Here is a project going around in my mind... It will most probably never go anywhere beyond that, but here are notes and thoughts.
The goal would be to build an integrated all-in-one music player/streamer with plenty of features, but still relatively simple and with a low cost.
WORK IN PROGRESS (MAYBE)
Features
- Plug-in speakers, plug-in media storage, plug-in power, play music
- Small footprint
- Hi-Fi component look with volume control and IR remote capability
- Plays all music formats (non-DRM)
- Built-in 24/192 DAC
- Built-in 35W Class D amp - Speakers terminals
- Line level output - RCA terminal - For use with discrete amplification
- 10/100 Ethernet wired network connectivity
- Wi-Fi network connectivity
- Possible Bluetooth (but no Apt-X...)
- Local or network (Windows, NFS shares) music files
- Built-in Raspberry Pi 3 computer
- Possible 7" touchscreen integration
- Lollypop music management app on touchscreen or remote
- MPD server - Pretty well regarded, provides mobile device remote
- Squeezebox server and player for easy mutli-room
- UPNP - Play from anything not Apple
- Apple AirPlay - Play from your iPhone/iPad/Mac
Components
Hardware
Case
Something not looking like a computer component, but like a Hi-Fi component.
External connectivity
All serious looking stuff for audio, plus network and storage connectivity
Touchscreen
Internals
Processing power, DAC, amplifier and electrical power
Software
- Raspbian Linux operating system
- Lollypop music management and player
- Music Player Daemon - MPD
- Logitech Media Server - LMS - Squeezebox server
- Squeezebox client
- Shareplay for Apple Airplay
- Some UPNP implementation to be chosen
Options
- CD drive for playing and ripping
Cost
| Item | Qty | Unit | Total |
| Case | 1 | £58.00 | £58.00 |
| Rotary encoder | 1 | £2.00 | £2.00 |
| IR receiver | 1 | £2.00 | £2.00 |
| Banana sockets x4 | 1 | £7.50 | £7.50 |
| RCA sockets x2 | 1 | £3.90 | £3.90 |
| USB socket | 2 | £4.64 | £9.28 |
| Ethernet socket | 1 | £4.40 | £4.40 |
| WiFi dongle and antenna | 1 | £4.50 | £4.50 |
| WiFi connector and pigtail | 1 | £1.24 | £1.24 |
| 7" Touchscreen | 1 | £57.59 | £57.59 |
| Raspberry Pi 3 | 1 | £35.99 | £35.99 |
| Pi-DAC+ | 1 | £30.00 | £30.00 |
| Pi-AMP+ FOR Pi-DAC+ | 1 | £40.00 | £40.00 |
| 19v POWER BRICK (65w / 3.4amp) | 1 | £20.00 | £20.00 |
| Software | 1 | £- | £- |
| Total | £276.40 |