Summary
- This project gives a 1968 Grundig RF116 new life as a networked speaker with Louder-ESP32 and ESPHome.
- The front switches pick playlists and power; three dials control volume, EQ, and track.
- WS2812B LEDs reproduce the original backlit lamp, creating a cool modernization of classic hardware.
Usually, we see SBCs and microcontrollers used to create new things, but you can also use them to breathe new life into old hardware. Such is the case with this 1968 Grundig Musikgerät RF116, which, presumably, had stopped working, so someone took it upon themselves to bring it into the 21st century with an ESP32.
This modernized Grundig Musikgerät RF116 has a new lease on life
Yes, the buttons and dials all do things
This cool little project was the idea of SramAtlov, who gave us a look at how it works on the ESP32 subreddit. They turned a radio from the 60s into a modern-day speaker using a platform called Louder-ESP32:
The original electronics are powered down and disconnected. What’s in there now is a LouderESP32 running ESPHome, playing through Music Assistant on the original Grundig speakers, and a separate ESP32-S3 for the controls.
There are five switches on the front of the radio. Four of them swap between different playlists, and one of them turns the audio off. The three dials control the volume, the equalizer, and the current playlist song, respectively. Plus, the creator managed to squeeze in some WS2812B pixels into the original lamp housing to preserve the cool backlit effect.
Granted, it’s always best to have antique hardware running off the parts they were built with, but sometimes devices break, and the original components have been out of production for decades. In such a case, it’s always best to give it a current-day makeover rather than consign such a beautiful piece of kit to the landfill.
Related
Someone converted a vintage radio into a Plex server using a Raspberry Pi
Something old and something new.