How to Make Your Own Google Home Jukebox
If you want to take your smart home audio system up a notch, here’s a great way to do it. With a little extra effort and RFID technology, you can create your very own card-driven jukebox that’s sure to impress your next party.
Created by YouTube userhoveeman (and discovered by Android Police ), this impressive rig uses RIFD cards and a matching scanner connected to a Raspberry Pi computer. Each specially printed card activates a separate album or playlist. The rest of the technique is cleverly hidden inside the table.
The entire rig is connected to Google Assistant, which syncs music through three different speakers: Google Home in the kitchen, Google Home Mini in the sunroom, and a Chromecast-connected soundbar in the living room. You can run the entire map scan setup on a single Raspberry Pi, but you’ll need one of the newer Raspberry Pi 3 models. (Hoviman notes that he has Google Assistant running on a separate computer.)
All of this may sound overwhelming and boring, but I see that it comes in handy in a lot of different situations. The smart home jukebox is great for parties where people can take turns choosing music without yelling at each other to control Google Home. It’s also great for kids or other home guests who may not know how to use a smart home speaker and need something more intuitive.
If you’re interested in making your own Google Home jukebox, you can follow Hoveeman’s detailed instructions on Github . This includes a list of all the equipment you need to buy, as well as everything else you need to know.