I turned my Raspberry Pi into a dedicated internet radio for my kitchen, without adding another voice assistant to my home

A Raspberry Pi 4, a spare computer sitting in a drawer, was transformed into a dedicated kitchen radio. Instead of adding another voice assistant, the author installed a music server called MPD, which played internet radio streams directly. MPD is a lightweight service that requires no additional software or apps for playback. The author used an AUX cable to connect the Pi to their old JBL Flip 4 speaker.

MPD's command-line interface allowed for easy control of the radio, without the need for a wake word or a separate smart speaker. The setup involved adjusting the /etc/mpd.conf file to configure the audio output for the speaker connected via the AUX cable. The author created a playlist of preferred radio stations and saved them in a text file.

Triggerhappy, a hotkey daemon, enabled remote control of the radio using a 8BitDo Micro controller. The microcontroller, paired with the Pi via Bluetooth, was used to switch stations, adjust volume, and restart playback. This setup eliminated the need for a second smart speaker, a wake word, or an account tied to a smart home platform.

With just an AUX cable and a Raspberry Pi, the author created a quiet, unobtrusive kitchen radio that required minimal attention and didn't require any power or reconfiguration after the power went out.