LILYGO's New T-Embed SI4732 Is a Pocket-Friendly Programmable Espressif ESP32-Powered Radio
FM, AM, LW, SW — it's all here, courtesy of a Skyworks Si4732 CMOS radio receiver connected to an Espressif ESP32-S3.
Embedded and hobbyist electronics specialist LILYGO has announced a new entry in its T-Embed family, the T-Embed SI4732 — packing a Skyworks Si4732 radio tuner alongside an Espressif ESP32-S3 microcontroller in a compact pocket-friendly form factor.
"T-Embed SI4732 is a new version based on T-Embed with the addition of the [Skyworks] Si4732 expansion module," LILYGO writes of its latest launch. "The Si4732 is a high-performance digital tuner radio chip designed for AM/FM/SW/LW and other broadcast bands. It integrates Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology with high sensitivity, low power consumption, and highly integrated features for a wide range of radios and audio devices."
Like the original T-Embed, the new T-Embed SI4732 — brought to our attention by Linux Gizmos — is a compact all-in-one development platform based on the Espressif ESP32-S3 microcontroller, giving it two Tensilica Xtensa LX7 processor cores running at up to 240MHz. To this, LILYGO has 8MB of pseudo-static RAM (PSRAM) and 16MB of flash storage, a 1.9" 320×170 color TFT display panel, a three-way rotary encoder, and a housing with enough room for a bundled 900mAh battery for use on-the-go.
The new model retains the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity of its predecessor, but the Skyworks Si4732 adds in a new twist: reception of AM, FM, SW, and LW radio bands, through a connector at the back of the board for a telescopic antenna. There's an integrated speaker, while a demo application provides graphical interface for tuning.
The T-Embed SI4732 is available on the LILYGO store now at $38.96; at the time of writing, the only variable available featured a green case with orange rotary encoder.