Adding sound?

[revwarguy]

I need to add sound to a project. I have done quite a bit of Arduino project work, so using a pro mini or a teensy makes sense (in may case, a small form factor is pretty much required) along with a daughter card of some sort that has a SD card socket and an mp3/audio amplifier to drive a small speaker.

My need to is be able copy a (preferably large) number of mp3 files onto the SD card and have them play either randomly or in order, continuously or at the press of a button. I have no problem wiring up this configuration or writing the software to make this happen.

Before I do this, however, I need to say that I am new to the modelling scene (well, actually quite old to it - my first model was circa 1966 but I have been out of this space for a long time) and I suspect that this is something for which there must already be a solution. I asked a friend about his train set, and he said there are boards with the sound already in them, but nothing he knew of that was a more general solution like what I've described.

So, before I re-invent the wheel here, do any of you know of something like what I need?

Also, I have been impressed with the quality of speakers that exist in tablets and phones for their size, so I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them.
TIA,

[tengel]

I can recommend the df mini player:
https://www.dfrobot.com/wiki/index.php/ ... KU:DFR0299

[revwarguy]

Yeah, that is one of the options I am looking at. I was hoping that someone had done an even smaller form factor single board solution, but I guess something like that will have to do. My I ask you what speaker you used and if your recommended board had enough power to drive it well enough, or did you need an additional amplifier? Any pics of your implementation?

[Styrofoam_Guy]

I have used the Mini USB 64M bit Serial SPI FLASH MP3 Voice Amplifier Module with some success with am Arduino Nano.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181924156736?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

[revwarguy]

I have used the Mini USB 64M bit Serial SPI FLASH MP3 Voice Amplifier Module with some success with am Arduino Nano.

Thanks, Styrofoam_Guy,
It too seems to have a 3W into 4 ohm amp on board. Was this enough sound for you, and what speaker did you use?

[TurkeyVolumeGuessingMan]

While this is not what the OP is looking for, for others who are interested, I recently bought a 5-button sound card that can hold up to 200 seconds of sound total from Big Dawg's Greetings. My friend used one of these to add sound to one of his models... I think it was the Revellogram Colonial Viper, IIRC.

I haven't fiddled around with mine yet. It uses a USB interface and a proprietery software to add .mp3 files to the sound card.

[Styrofoam_Guy]

I was playing around with a 1" speaker and it was OK but I think it has to be louder in room that has some background noise to it.

I was playing with programming the starting lighting sequence of the Refit and wanted to add the audio portion of the movie. I have not tried a larger speaker yet.

I tried the Big Dawg items and decently priced but the one I got was limited to the amount of sound I could get on it. I had to downgrade the quality to fit on it. I was trying to use it in a Ghostbusters Pack and the memory as not enough to put the Ghostbuster theme on it.

The item I posted can also be configured to run off momentary switches without the need of an Arduino.

[revwarguy]

Just to follow up, a new board is available - plays mp3s off of either a USB flash drive or an SD card and runs off of 3.7-5.4 volts and includes a 2W amp on board for just $5.39 No Arduino needed, it is controlled by a few switches that may be easily remoted.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Flash-Drive ... 2749.l2649

Haven't tried it yet, but will report when I have it up.