Sonntag, 3. Februar 2013

3. The RadioCard plays the music

Today I would like to explain you the intended mode of operation by means of the following diagram:

Overview diagram of the home network for DuinoSqueeze

First I will explain you the sequence of operation which a RadioCard represents. The RadioCard has a UID incl check sum (CS), as we we met short time ago:

254 72 152 209 255

Behind this card hides the Internet Radio Channel  MemoryhitsFM . So here we go

  1. The RFID reader will detect the card and sends the UID as a string 25472152209255 to the Arduino.
  2. The Arduino stores the UID and CS internally as a variable.
  3. The Arduino converts the string 25472152209255 into 254-72-152-209-255 . This string is our desired playlist number (PL-No.)!
  4. The Arduino now has a PL-No, to send it via Ethernet Shield to the music server: Logitech Media Server (formerly SqueezeCenter) . Where is the graph of the Logitech Media Server ? The Logitech Media Server "lives" in my home network to the NAS Synology 409 +. If you google the term Logitech Media Server, surely you will find a free version for Windows or Linux.
  5. The Logitech Media Server (from now on LMS) manages the communication to the connected media players- in the graph, the Squeezebox Touch and Squeezebox Classic (SB3).
  6. LMS checks, whether there is a playlist called 254-72-152-209-255.m3u in the database. Finding the right LMS Playlist, it sends the data stream to one or more players.
This is the simple operation of a RadioCard . The function of a CDCard or PlaylistCard is dealt in principle identical. Only the contents of the playlists are different. That is, when it is used, explained in more details.

In the Playlist 254-72-152-209-255.m3u you see (only) the following text:

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF: -1, - Memory Hits FM, DE
http:// www.surfmusik.de/m3u/memoryhits-fm, 13851.m3u

This playlist is created by me "by hand". For any other internet radio channel, the RadioCard works on the same principle.

This is all, to play the internet music!

In addition, there is a DeviceCard, with, if necessary, you may route the above data stream to other Squeezeboxes.