Arduino and mp3 player

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) General Frequently-Asked Questions
1

So I've seen a bunch of posts about buying an audio shield or taking apart an existing MP3 player to get an arduino to be able to send a signal to play a sound file. However, is it theoretically possible to do this:

have an mp3 player be playing a sound file on a loop and hooked up to a set of speakers. The connection between the headphone jack and the speakers wouldn't be "closed" until the arduino sends a signal to close it based on a sensor or whatever (and thus you would start to hear the sound through the speakers once that signal is sent and the connection between the headphones and speakers would be complete). That way you wouldn't have to tear apart an mp3 player and wouldn't have to buy a shield. I'm looking for a really really inexpensive way to do this.

Would appreciate any thoughts...

2

If you have a very long looping track then yeah, in theory you could do this.

Mowcius

3

Not sure why you want a long looping track, but yes you could do it like this and use an analogue multiplexer to mute the audio or switch it through.

4

Thanks everyone. I realize this may not be the best way to do things, but does anyone have any ideas on how to trigger a sound device via arduino without buying any special boards (sheilds, etc) or communicating with the player via serial (because I think that requires some sort of serial break out board and/or taking apart the mp3 player, right?

Sorry, new to all this arduino stuff (but it is very very cool)

5

any ideas on how to trigger a sound device via arduino without buying any special boards (sheilds, etc) or communicating with the player via serial

Power of the mind!!!

Don't be silly, it depends on what inputs your sound generating device has. You have to know that before you can see if an arduino can replicate it with or without extra hardware.