TeCoEd (Teaching Computing Education)
  • Home
    • Freelance
    • Book
    • Downloading
  • Python
    • Learn Python >
      • Python Modules
    • PyGame Zero
    • Python Programs >
      • Higher or Lower
      • Magic Calculator
      • Password Checker
      • Python Pit
    • What's News App
    • Pixels to Cells
    • Python Mosaics
    • Python OCR
    • L-1-AM
    • Web Scraping >
      • Scraping Trains
    • Weather App
    • Snakes and Windows
    • Python Web Server >
      • Flask
    • Python Picks
  • Ras Pi
    • All About the Pi
    • Getting Started
    • Remote Desktop and VNC
    • Static IP Address
    • Sonic Pi >
      • 3.14
    • Twitter Feed >
      • Tweepy
    • Android & Pi >
      • Advanced Apps
      • Odds
    • A.I on the the Pi
    • CRON
    • Pick Your Own
  • Pi Hardware
    • Pi HATS >
      • Sense Hat Hacks
      • AstroPi HAT
      • Unicorn-HAT >
        • Unicorn Alphabet Disco
        • Uni Codes / Programs
      • Skywriter
      • Piano HAT
    • STS Pi
    • Pi Camera >
      • Pi-Cam, Python & Email >
        • Time Lapse
      • Pi Noir
    • Pipsta >
      • Flask, Input & Printers
    • Raspberry Pi Power >
      • Energenie IR power
    • Pibrella
    • Distance Sensor
    • LCD Screen
    • Pi-Tooth
    • Robot Arm
    • PiGlow
    • PiFM
    • Accelerometer
    • PiFace >
      • Installing PiFace >
        • Python Commands
  • Pi-Hacks
    • Drone Hacks
    • Pi Glue Gun Hack
    • Blinkt!
    • Sonic Pixels
    • R2D2
    • Get to the chopper
    • Astro Bird
    • Twitter Translator
    • Hacking a Robot
    • Nature_Box >
      • Best Nature Photos
    • Wearable Tech >
      • Project New York
      • P.N.Y Part 2 Health
      • P.N.Y Part 3 Games
      • P.N.Y Part 4 Translation
    • Dino-Tweet
    • Other Links
  • Pi-Hacks 2
    • The Joker
    • Hologram Machine
    • Google Vision: Camera Tell
    • Yoda Tweets
    • Pi Phone
    • Darth Beats
    • Twitter Keyword Finder
    • Crimbo Lights Hack
    • Xmas Elf
    • Halloween 2016
    • Halloween Hack 2015
    • Socrative Zombie
    • Voice Translation
    • The Blue-Who Finder
    • GPIO, Twitter
    • Pi Chat Bot >
      • Dictionary Definitions
    • PiGlow & Email
    • Pibrella Alarm System
    • SMS with Python >
      • Spooking a Mobile
  • Pi-Hacks 3
    • LED Dance Suit
    • Ferminal
    • Crypto Tracker
    • David Bowie
    • Lamp Prank >
      • TEST
    • Yoda FM
    • Retro Player
    • LED Pixel Art
    • TARDIS
    • Battleships
    • LED Board
    • Night Vision
    • Enviro+ Weather
  • Minecraft
    • Minecraft API
    • Minecraft Sweeper
    • PiGlove: Minecraft Power Up
    • Minecraft Photo-booth
    • Rendering Pixels
    • Speed Cube
    • Lucky Dip
  • Computing
    • Why Computing?
    • Can You Compute
    • micro:bit
    • Coding Resources
    • Learn to Code >
      • Coding with iPads
      • Apps Creation Tools
      • sKratchInn
      • Sound Editing
    • Cheat Sheets
    • Theory
    • HOUR OF CODING
    • BEBRAS Computing Challange
    • Computer Facts
    • Free Software and Links
  • Contact Me
  • Random Hacks
    • Movile
Darth Beats started off as a Lego mini figure alarm clock, which you can still buy from all major retailers.  The Pi Zero W is the perfect size to embed into projects and boasts both WiFi and Bluetooth.  The pirates at Pimoroni have created the awesome speakerpHAT, which adds portable audio to your Pi. These two pieces of hardware combined with an old Lord Vader, sat on a shelf gathering dust, equal a winning project,
"Darth Vader MP3 Player - VaderBeats"

The most challenging part of the project, which tested my resilience and perseverance. was fitting all the hardware, (Pi, speaker pHAT, wires, more wires, buttons) into such a small space, which measures only 6 x 3 x 3 cm.  I had to use the Dremel tool to remove a lot of the insides and make room for the Pi and other hardware.  This was going well until the SD card still protruded too much.   The wires also had to be soldered, de-soldered, cut and resized and re soldered to ensure that all them would fit neatly into the space and still work.  

Then the power cable needed fitting which meant that the Pi had to be rotated to ensure that the microUSB pointed upward.  At one stage I managed to successful embed and fit in all the kit and close the case, only to discover that I had left Lord Vader's arms off!

The main MP3 program is coded in Python and makes use of PyGame to control the MP3s and adjust the volume.  The awesome GPIO Zero library adds functionality to the physical buttons  and enables you to turn off or shutdown the MP3 Player when you are finished.  A simple file server Droopy, is used to created a web based file upload system to allow all users to upload and add more MP3s.  Finally a crontab lists the programs to run at boot up so that Vader Beats automatically starts on powering up the Raspberry Pi.   "What is they bidding my Master?"

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.