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Inexpensive Do It Yourself MP3 Players

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the if-you-feel-like-doing-some-hacking dept.

Paul pointed us to his MP3 Player Project. Now I admit, we've seen a lot of them, but this one is basically kit oriented for the do-it-yourselfer. For as little as $140 you can get a box of parts. For a bit more, a fully assembled board. Basically, put it in a box, add RAM, IDE hard drive (up to 80 gigs!) and power it and you have your own MP3 server. Its flash rom upgradable (and based on a core that is GPLd) and just looks uber pimp. I'm really interested to see what folks do with these things. It is ready for cars or homes. All it needs is some creative juice.

10 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. Floor-standing Jukebox by Izaak · · Score: 3
    My current project is to build a floor standing MP3 jukebox (like you would find in a tavern). It will be styled like a classic wurlitzer... crossed with an alien artifact (ala H.R. Giger). I'm shaping the exterior out of epoxy resin painted over an inverse mold made of styrofoam. After scooping out most of the styrofoam, the interior will be loaded with a linux computer and monitor. The sound will pipe through my stereo, and the entire thing will be controlled by two big dials and three buttons (which will be interpreted as mouse input by a custom written interface).

    I'll be documenting the entire thing on a web page as the project gets farther along. I have all the materials, and the custom software is 75% written. Should I try to create downloadable plans so anyone can reproduce this thing?

    Cheers,

    Thad

    --

    The Bolachek Journals

  2. VA's stock is up... by FascDot+Killed+My+Pr · · Score: 4

    That's the only explanation I can think of for calling $140 + $50 + $250 "inexpensive".
    --
    Linux MAPI Server!
    http://www.openone.com/software/MailOne/

    --
    Linux MAPI Server!
    http://www.openone.com/software/MailOne/
    (Exchange Migration HOWTO coming soon)
  3. Re: I've been trying by double_h · · Score: 3

    Anyone have *any* idea how to get a volume knob to tweak software?

    You might have some luck hacking the guts of an old mouse (or better still, a game controller with some sort of potentiometer) to get something that you could bolt onto the backside of a knob. Eschewing a volume knob in favor of some buttons would be even easier.

    You might find some other ideas at the build your own arcade controls FAQ which, like your proposed project, deals with the question of attaching non-standard input hardware to a PC.

  4. Mp3Box better option by Bryan_Crowl · · Score: 3

    I would rather just fork out the extra money and build one of these

    --
    Someday, we'll look back on this, laugh nervously and change the subject.
  5. Minidisc by geoffeg · · Score: 5

    I believe this would be a good time to plug Minidisc... Please stand by as I climb on my little soap box and starting raving and ranting..

    Minidisc's have been around for years and for now, I believe them superior to portable/personal mp3 units in many ways:
    1) 74 or 80 Minutes of media/music for around $2 a disc compared to around $200 for a 64 meg expansion for most mp3 players.

    2) You can buy tons of blank minidiscs and record your favorite songs to them and take them on road trips and such. With most non-hard drive mp3 units you have to use a laptop or desktop system with the correct transfer software and accesss to your mp3's when you want to change the songs.

    3) Most portable mini-disc units can record (digitally and analog) and playback. Want to go record that live performance of the Backdoor Boys or Britney Arguilera, take your minidisc recorder and a mic with you in your pocket.

    4) Most smaller portable minidisc units are around the same size as the popular mp3 units.

    5) Edit songs on the fly. Most minidisc units allow editing of the media on the disc. This includes slitting, combining, re-ordering and deleting songs.

    There are of course a few down-side of minidisc compared to mp3 but since I'm preaching for minidisc, there's no way I'm going to mention those here..

    Check out http://www.minidisc.org for more information..

    Thank you, and have a nice day! :)

  6. WTF? by Enoch+Root · · Score: 4
    just looks uber pimp

    What the hell is that supposed to mean? Have you been hanging out with gangsta rappers or something???

    Rob, you're losing touch with your inner geek, it's not even funny... Add to this the fact you're once again rubbing your money in our face, and I'm wondering if you won't rename Slashdot 'News for nouveau riches. Stuff that costs a leg' soon.

    1. Re:WTF? by Enoch+Root · · Score: 3

      I'd rather not listen to Jeff and Rob sound drunk over badly-sampled webcasts, thank you!

  7. Inexpensive? by Shotgun · · Score: 4

    $140 to do it yourself? And that's just for the circuit board that doesn't yet support the DRAM. You still have to provide a hard drive ($100) a power supply ($20) and the memory ($20). So the actual cost is $300 for a very fragile homemade unit.

    Thanks, but no. For now, I keep converting MP3s to CDs and use my $50 Walkman.

    Now, as a hobbyist demo, this is cool, but hobby projects aren't done on the basis of cost.

    --
    Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
    Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba
  8. Network Filesystem and NIC by kevlar · · Score: 3

    This would be perfect if you could have a built in NIC that can mount an SMB file system or NFS. Combine that with an LCD, and you've got the perfect interface for your stereo with mp3's without having to keep a klunky computer or expensive laptop around....

  9. Just wondering... by DrEldarion · · Score: 3

    Why spend 3 times as much when you can get an MP3/CD player for about $130? Works great, and you can use it just like any other portable CD player.

    -- Dr. Eldarion --