Using our favorite microcontroller, the Raspberry Pi Pico, Coward brings an old Panasonic RQ-830S 8-track player from the 70s back into working order.

It even uses original 8-track cartridges — but instead of reading them for content, he’s added RFID tags to pull music stored locally on the Pico with a microSD card.

The images were printed on sticker paper and carefully placed onto the cartridge with the RFID tags tucked underneath.

A mount was devised to attach the LCD screen, RFID reader, and ElectroCookie prototyping PCB.

If you want to get a closer look at this Raspberry Pi project, you can find more details over at Hackster and see the Kaboom Box in action on Coward’s YouTube channel.

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[–] ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.de 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Pretty sad that the machine won't read any other 8-tracks. This is a half-baked “restoration” at best. Probably just needed a new belt or capacitor.

[–] lettruthout@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

In theory I agree, but in practice most 8-track machines I've encountered are better at eating tapes than playing them.

[–] ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.de 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Aha. We never had 8-track here (went from reel-to-reel directly to compact casettes) so I didn't know.

I guess the cartriges have reels/or other moving parts that jam and need to be lubricated, which is part of the experience.