StationPi Pro
Raspberry Pi HAT Adapter Station
By IanCanada Nov. 3, 2023 Ver. 1.5
A. Introduction
StationPi Pro is particularly designed for integrating RaspberryPi based audio applications. It can optimize the
digital audio projects, such as transports or DACs, to make them more organized and well finished. The whole
audio performance can also be improved as a consequence of a lower EMI noise.
StationPi Pro is a fully assembles/finished product.
B. Highlighted Features
• Separate RaspberryPi and audio HATs into two stacks configuration,
• Independent power supplies for both RPi and audio stacks.
• Double ground plates to shield the RaspberryPi EMI noise.
• Easy and organized to integrate a whole audio project.
• Audio HATs can be installed in two different originations to meet the requirements of applications.
• Comes with a full set of screws and standoffs.
• Great to build DAC or digital transport projects.
C. KIT includes
• A whole piece of assembled StationPi Pro PCB and the daughter board PCB
• Two shield plates with spacer bits
• 6 x 6mm M3 standoffs
• 6 x M3 screws
• 6 x M3 nuts
• 4 x 11mmm M2.5 standoffs (to mount the Raspberry Pi to the daughter board)
• 13 x 13mmm M2.5 standoffs
• 13 x M2.5 screws
• 13 x M2.5 nuts
• 6 x 2.54mm jumpers
D. Layout and Dimensions (in mm)
Page 2 2023-11-03
[email protected] Note: Please download the StationPiProLayout.dxf file from the GitHub link for more detailed dimensions
https://github.com/iancanada/DocumentDownload
E. Getting start
Note: Please use FifoPi Q3 or Q7 with the StationPi Pro. Because of the master mode, FifoPiMa doesn’t work if
the daughter board is installed.
1. Break the StationPi Pro board and the daughter board from the whole piece of PCB
2. Install 8 13mm M2.5 standoffs to the StationPi Pro PCB. If it is required, you can solder the two shield plates
to the StationPi Pro PCB (just optional). Please use the spacer bits to separate the two plates well.
3. Mount the StationPi Pro PCB to the case/base using 4 or 6 M3 standoffs and screws. Connect a 5V RPi
power supply to J3 or J13 (in USB-C). And connect a 5V audio power supply to J5. (Please see the
application notes if you want to share one 5V power supply for both)
4. Assemble 4 of the 11mm M2.5 standoffs to the daughter board and then install the daughter board the J1 of
the StationPi Pro PCB. Install a FifoPi or other audio HAT to J7 or J2 according to the orientation requirement
of the project. Don’t forget the connecting a 3.3V power supply for the FifoPi clean side or the other audio
HAT.
5. Install a RPi 4 /RPi 3 /RPi Zero 2 to the J12 on the daughter board. Install a TransportPi or a HDMIpi or other
DAC HAT on top of the FifoPi. If it is required, install an Amanero size USB streamer directly to the daughter
board (optional). Please see application note for how to select between RPi and USB as audio sources.
6. For a more advanced configuration, you can also install a ReceiverPi Pro underneath the daughter board. In
this case, we will have five digital audio sources: RaspberryPi, RCA, optical, HDMI and USB. You can
manually switch between them by J14 jumper settings or automatically by a touch screen StationPi Pro
controller which can be connected to J8
7. StationPi Pro can use both MonitorPi Pro or an open-source touch screen as controller.
F. Application notes
1. How to manually select the digital audio sources?
A. If only a RPi Zero is installed, RPi Zero will be selected unconditional.
Besides the standard sync mode FIFO such as FifoPi Q3, a master mode FIFO such as a FifoPi Ma can
also be used in this configuration.
B. If both RPi and USB streamer are installed to the daughter board
Short PIN7 and PIN8 of J14 by a jumper to select USB streamer (D3 will be lit)
Keep J14 open without jumper (default) to select the RPi.
If there is a FIFO in this configuration, have to use sync mode FIFO such as a FifoPi Q3 and Q7. FifoPi Ma
doesn’t work for the configuration with the daughter board installed.
C. If ReceiverPi MKII is installed
J14 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8
RCA X SHORT OPEN X
OPT X OPEN OPEN X
HDMI SHORT X SHORT X
USB OPEN X SHORT SHORT
RPi OPEN X SHORT OPEN
If there is a FIFO in this configuration, have to use sync mode FIFO such as a FifoPi Q3.
2. How to install a MonitorPi Pro as a controller?
a. Install a ReceiverPi Pro II into StationPi Pro
b. Short pin3 and pin7 of StationPi Pro J14 by a jumper wire
c. Connect the control cable from J6 of the MonitorPi Pro to the J13 of ReceiverPi Pro II
d. Install the MonitorPi Pro into the non-isolated GPIO of the FifoPi, or through a GPIO extension KIT.
e. Keep J8 un-connected. No longer need to connect a control cable to J4.
3. How to install a touch screen StationPi Pro controller?
It would be nice to have a touch screen StationPi Pro controller if there are many audio sources when a
ReceiverPi Pro is installed. To install the controller, you will need:
A. Buy a touch screen intelligent display module from 4dsystems.com
GEN4-ULCD-24PT or GEN4-ULCD-24PT
B. Program the module by following the documents of the open source project.
C. Connect the touch screen display module to StationPi Pro through a FFC/FCC cable (long extension
cable sold separately).
D. If you want it to work as a FifoPi Q3 controller at the same time, please connect a control cable (sold
separately) between J4 of FifoPi Q3 and J4 on StationPi Pro.
4. How to share one 5V power supply with J3 and J5?
It is possible to use a single 5V power supply for both J3 and J5 if you really want to save the cost.
To do so, you will need to short J9 with two jumpers (or bridge short S1). And then feed the 5V power supply
to J3 or J13. J3 on FifoPi must be kept unconnected in this configuration (J5 of the FifoPi clean side still need
to be connected to a good 3.3V power supply).
5. How to connect the earth?
Earth is internally connected to the clean side shield plates.
You can connect the earth (TP1 or TP2) to the FifoPi clean side ground.
Or you can connect the earth to the audio system ground according to the real experiences.
6. What is J15 for?
J15 is an optional continuous AC/DC power supply for the StationPi Pro controller. Can use both AC 6-9V
(can be from a small transformer) or DC 5-12V. 200mA rated current would be more than enough. When
powering by this continuous power supply, StationPi Pro controller will be capable to perform ON/OFF
control for the whole system. A later on upgraded FW will be required to implement this function. For now,
please just keep J15 unconnected.
G. Schematic
Please download the StationPiProSchV1.0.pdf from GitHub for the StationPi Pro schematic.
H. Pictures
StationPi Pro as shipped
I. History of revising
Apr. 2, 2022 V1.0b released
Nov.13,2022 V1.1 released
Nov. 3, 2023 Ver. 1.5 release. Introduce MonitorPi Pro as controller
© 2022 IanCanada. The firmware code embedded in the StationPi Pro is the property of Ian Jin. You are granted a non-exclusive,
non-transferable, non-sublicenseable, royalty-free right to use the StationPi Pro solely for your own, non-commercial purposes.
You may not distribute, sell, lease, transfer, modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, prepare derivative works of, decompile, or
disassemble the software provided. All rights reserved.
