# Cheap MP3 player



## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Hey all,
I spotted this today:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/MP3-1/MP3-PLAYER-W/MICRO-SD-CARD-AND-READER/1.html
Good price, I plan to get a couple and test them for hackability/remote triggering.


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## halstaff (Nov 18, 2009)

Those look interesting. I'm anxious to see what you come up with.


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## Thisaintmayberry (Aug 23, 2010)

I bought two of these last year and used them for my static background sounds - One ran my thunder and lightning track for my Hauntmaster box and the other was cemetery sounds. These units play beginning to end and are not track programmable. I used cards that were big enough to record all my sounds for the night. Hit play once and let it run; the battery lasted all night. The "audio out" is a headphone jack so you have to play with the sound level/amp gain a little to get the best distortion free response. Overall, I was very happy with them.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Thanks for the review, that helps. My plan is to see if there's a way to hack these for on-demand sound, single MP3 file. I read a review on the AE site that said that the player will reset to the start of the first track if power is recycled. That will be helpful, as long as the Start button can be modded. A lot of them are press-and-hold types. I've hacked that type of trigger before, but its a pain.


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## Thisaintmayberry (Aug 23, 2010)

The PDF user manual was available from the AE website at the time I bought mine. I have a copy if needed, but it's too big to post. I do remember two problems with trying to use the player in a prop: 1st, turning the unit off by interrupting battery power would pause the track being played and turning it back on would resume the same track from the paused position. 2nd, cycling the power would reset the volume to the factory default level. Same problems using the buttons on the player. Those were the reasons I elected to use mine for static play. 

A play from start mod would be very useful, but over my head to perform. I would be interested to see what you come up with.


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

if you loop the MP3 and cut power to the speakers that would work also


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

Otaku said:


> Thanks for the review, that helps. My plan is to see if there's a way to hack these for on-demand sound, single MP3 file. I read a review on the AE site that said that the player will reset to the start of the first track if power is recycled. That will be helpful, as long as the Start button can be modded. A lot of them are press-and-hold types. I've hacked that type of trigger before, but its a pain.


:jollease post whatever you figure out...pain or not...I am dying to try it...


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Thisaintmayberry said:


> Turning the unit off by interrupting battery power would pause the track being played and turning it back on would resume the same track from the paused position. 2nd, cycling the power would reset the volume to the factory default level.


I went back and checked this review:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/MP3-1/MP3-PLAYER-W/MICRO-SD-CARD-AND-READER/1.html
(5th review on this page)
I still need to confirm this, but it looks like recycling the power (equivalent to removing/replacing the battery altogether) resets the player to the start of the 1st recorded track. Don't know about the volume setting change, but I'll take your word for it. That shouldn't really be an issue; as long as it's a constant just compensate with whatever speakers you're using. Since it will be at the same level every time the player starts, no issue, you know what you'll be getting.
Recycling power in this way is easy with a timed relay, the trick is probably getting it to start playing on demand. Perhaps a permanent short on the Play button would work?
Unless starting playback requires a press-hold-release sequence on the Play button...that's where the pain comes in...but sometimes pain can be fun, too...


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## The_Caretaker (Mar 6, 2007)

I bought one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Fashoi...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item2a29c22ff4 for my train tombstone, see my youtube channel below. When it powers up it start playing the first mp3


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Hey T_C,
This sounds better than what I found. Good price, too. Does the player actually start playing the first track whe the battery is re-inserted, or is there a Play button involved?


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## JeffHaas (Sep 7, 2010)

Otaku,

I have one of those mp3 players - the battery is built-in. Here's my thread on how I resurrected the player after the battery died:
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=31689

Honestly, the Sansa player is much higher quality than these cheapie give-away players they have now. It used the same chip as in the Sansa Clip player - I have one of those and it sounds great. And the ability to use regular batteries is a plus. Take a look at this review:
http://anythingbutipod.com/2008/10/sandisk-sansa-slotmusic-player-review/

Jeff


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Hey Jeff,
Thanks for the links - I'll check them out. So those players that The Caretaker posted are trade show giveaways, not surprised at that price. What I'm really trying to find is 
one that can do this:

Reset to the start of the first track after power is recycled;
NOT have a "press-hold-release" playback start requirement;
if the volume control resets after power off/on, no problem as long as it goes to the same level each time.

I'm trying to avoid having to use two timers to get on-demand playback. I've used that method on other players, and though it's reliable, it's a hassle to build the circuit. Hopefully I'll find one that allows the Play button to be shorted permanently, and starts playing when power is restored. A simple one-shot timer would do the job.
Access to the battery is important, and the Sansa player wouldn't present any problems in that regard.
I think I'll order a couple of them and start hackin' !
More to come...


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## The_Caretaker (Mar 6, 2007)

Start playing when power is applied just used a zener to bring down the voltage to 3.6 volts


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

The_Caretaker said:


> Start playing when power is applied just used a zener to bring down the voltage to 3.6 volts


You use the diode as a voltage divider? Is that to allow a greater range of power sources? Just wondering...I typically use a resistor pair, sometimes one fixed + one trimpot, with values dependent on the current needed for the device I'm powering.


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## The_Caretaker (Mar 6, 2007)

yes I use 12 volt dc to power my haunt so I need to bring the voltage down


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