This might not be the best place to post but I figure there are a lot of like-minded tinkerers here who may have a solution, whether DIY or store bought.

I’m trying to figure out a way to set up a very basic and simple to use speaker/media player for my special needs kiddo to use in her room. Something akin to a '90s boombox with a burned CD inside of it but with modern features like Spotify connectivity and a smaller package.

Ideally, this would have a speaker and minimal controls like play/pause, skip, FF/RWD. My goal would be to have a basic device that she could use to play a dedicated Spotify playlist (or MP3 files to simplify but less preferable) without having to pair devices, load an app (apart from the initial configuration), turn multiple devices on, or basically do anything other than turning the device on and hitting play.

I’ve been using HA for a couple years now and have recently tried setting up the Spotify integration (and third-party add-ons like Spotcast) with the hopes of cobbling something together but found it’s pretty clunky and doesn’t even load my playlists or start playback half the time.

The end product doesn’t need to be smart or connect to HA, so I’m willing to entertain any potential solution.

  • deegeese@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    7·
    1 year ago

    I know this is a HA sub, but if you want it to just work and be dead simple, you might want to get a cheap Sonos speaker like the Ikea bookshelf speaker and use the Sonos app to queue up whatever playlist you like.

    If left on, the kid can use the play/pause button and double tap it to skip.

    Sonos portable models would work too, but more expensive for what you get.

    Sonos integrates well with HA in case you want to set up fancier automations.

    • CmdrShepard@lemmy.oneOPEnglish
      3·
      1 year ago

      Thanks for the recommendation! If I were to queue up the playlist and leave the speaker on, it’d stay on that playlist and be available at any time? That sounds perfect for what I need.

      • Sidewayshighways@yall.theatl.socialEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        Has anyone tried the BluOS stuff? Interested to see if it works with home assistant. Plus, Sonos is tough on long term customers, especially with any kind of control integration involved.

        • stilgar [he/him] @infosec.pubEnglish
          2·
          1 year ago

          Bluesound is great IMO, no built in microphones which was important for me, good sound, integrates well with HA.

          I’ve got a smaller speaker in the kitchen and a larger one in the lounge.

  • Faceman🇦🇺@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    2·
    1 year ago

    I don’t know what type of disabilities your little one has but I was looking into this for my grandma when she was struggling to use things due to physical and mental decline and ended up with the “Relish Simple Music Player” which is a dead simple desktop radio with limited controls and preconfigurable presets for FM/dab stations or playlists from a memory card, **but it had no smart features or streaming. ** not really kid optimised but it’s good to know there are devices out there that are specifically designed for various disabilities.

    As for DIY smart HA based solutions, a compatible device like a google home mini or similar (or any active speaker with a compatable receiver plugged in, or a Sonos One SL or something if you are OK with that) and some simple control device like one of those zigbee scene controllers (like these), the standard spotify integration, plus a bit of automation/scripting or a tiny bit of nodered could become a simple and effective little jukebox.

    • CmdrShepard@lemmy.oneOPEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Thanks for the reply. The Relish player looks like a good candidate though for the price I can try out the Ikea Sonos Bookshelf speaker mentioned in the other reply integrated with HA like you suggested. It might even be perfect to set it up with a scene controller like this provided I can get the Spotify/Spotcast integrations working properly.

      • Faceman🇦🇺@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        I personally haven’t had any issue with the standard spotify integration when calling it from automations or scripts, so I suspect it can be made to work pretty well when just having a button call up a premade playlist or something. then one button could maybe be left free for a simple play/stop function.

        • CmdrShepard@lemmy.oneOPEnglish
          1·
          1 year ago

          I’ll have to dive into again now that I have an idea of devices to look into. It’s definitely possible that I just don’t have things configured correctly.