Hello, I was recently looking around for a sound module and buzzer that would play mp3 files, and this is what I found:
I was just wondering if there was a sound module out there that did not require an SD card to play mp3 files (maybe could be updated by cloud?) as well as an appropriate buzzer that would play the code. Please tell me if the one below can do that.
Thank you
You could use a VS1053 based board like this
Although this is more expensive and also features an microSD slot, you can send the data to the decoder from a RAM/flash based buffer too.
Furthermore, like the piezo page mentions, they’re me t for beeps, tones and alerts. Do not expect that thing to play music nicely. It’ll sound more like Mario from the good old days, but annoyingly so.
That said, it’s relatively easy to get that to play some tunes. Have a look at the internet button library, there should be an example in there. Alternatively, the Christmas tree shield library.
Hi,
You could use the Dfplayer module which is cheeper still about $5.00 and add a speaker.
There is a libary available, but you have to alter the pins in the examples sketch (Note to self-Need to learn how to edit the libary ) But I have managed to get it working…
It is just the sort of ticket to get devices to make sounds and even anouncements…
Liam
@VideoLiam, the module he has already referenced as a no-go due to the need for SD is a DFPlayer clone 
Or have you figured out a way to send the actual MP3 data to the DFPlayer without going via SD? That would be cool.
Slight: Douh! on miss reading the no SD card bit…
But with that said… something is gona make me re-read the documentation tomorrow lunch time…
But that aside, were is he planing on getting the MP3 file from? I see he mentions the cloud… but that needs a data link… and the Particle family of devices don’t have MASSES of onboard storage, so with I doubt he planning on trying to upload a MP3 file over the cloud interface… 512 (I can not remember the exact limit) bytes at time… You could bolt on RAM, but I doubt that would be quick enough or cost soooo much. which makes the Dfplayer ideal for small devices…
Liam
For short jingles and notification tunes a few KB should be able to spare for.
But I’m also not absolutely sure whether the no-SD demand is due to the fact that the DFPlayer does not allow to update the SD (which the VS1053) or a the use of SD in general.
If a writable SD would be an option then bigger MP3s can be transfered (with some effort tho’).
The mesh devices would even give you 2MB onboard flash to use (once APIs are exposed to facilitate that in user applications).
IIRC the chunk size is 1024 for WiFi and 512 for cellular devices.
@ScruffR Sorry to reply late, but I have been trying to understand what has been going on in this thread for a few days now… If I do use the piezo buzzer to play some simple tones, how would I do it? Is there a library available or some code to make it play some tunes?
I do not want an SD card, as I have to upload mp3 files to play to the photon. So if there is a different module that can do this, with different sound audio that works, please reference it. Thanks!
SD card and dynamic MP3 files are not mutually exclusive, so that sentence doesn't make much sense to me.
However, while the module I suggested comes with an SD card slot noone forces you to use it - although I'd still recommend to use it for "buffering" the dynamic MP3 before playback.
But this is what I already said in my first post too
I didn't suggest the piezo buzzer, nor did @moors7. He just picked on on the buzzer you showed in your original post and also mentioned this
To use the library, I can just connect the piezo directly to the Photon then use the library? Is there link on the wiring or how to do this? Thank you for your help.