Thread by @t0m_fr

(Re-)Introducing my upcycled Sony FX-300 "Jackal" radio from 1978.

Teensy + ESP32 powered, 2.8" IPS display and feature packed! Bluetooth, FM radio, recorder, and more ✨

Starting a short 🧵 with additional videos (some details in captions), and code link at the end! ⤵️

What is this thing exactly? Let's roll back for context.

The 2021 origin story is here: threadreaderapp.com/thread/1465465…

In the 2024 sequel I rebuilt it from scratch around I2C and I2S, adding a ton of new features, here's the thread: x.com/t0m_fr/status/…

Here's a demo of the FM radio, another feature from the original project, only this time it actually works 😅

RDS takes a few seconds to stabilize, which I didn't have here, so don't mind the gibberish. Bitcrusher filter from the 2021 is still here too for 8bit 5kHz hifi sound!

Now if you flip the device power switch in the opposite direction, you get a brand new mode: recorder! Hold the orange button to record via the internal mic.

Data is saved as WAV in an internal SD card and can be retrieved (rather slowly) via USB using the Teensy's MTP mode.

Toggle the "band" button to enter player mode, in which you can browse recorded messages by descending date. Useful for maintaining a captain's log in a spaceship for example. Or for a 5 year old kid. Realtime bitcrusher filter still works here, in case you need extra drama.

Ok, I've covered almost everything but there's one last secret feature to show before wrapping up 😎

Suppose you're 5+ years old, and happen to intensely love a somewhat limited set of tracks. Suppose you don't necessarily have a Bluetooth thing to pair the Jackal with, nor do you find FM stations matching your taste. We got you. Hold my Amiibo.

Here's how it works: tap an NFC tag on top of the Jackal. If not recognized, the display will show its id. Drop files over USB in a folder named with this id, and next time this NFC is tapped, audio will start playing, no matter what mode the Jackal is in. 1 Amiibo = 1 playlist.

And that's about it, thanks for reading through my entire thread :)

As promised, here's the code. It's all rather specific, but hopefully it can help inspire others. Explore it to understand how its all wired ➡️ github.com/t0mg/jackal

@threadreaderapp unroll please