Hello,
We are working on a product that will record audio to mp3 files on an SD card. A system comprised of the ICs on the "Audio Capacitive Touch" board (TIDM-LPBP-TCHMP3PLAYER) combined with an MSP430 mcu would fit our requirements and, with all the schematics and documentation available, looks like an attractive solution.
However, from the documentation it is not clear to me if the codec is available for use in a commercial product. We don't need access to the code, a black box, like in the Audio Capacitive Touch board, would be sufficient. The documentation states the following:
9.51 What Should I Do If I Have Lost, Broken, or Formatted the SD Card That Shipped with the ACTBP Kit? A: Contact TI for a replacement device. A: The SD card contains BOOTIMG.bin (bootloader image), MP3 files, and the MP3 CODEC. Only the BOOTIMG.bin file is downloadable due to royalties.
Perhaps this is because of the Fraunhofer patent on MP3? Because that has expired, meaning no royalties have to be paid anymore.
Looking forward to your reply,
Best regards,
Jim
