PiDeck project releases low-cost digital vinyl system for Raspberry Pi
64 Studio has announced the first official release of the PiDeck project which is an open source
hardware and free software project retro-fitting the Raspberry Pi onto any turntable. The software
is based on the ARM Hard Float port of Debian GNU/Linux and xwax and is built into a custom
single-purpose distribution which users can modify or use as it is by copying the image to a
micro SD card for their own Raspberry Pi.
Digital vinyl systems are useful because it saves the user from carrying heavy boxes of rare and
valuable vinyl from place to place. However, laptop-based digital vinyl systems are complicated
often proprietary and incompatible and require cables to be switched between DJ sets. Laptops are
also hard to share between DJs which makes turntablism less accessible for the people who are just
starting out.
PiDeck project combines the digital convenience of a USB stick with the hands-on usability of the
classic turntable, in a way which is affordable and accessible.
Daniel James, Director, 64 Studio said, “PiDeck doesn’t have any mixing, sync or playlist features
so that the DJ can take full credit for the sound of the mix. We have deliberately put no configurable
options in the interface and there are no personal files stored on the device. This helps to ensure
that the PiDeck becomes a part of the turntable and not unique in a way that a laptop and its data is.
This makes the PiDeck easier to share with other DJs so that there should be no downtime between sets
and should make it easier for budding DJs to get a turn on the equipment. If a PiDeck breaks, it
would be possible to swap it out for another PiDeck device and carry right on.”
As the PiDeck software is fully open source and available on GitHub, developers can use it for new
ideas in DJ’ing. Multiple PiDeck devices could be networked together or used to control another
system via the turntable.