Recommendations for a radio receiver IC?

Using Arduino Project Guidance
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Hi folks—

I'm still learning my way around my Uno, but I'm getting pretty comfortable with things, and I have an idea for a project. I was hoping to get some advice.

The avant-garde composer John Cage has a piece called "Imaginary Landscape No. 4", scored for twelve radios. The score tells the performers how to adjust the tuning, volume, and timbre knobs on each radio over the course of the performance.

I'd like to build a little box that performs this piece whenever a button is pushed. Obviously, I'll need twelve radio receivers, and some way to mix the twelve audio signals down to one.

I have zero experience with these types of components, so I need a little help finding suitable models to order.

My requirements for the radio ICs:

  • If combination AM/FM receivers are available at a reasonable price, that would be ideal. (In this case, I would add an AM/FM switch to the device, so the user can select which band to use.) If not, I'll probably stick with FM for simplicity.
  • Stereo would be ideal, but mono will do in a pinch.
  • If ICs with integrated, digitally controlled EQ are available at a reasonable price, that would be one way to execute the "timbre" part of the piece. (Otherwise, I guess I'll have to do it as part of the mixdown.)
  • Cheaper is obviously better. As long as it meets the above requirements, I don't need any other frills.
  • I assume that some ICs output an analog audio signal, and others output a digital signal meant to be fed into DSP ICs? Whether I'm dealing with audio or digital audio signals will, obviously, determine how I need to approach the mixdown part of things. Are there analog and/or digital audio mixer ICs with (at least) twelve input channels (and, possibly, EQ capabilities)?

I don't mean to be lazy and shove my research off onto you guys—I'm just really new to this, and while I'm pretty sure I can build this given appropriate parts, I have no idea where to begin finding appropriate parts. I did some Googling, but, uh...I don't understand a lot of what I find.

Any guidance would be appreciated, even if it's just terms to search for (e.g., should I be searching for "FM radio tuner IC"? "radio receiver?" something else?). Specific recommendations for components to consider would be hugely appreciated.

If I get this thing built, I hope to open-source the design and code, to contribute back to the community a little. Thanks for reading!

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check these out

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Hmm. I guess I was expecting something more compact, like this.

Would I need twelve antennas for this project? Or would I be able to share a single antenna between all twelve receivers? I'm guessing the latter, but I wanted to make sure.

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I guess I was expecting something more compact, like this.

You still have to build that onto a PCB and add the other components round it.

Would I need twelve antennas for this project?

Yes.

Or would I be able to share a single antenna between all twelve receivers?

Direct connection would miss match the impedance and reduce the amplitude of the signal into each antenna. If you want to use one antenna then you have to have a buffer amplifier module with 12 outputs, rather like a distribution box.