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Self-contained touchscreen player

Benjamin Allen

August 08, 2017 15:43

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 I'm interested to put together a decently attractive touchscreen player with amp (essentially a Squeezebox Touch replacement), and looking for advice.

Components:

• Raspberry Pi
• HiFiBerry Amp/+
• 7" (ish) touch screen
• Attractive case
• Music (FLAC) from attached hard drive or NAS (with Ethernet or WiFi)
• RuneAudio - works well for me for a non-touch solution.

I see nice solutions/instructions online for putting together a Pi and touchscreen, and nice cases available. However, it doesn't look like they'd fit the Amp as well. And trying to build in a drive as well just complicates matters.

My limitations:

• No 3d printer or knowledge
• Have a soldering iron, but have never done anything finer than tinning speaker wire (and messily, at that)
• Not too handy.

If anyone has advice or can point me to help, I'm willing to (fumble and) learn and practice. (Also willing to pay a modest premium to someone who can deliver a complete solution.) Any help appreciated.

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13 comments

• 1
  
  Sameer G August 19, 2017 05:07

  HI ,

  You might like to have a look at the cases offered on line or may be get one fabricated to encompass the PI with the AMP

  http://linuxgizmos.com/rpi-based-music-player-has-touchscreen-and-high-end-dacs/

   

  Have a look at the above site , you might also think of making the above in a wood box , would be easy to get it done via any carpenter . If you are thinking for 3d printing , you will need to make a 3d Model for the printer. 

   

  Also have a look at the below blog

   https://www.hifiberry.com/build/guides/airplay-speaker-using-raspberry-pi-and-hifiberry-amp/

  I am planning to add a touch screen to the boom box later .

   

  Here is a step by step blog , might be similar to what you are planning to make

   

  http://lifehacker.com/build-a-touchscreen-music-player-with-a-raspberry-pi-1700721764

   

   

  Regards

  sameer

   

• 1
  
  Sameer G August 19, 2017 05:21

  also have a look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0CufyjhK_4

   

• 0
  
  Benjamin Allen August 21, 2017 19:05

  @Sameer

  Thanks! That's just the kind of thing I was looking for. Not quite perfect, but very close, and worth considering and learning from.

• 1
  
  Transporter November 21, 2017 17:48

  I am using the Smarticase System. They make a display case that holds the display and RPI plus whatever Hat one wants to use.

  I now have a 7 inch Squeezebox Touch and another unit that is a 7 inch Squeezebox Touch with 30 watts out from a HiFiBerry AMP2. Their kits even include the needed extended ribbon cable to make install simple.

  https://smarticase.com/products/smartipi-touch

  Have a look.

• 0
  
  Benjamin Allen November 24, 2017 09:54

  @Transporter

  Thanks; I've just ordered a Smarticase, deep back, Pi 3, touchscreen, and HifiBerry Amp2. Thoughts on a good power supply supplying 12-24V?

   

• 1
  
  Transporter November 24, 2017 14:42

  Hi Benjamin

  I use one of two power supplies depending on where and who will be using the Unit. If it is out in the open with easy access for children and pets I use this power supply from Amazon without any of the adapters because the plug on the end is the correct one for the AMP2 (easiest to use, no wiring required):

  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076KQLVR3/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

  If the Unit is only going to be around adults or in a cabinet plus one doesn't mind wiring a wall plug and power leads to the AMP2, then I use the Mean Well LRS 100-15 and turn the voltage adjustment all the way up. There is only a slight advantage to using this PS over the unit from Amazon which is that the lead and line lengths will be custom lengths and this PS lets the AMP2 get that last little bit of maximum RMS out (there isn't that much difference but this PS has more current head room then the brick).

   

• 0
  
  Benjamin Allen November 25, 2017 13:40

  @Transporter,

  Thanks. Just adults here, but the Amazon supply should be enough based on your description, so I ordered that as well. Looking forward to putting it all together.

   

• 0
  
  Benjamin Allen December 04, 2017 03:22

  @Transporter

  I suppose I'm displaying my ignorance, but ... the SmartiPi case includes a Y splitter for a micro USB power connector. The Sunydeal power supply comes with a host of tip options, but none of them is micro USB. How does one get power from the power brick to the touchscreen? Use a USB A to micro USB cable at the same time, drawing from the Sunydeal? Or just a separate low voltage power supply?

  Edited by Benjamin Allen December 04, 2017 03:32
• 1
  
  Transporter December 05, 2017 22:06

  @ Benjamin

  Everything is powered off the AMP2. The AMP2 obviously and its GPIO header powers the RPi and Display. You don't have to do anything to get power to the RPi as when you push the AMP2 down on the header the AMP2 provides the 3.3 VDC to the RPi. So the red jumper goes from the 5 VDC pin on the small board on the back of the display as does the black jumper to the ground pin. Next the red jumper is placed onto Pin 2 of the GPIO header (5VDC) and the black jumper to Pin 6 of the GPIO header (GRD). The AMP2 gets the stock tip on the Sundial PS (no Adapter) as the tip that the adapters would go onto is in fact a P1J barrel connector which the AMP2 uses IE just use the connector on the end of the cable without any adapters. So just press the stock tip into the socket on the AMP2 (do not connect anything to the power screw terminals next to the speaker terminal outputs. There is only one power source, and the Y cable is not needed nor are the green and yellow jumpers.

  This website helps with the Pin numbering and cable locations (but DO NOT mount the RPi on top of the Display circuit board as that is for using an RPi and display as a computer). The RPi will be off to the side with the AMP2 on top of it which is why you must use the red and black jumpers plus the extended video ribbon cable. Also note that the instructions talk about keyboard command plus mounting the video circuit card on the back of the display when most displays now come with the board already mount so again skip the part about mounting the RPi to the display circuit board.

  https://www.element14.com/community/docs/DOC-78156/l/raspberry-pi-7-touchscreen-display

  Just always remember as you are building this that the RPi and AMP2 are going to end up on the far most right of the Smarticase as looking from it from the back.

   

  Enjoy.

• 0
  
  Benjamin Allen December 06, 2017 12:57

  @Transporter

  Thanks! That's exactly the kind of step by step I needed. Looking forward to putting it all together this weekend.

• 0
  
  Transporter December 06, 2017 16:17

  @ Benjamin

  You're welcome, hope it helps. I'll be around this weekend and will look in from time to time if you have additional questions or run into a problem. Enjoy your project!

• 0
  
  Benjamin Allen December 23, 2017 19:32

  @Transporter

  Sorry for silence; it took quite a bit longer for my Amp2 to arrive than I anticipated.

  On the plus side, I followed your careful directions, and ... success!

  I only had to take everything apart two times due to foolishness. Lessons learned

  1. Put the SD card in first - it's not accessible once the Pi is in place.

  2. Hook up the jumper wires up before putting the screen in the case - same reason.

  I'm absurdly pleased at having been able to (mostly) follow simple instructions, and that a 20 minute project only took an hour or two. Music!

  Thanks very much for all the help. I was expecting this to take me weeks, and it might have without you.

   

• 0
  
  Transporter December 28, 2017 22:33

  @ Benjamin Allen

  Just happy I was able to help and make your project easier but more importantly a success! Forums and Community Boards are the life blood of these type projects as they help both the purchasers of a company's products as well as the Company by keeping it healthy with sales and happy project builders. Happy New Years and now - - -

  Enjoy the Music!

   

  Transporter