/RPi-Jukebox-RFID

A jukebox for the Raspberry Pi, playing local audio files, playlists or even web streams triggered by RFID cards. All plug and play via USB, no soldering iron needed.

Primary LanguageCSSMIT LicenseMIT

Phoniebox: the RPi-Jukebox-RFID

A contactless jukebox for the Raspberry Pi, playing audio files, playlists, podcasts, web streams triggered by RFID cards. All plug and play via USB, no soldering iron needed. Update: if you must, it now also features a howto for adding GPIO buttons controls.

Important update news

  • Phoniebox 1.1.1 released Adding recursive folder playout and recording to the Phoniebox. With version 1.0.0 we switched the audio player to mpd, added resume play for audiobook lovers, RFID switch for wifi off, new player interface, random and repeat. At this stage the recursive playout only works in the web app, not RFID cards. (2018-09-13)
  • Upgrade if you are looking for how to upgrade please check out UPGRADE.md - and if you found out something that should go there, please create a pull request. (2018-09-10)
  • One Line Install Script As of version 1.0 there is a much simpler install procedure: copy and paste one line into your terminal and hit enter. Find out more about the one-line Phoniebox install script. (2018-08-18)
  • Podcasts! More for myself than anybody else, I guess, I added the podcast feature for Phoniebox (2018-05-09)
  • Bleeding edge: develop branch The maintenance with a growing contributor team (kudos!) got complicated. I introduced the branch develop which is where all new stuff is happening before merged to master. (2018-08-30)

Prototype of the RFID jukebox

See the Phoniebox code in action, watch this video and read the blog post from iphone-ticker.de

What makes this Phoniebox easy to install and use:

  • Runs on all Raspberry Pi models (1, 2 and 3) and Raspberry Zero. (jump to the install instructions)
  • Just plug and play using USB, no soldering iron needed.
  • Once the Phoniebox is up and running, add music from any computer on your home network.
  • Register new RFID cards easily without having to connect to the RPi.
  • Play single or multiple files, podcasts or web streams.
  • Volume control is also done with RFID cards or key fobs.
  • Connect to your Phoniebox via your wifi network or run the Phoniebox like an access point and connect directly without a router.
  • Bonus: control the Phoniebox from your phone or computer via a web app.

The web app allows you to change the volume level, list and play audio files and folders, stop the player and shut down the RPi gracefully.

The web app runs on any device and is mobile optimised. It provides:

  • An audio player to pause, resume, shuffle, loop, stop and skip to previous and next track.
  • Sub folder support: manage your collection in sub folders. Phoniebox has two play buttons: only this folder and eeeeverything in this folder.
  • Manage files and folders via the web app.
  • Register new RFID cards, manage Phoniebox settings, display system info and edit the wifi connection.
  • Covers displayed in the web app (files called cover.jpg).

Phoniebox Gallery
Caption Caption Caption Caption Caption Caption

See more innovation, upcycling and creativity in the Phoniebox Gallery or visit and share the project's homepage at phoniebox.de. There is also an english Phoniebox page.

Installation

  • Installation instructions for Raspbian Stretch are available in the docs folder.
  • You can also use the headless installation over ssh straight from a fresh SD card.
  • For a quick install procedure, take a look at the bash install script for Stretch. This should get you started quickly.
  • If you choose the step by step installation, you need to walk through the configuration steps for Stretch.
  • Once everything has been installed and configured, read the manual to change settings, register RFID cards, add audio: MANUAL.md

Adding push buttons to control volume, skipping tracks, pause, play: read the GPIO buttons installation guide.

Manual

In MANUAL.md you will learn:

Contributing improvements

The preferred way of code contributions are pull requests (follow this link for a small howto). And ideally pull requests using the "running code" on your Phoniebox. Alternatively, feel free to post tweaks, suggestions and snippets in the "issues" section.

Reporting bugs

If you find something that doesn't work. And you tried and tried again, but it still doesn't work, please report your issue in the "issues" section. Make sure to include information about the system and hardware you are using, like:

Raspberry ZERO, OS Jessie, Card reader lists as (insert here) when running scripts/RegisterDevice.py, installed Phoniebox version 0.9.3 (or: using latest master branch).

Troubleshooting

There is a growing section of troubleshooting including:

  • I want to improve the onboard audio quality
  • I am moving, how do I get the Phoniebox into my new WiFi network?
  • The RFID Reader doesn't seem to work.
  • Changing the volume does not work, but the playout works.
  • Script daemon_rfid_reader.py only works via SSH not by RFID cards.
  • Script daemon is closing down unexpectedly.
  • Everything seems to work, but I hear nothing when swiping a card.
  • I would like to use two cards / IDs to do the same thing.

Acknowledgments

There are many, many, many inspiring suggestions and solutions on the web to bring together the idea of a jukebox with RFID cards. I want to mention a few of these that have inspired me.

For my rendition of the RFID jukebox, I have forked two files from Francisco Sahli to register the RFID reader and read the ID from the cards with the python scripts Reader.py and RegisterDevice.py.

I also want to link to two proprietary and commercial projects, because they also inspired me. And they challenged me, because of their shortcomings in terms of openness and in the case of tonies, the lack of "ownership" of the audiobooks and plays you actually bought. However, both products are very well made.

Shopping list

Here is a list of equipment needed. Chances are that you will find most of it in the back of your drawers or at the bottom of some shoe box. Well, most of it, possibly not the RFID reader itself.