Embedded & Connectivity

Embedded engineering for connected audio products.

Our electronics and software engineers work across MediaTek, Qualcomm, NXP and Amlogic platforms, alongside the acoustic team.

Discuss your platform How we work
Two engineers reviewing software at a development workstation
Overview

One engineering team from schematic to app.

A connected speaker brings together hardware design, platform software, audio processing, streaming services, voice, an app and years of updates. Our electronics and software engineers work across these layers with the acoustic and mechanical teams, so the product behaves as one system.

We work across several SoC ecosystems and choose the platform by product tier, sharing one software foundation across a product family wherever possible.

Multi-SoC MediaTek, Qualcomm, NXP, Amlogic, Actions
Full stack Hardware, firmware, app and cloud
Voice Microphone to AEC verification
OTA Planned into the platform

What We Do

Five layers of embedded engineering.

Jazz Hipster engineers own the layers that shape how a product behaves, and integrate the SDKs and licensed components supplied by platform partners.

  1. Stacked PCB layers showing multi-layer circuit routing

    Electronics hardware

    System schematics, multi-layer PCB layout and power design for the full signal path, from inputs and high-speed interfaces such as HDMI to converters and amplifier stages, including the thermal behaviour of amplifier boards.

    Key elements
    • Signal pathHDMI · ADC · DAC · Class-D amplification
    • Board designSystem schematics · Multi-layer PCB · Power · Thermal
  2. Firmware development on a laptop beside a soundbar

    Platform software and BSP

    Board bring-up on ARM SoCs and MCUs, including boot loader, kernel and drivers, root file system and toolchain. Vendor SDK releases are integrated and re-tested on the product with each update.

    Key elements
    • SoCMediaTek · Qualcomm · NXP · Amlogic
    • OSLinux · Android · FreeRTOS · MCU firmware
    • Bring-upBoot loader · Kernel drivers · Root file system · Vendor SDKs
  3. Engineer adjusting a wireless bookshelf speaker

    Audio processing

    DSP integration, active crossover, EQ and dynamics, developed with the acoustic team and matched to the amplifier stage, so the processing and the hardware are tuned as a pair.

    Key elements
    • DSP and amp ICsADI ADAU1701 · TI TAS57xx
    • IntegrationDSP algorithms · Amplifier matching · Tuning tools
  4. Streaming playback controlled from a phone

    Wireless, streaming and voice

    Streaming services, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transport and the voice front end, integrated around how the product will be used, including multichannel and hi-res wireless architectures for speaker systems.

    Key elements
    • StreamingAirPlay 2 · Google Cast · Spotify Connect · TIDAL Connect · Qobuz · Roon Ready
    • WirelessWi-Fi 6 · Bluetooth LE Audio · WiSA
    • PlatformsDolby Atmos FlexConnect support · Amazon AVS
  5. Hand using the front panel of a streaming amplifier

    App, cloud and lifecycle

    iOS and Android apps, Web UI and cloud connections for setup, EQ, multi-room and device management, with OTA updates planned into the platform from the first specification.

    Key elements
    • AppsiOS · Android · Web UI
    • CloudAWS · Google Cloud
    • FunctionsOTA updates · Multi-room · Device management

How We Work

From feature list to a maintainable product.

  1. Architecture

    Map features, interfaces and cost targets to a platform tier, and review the design for sole-source parts and module reuse.

  2. Bring-up

    Schematics, layout and board bring-up, with BSP, drivers and a clean audio path.

  3. Integration

    Streaming, DSP, voice, controls and app combined and tested as daily use.

  4. Release and support

    Factory test mode and compliance testing, then OTA updates after launch.
Engineers reviewing a soundbar together in the anechoic chamber
Verification

Software verified for daily use and for the production line.

Design QA tests the app, user flows and power behaviour of the product, while our production test engineers build the factory mode and test cases used on the line. Firmware versions are validated and reported before samples are shipped.

  • Design QAApp, UX and battery-life test cases on real devices.
  • Test automationRepeatable test runs across firmware builds.
  • SecuritySecurity assessment of connected features.
  • Factory modeVersion, key, LED and Wi-Fi checks for production test.
  • EMC readinessPre-scans and countermeasures before formal testing.
Ways to Engage

Support for one layer or the whole platform.

Your team decides which software it owns. We agree the split at the start, including which layers come from platform partners.

  • Platform customisationStart from a Jazz Hipster platform and adapt features, tuning and app.
  • Software and control supportSupport for a single layer such as app, Web UI, OTA or streaming.
  • New platform developmentNew hardware and software for a category or product family.
  • Full product programElectronics and software within a complete ODM program.

Start the Conversation

Define your connected audio product.

Share your preferred platform, streaming services, interfaces and control requirements, and tell us which software your team plans to own. We will map the platform path with you.