What you need
You can build a Lauschkiste in an afternoon. Nothing needs soldering for the basic version.
The computer
Section titled “The computer”Lauschkiste needs a small computer that stays on in the corner. You do not have to buy a Raspberry Pi for it, and Pis are not cheap any more. The choices, roughly from cheapest to most comfortable:
| Computer | Good for | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| What you already have: an old laptop, a mini PC, a spare PC | trying it, or a box with a screen and speakers built in | Any 64 bit Linux PC works: On a PC, laptop or mini PC. Often the cheapest start. |
| Raspberry Pi Zero W | a very small, cheap box | Works and is tested, but slow: the install takes about ten minutes longer, the web page opens slowly, and a screen is out of the question. No headphone jack: sound needs a small amplifier board, a USB sound card or Bluetooth. |
| Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W | the same, but faster | Four cores instead of one, same size and same missing headphone jack. A good small box. Not tested by us yet. |
| Raspberry Pi 3 B / 3 B+ | the all-rounder | Fast enough for everything including a small touch screen. Has a headphone jack and USB. Tested, and our recommendation if you buy one, or if you find one second-hand. |
| Raspberry Pi 4 | a screen on the box, many streams | More than the box needs, but fine. A second-hand one is a good find. |
| Raspberry Pi 5 | nothing extra | Works in principle, but costs more, needs a stronger power supply, has no headphone jack and brings nothing the box needs. |
| Older Pi 1 or Pi 2 | if one sits in a drawer | Slow like the Zero W. |
Recommendation: use a computer you already have for the first try. For a box to give away, a Pi 3 B (second-hand is fine) or a Pi Zero 2 W is the sweet spot; take the Pi 3 if you want a headphone jack or a screen. Prices change a lot, so look at the shops before you decide.
The other parts
Section titled “The other parts”| Part | What for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A microSD card, 16 GB or more (Pi only) | the box’s memory | Music takes space; a bigger card holds more. Other computers use their own disk. |
| A power supply (Pi only) | The one that fits your Pi model. | |
| Speakers | Active speakers with a headphone plug, a USB speaker, or a small amplifier board, see sound cards. A laptop has its own. | |
| An RFID reader (optional) | reads the cards | Only if you want cards. The easy start is a USB reader. Readers that you wire to the Pi are described in RFID readers. |
| RFID cards, stickers or key fobs (optional) | one per album, book or station | Buy ones that match the reader’s frequency (125 kHz or 13.56 MHz). |
Without a reader the box is played from the web page on a phone or tablet, with buttons or with a screen: cards are one way to control the box, not a must. See The box is running.
On the box itself you need a user with administrator rights (sudo); see Install. You also need a computer, tablet or phone in the same WiFi to open the web page that controls the box, and, for a Pi, a
way to write the SD card (a computer with a card slot or a card reader).
What you do not need
Section titled “What you do not need”- No screen or keyboard on the box. Everything is set up from your computer.
- No programming. You type a few commands once, copy and paste is enough.
Before you start
Section titled “Before you start”- Decide on a name for the box, for example
lauschkiste. It becomes the address of the web page. - Have your WiFi name and password at hand.
- Put your music in folders on your computer, one folder per album or audiobook.
Next: Install. On a PC or laptop instead of a Pi: On a PC, laptop or mini PC.