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

1901 points l2silver | 2 comments | 27 Apr 23 15:04 UTC | HN request time: 0.476s | source

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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umvi ◴[28 Apr 23 15:36 UTC] No.35742557[source]▶
Did you have to apply for some kind of permit to do that? Or is it low power enough that FCC doesn't care?
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1. LinuxBender ◴[28 Apr 23 15:44 UTC] No.35742732[source]▶
FWIW there are many transmitters similar to what they built that enable playing MP3 players, phones and other things on old radios [1]. I do not remember what the power limit is but no permit is required. They can operate throughout the entire FM broadcast spectrum. If they are broadcasting good music in an elderly community I doubt anyone will complain.

[1] - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L3WX26S/

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2. froglets ◴[28 Apr 23 16:35 UTC] No.35743675[source]▶
Several homes in my city put up holiday lights that are synced to music and transmitted over FM. The signal only works if you’re parked near the house.