Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech.
Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics.
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Summary
- This Fisher-Price Mix & Learn DJ toy was rebuilt with a Raspberry Pi W2, audio amp, platter sensor, and microphone.
- Web interface to upload clips, layer tracks, and switch modes: Learning, Music Maker, and Bluetooth.
- The project is open-source with PCB prints and GitHub instructions to replicate the Rave & Repeat DJ Table.
One thing I've learnt about covering the DIY community is that when a tinkerer buys their kid a toy, it doesn't stay a toy for too long. As soon as the child gets tired of it or grows out of it, the parents will immediately get to gutting it and doing some really cool things with it. Such is the case of this kid's DJ table toy, which has been enhanced with a Raspberry Pi to become a pretty impressive piece of kit.
A Raspberry Pi turns this Fisher-Price toy into something far cooler
For people who already know their ABCs
Over on the Raspberry Pi subreddit, user LifeOnAFarm shared what they've been up to. They recently purchased their kid a Fisher-Price Mix & Learn DJ Table, which looks like a small music maker with sliders, a keyboard, and even a little DJ platter. I'm not sure which parts actually worked and which were just visuals, but after the kid presumably tired of it, LifeOnAFarm got to work:
I used a raspberry pi w2 for the brains, MAX98357A for the speaker, AS5600 for the spinning platter (it was just a platter that spun to push a button before), and a INMP441 for a microphone. Then printed a PCB board the same size as the original to mount it all inside. You can now upload your own song clips via a webpage, create a layered music track or use it as a bluetooth speaker.
The end result was crowned as the Rave & Repeat DJ Table, and the creator published a whole website dedicated to breaking down all of its features. It even comes with three modes: Learning, Music Maker, and Bluetooth, and you can swap between them at the press of a button.
If you find your own Fisher-Price Mix & Learn DJ Table somewhere and want to give it the same treatment, you can see everything you need to make your own over on the project's GitHub page.