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    Ask HN: Most interesting tech you built for just yourself?

    1901 points l2silver | 11 comments | 27 Apr 23 15:04 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source | bottom

    Maybe you've created your own AR program for wearables that shows the definition of a word when you highlight it IRL, or you've built a personal calendar app for your family to display on a monitor in the kitchen. Whatever it is, I'd love to hear it.
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    sriram_malhar ◴[28 Apr 23 06:47 UTC] No.35738249[source]▶
    My MIL is 93, and the only tech she can really deal with is turning on the radio and TV and changing channels.

    She is fond of music from old classics (from the 60's and earlier), so I hooked up a Raspberry PI with an FM transmitter and created her own private radio station. She tells me what songs she likes and I create different playlists that get broadcast on her station. It preserves the surprise element of radio, and there is nothing in there she doesn't like.

    The tiny FM transmitter is surprisingly powerful. Her neighbours (of similar vintage) are very happy too, so their requests have also started coming in :)

    EDIT: I wanted to add that I am the UI ... she doesn't get to choose the playlist. To make my life easier, I just created different playlists for different times of the day ... calm/spiritual/slower numbers in the early and late hours, peppy during the late morning and evening etc.

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    quaintdev ◴[28 Apr 23 07:37 UTC] No.35738575[source]▶
    OP seems from India and AFAIK its illegal to transmit on FM frequencies without a license. I understand it might be low powered but theres a chance of Police coming knocking on the door. Whats worse is it might interfere with emergency services. There is a reason we have spoctrum licences.
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    1. exitb ◴[28 Apr 23 08:35 UTC] No.35738922[source]▶
    It is Hacker News after all. And that's probably like jaywalking of RF violations. I'd be more afraid of the copyright people.
    replies(2): >>35739021 #>>35748577 #
    2. acatton ◴[28 Apr 23 08:56 UTC] No.35739021[source]▶
    Where I live, this is absolutely not the jaywalking of RF violations. In Germany, if it is proven that your signal was potentially interfering with emergency services, you will be liable for any damage to victims in civil courts. And if somebody dies in your area because the emergency services couldn't get there on time, you will be criminally charged for "negligent manslaughter."

    I wouldn't play at all with non-approved RF frequencies personally.

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    3. sigg3 ◴[28 Apr 23 10:22 UTC] No.35739486{3}[source]▶
    No need to be rude.

    As someone who's worked in telecom for a number of years, the fines for broadcasting I've seen issued to individuals are insane. Not just radio but wireless amplification too. Different European country though.

    Always check the legislation in the country of operation. Emergency frequencies are held sacred by the powers that be.

    replies(1): >>35739585 #
    4. 6510 ◴[28 Apr 23 10:32 UTC] No.35739549[source]▶
    like the Indians said, you want to buy the sky too?
    5. detaro ◴[28 Apr 23 10:52 UTC] No.35739669[source]▶
    In Germany (like afaik all the EU), you can also freely buy and use small low-power FM transmitters for exactly the use case of sending your own music to radios...
    6. RobotToaster ◴[28 Apr 23 11:04 UTC] No.35739770[source]▶
    If a low power FM transmitter on commercial frequencies can interfere with your emergency services, you may have bigger problems. IIRC they have their own specific frequencies.
    7. Glemotooo ◴[28 Apr 23 11:44 UTC] No.35740095[source]▶
    "RF violations"

    In germany its also legal to use plenty of bands in the RF Spectrcum with up to 750Watts (and potential more).

    We are also allowed to do CB Funk in Channels 1-40 without anything and up to 80/85 (forgot details) when you register with Germany.

    So your statement reads more like you are not allowed to do anything in germany. Its hard to believe to disturb stable systems just because someone is doing a little bit of FM on some known frequencies.

    8. moooo99 ◴[28 Apr 23 12:46 UTC] No.35740631[source]▶
    It literally took a single google search to find out that you’re wrong.

    FM transmitting for private use is completely legal for UKW frequencies between 87.5 and 105 MHz and transmission powers lower than 50nW [1]. You can buy perfectly FM transmitters for your car, etch

    [1] (German) https://www.autozeitung.de/fm-transmitter-bluetooth-nachrues...

    9. mometsi ◴[28 Apr 23 17:44 UTC] No.35744631[source]▶
    What would happen if you delayed an ambulance responding to an emergency by jaywalking in front of it? Could you be charged if someone died as a result?
    replies(1): >>35752132 #
    10. hammyhavoc ◴[28 Apr 23 23:51 UTC] No.35748577[source]▶
    In the UK, if you break the law, they'll confiscate anything physically wired to it, computer included.
    11. TobTobXX ◴[29 Apr 23 12:02 UTC] No.35752132{3}[source]▶
    In Switzerland they can (and often will) at least fine you if you neglect to dirve to the side when encountering traffic on a highway (to form a "Rettungsgasse"[0]) to allow emergency cars to pass in the middle.

    [0]: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rettungsgasse?wprov=sfla1