Re: The wireless cassette deck - Grundig CF-IR
Here's the spoiler: it's all done by infra-red. There are IR transmitters and receivers on the front corners of the deck which communicate with compatible hi-fi components (of which there exists only an amplifier, tuner and CD player from the same Grundig range). The IR beams send the audio digitally as well as remote control information. Believe it or not, this analogue cassette deck contains A/D and D/A converters because its only connection with the outside world (other than the headphone socket) is via digital data streams.
The deck basically works, though needs a service and some proper setting up. The display flashes every couple of seconds, I think because it's unhappy that it can't see its infra-red friends.
The circuit diagrams are available on line, and it's clear that conventional analogue audio is present, so bringing it out to connectors shouldn't be hard. The digital IR interface seems to be based around a Crystal Semiconductor CS8425 chip which is designed to create "audio networks". It's as if someone at Grundig saw the chip's data sheet and, to coin a phrase, were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
Has anyone here ever encountered this, presumably short-lived, range of hi-fi components?
Chris
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