mp3 system - 0 dollars

**weekender** · 04-07-2005, 04:35 PM

Okay, let me just apologize up front for the noobish questions. I'm on a really tight budget right now and can't buy ANYTHING. I do have a lot of spare parts though, and I want to at least get mp3 working. My idea is to use the comctrl plugin with winamp for control and the character lcd plugin (don't remember the name right now) for output. There's still the problem of power though. So...
My questions are these (a) does anyone have an idea for building momentary switches out of household parts (b) Does anyone know any type of old electronics/old stuff (like the kind people give or throw away) that has a display in it compatible with the winamp plugin (c) is there anything common I could pirate some sort of rudimentary power supply/invertor out of? I know how out in left field these questions sound, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

**jcdillin** · 04-07-2005, 04:57 PM

well if your looking for momentary switches, you can salvage them out of almost anything, but I would go for a older keyboard first. Some of them used pushbuttons that could be unsoldered

HD44780 displays are tough to come by in anything household, but they can be purchased for less than $20 on ebay or most online electronic surplus places

as far as the power supply goes I really would just spend the money on a inverter or a DC power supply, building them can be a PITA

**ddn** · 04-07-2005, 05:04 PM

Go find a new hobby.

**weekender** · 04-07-2005, 05:09 PM

Thanks jc. I'll think about the display & power. Sorry to see you're dismantled.

**weekender** · 04-07-2005, 05:10 PM

Go find a new hobby.

lol

Fair enough. I'll come back when I get some cash.

**jcdillin** · 04-07-2005, 05:33 PM

if you just take your time and really work at it, when I was using old LCD's and old computer stuff I was able to build a full system for under $50, granted that wont give you GPS and divx and stuff, but just for MP3's it worked great