2025-07-09_at_9.54.52___pm.png]
Total time spent: 7h