RPi2 / Adafruit 3.5" PiTFT / Volumio 1.55

This is my RPi project digital music player using Volumio and an Adafruit 3.5" PiTFT with a Python touch screen interface for controlling MPD.

I’m using USB output to a Breeze Audio XMOS U8 USB interface and then Coax digital into a Cambridge Audio 840C CD/DAC.

Hardware:
RPi 2
Adafruit 3.5" PiTFT touchscreen - learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-pit … i/overview
Adafruit IRKey - adafruit.com/product/1560
AtxRaspi power controller - lowpowerlab.com/shop/ATXRaspi/ATXRaspi-R2
WD 1TB external USB HDD for music/artwork storage
Linn outer case (DIY base & rear)
Neutrik / Cardas connectors

RPi2-pitft-hardware.jpg

Software:
Volumio 1.55
pmb-pitft modified version - original here github.com/ISO-B/pmb-pitft
atx-raspi scripts - for shutdown/restart

The RPi is running Volumio 1.55, and a modified version of pmb-pitft to control MPD and show track information on the 3.5" TFT.

pmb-pitft has been modified to have these additional features:
480x320 resolution for Adafruit 3.5" TFT
simplified UI
album artwork read from local folder on USB drive
touch “timeline” to jump to that time in the track
sample rate / filetype displayed
additional “current playlist” screen - touch track name on main screen to access. individual tracks can be deleted or playlist cleared
file library browse - touch artwork on main screen to browse library in file mode - folders and individual tracks can be added to current playlist, touchscreen page scrolling through library
settings screen - accessed from playlist screen, set repeat, consume etc settings, refresh library
IRKey remote - playback control and playlist/library browse functions accessed from IRKey remote

RPi2-pitft-pmb-pitft.jpg

In the next week I will likely add a new “fork” to the pmb-pitft Github project for my modified version of pmb-pitft depending on interest. The python scripts for controlling MPD will likely work on any platform (Volumio / RuneAudio/ Raspbian etc).

Hi britvic42 and congratulations that seems a really good work, the case and the power button give it a gorgeous look.

All the info and process for achieve the SW part of this will be appreciated and i’m sure that more people like me would be also glad to read what you want to share with us, if you search for PIFT in the forum you will find several post about the project you have successfully achieved.

I have tried to follow the pmb-pitft instructions on Volumio2 without success (i’m not good on linux and bash stuff) i found some problems:

no file /etc/modprobe.d/raspi-blacklist.conf
no pip, i had to install it and all began to went bad
instead of 95-stmpe.rules there were a 75-smtpe.rules file
as finally it doesn’t work i tried to begin again and then i broke the system.

Today trying to following the pmb-pitft instructions but with Volume 1.5 i’m facing some errors:

after doing the first rbi-update i get some conflict on PHP i’ve resolved using the packagers maintainer versions
again no pip so “apt-get install python-setuptools && easy_install pip”
execution “pmb-pitft/ui.py start” it fails due to no module “pylast” so i installed using pip
finally executing again i get a blank screen

There are few changes you will have to make to the pmb-pitft php code to get it working. Note: Line indetation is important in Python, so after editing make sure the lines are indented correctly using tabs(not spaces). Use “nano filename.py” to edit the python files.

  1. Set the 480x320 resolution for the 3.5" PiTFT screen
    “nano ui.py”
    change
    size = width, height = 320, 240
    self.screen = pygame.display.set_mode(size)
    to
    #size = width, height = 320, 240
    self.screen = pygame.display.set_mode((480,320),FULLSCREEN)

  2. Download the “helvetica-neue-bold.ttf” font and place it in the same folder as all of the other pmb-pitft files.

  3. Fix the path to the image files
    “nano pmb-pitft_ui.py”
    change
    self.path = os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]) + “/”
    to
    self.path = os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]) + “/root/pmb-pitft/pmb-pitft/”

To check for errors when starting pmb-pitft, try “cat pmb-pitft.log” to show problems.

Wow that looks so good

PS wondered would this work with the Raspberry Pi 7” Touchscreen as would love having that look for the main screen with album view

I think this should work with any screen as long as you can get the “console” to display on the attached screen. Then it would be a case of making adjustments for the increased resolution of the 7" screen.

Can I download somehwere the Image from your RaspberryPi? My Display didn’t run. :frowning:
I’m a Greenhorn in programming.

Best regards
Mathes

To install the Adafruit 3.5" Pitft on Volumio you can follow the detailed instructions here:

learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-pit … ed-install

Note that this Adafruit install will only work on Raspbian derived distributions (like Volumio 1.55). This will not work on the latest Volumio 2 as it is not based on Raspbian.

If anyone knows how to install the Adafruit Pitft on Volumio 2 I would be interested in the install instructions.

I also would be interested in a how to install Adafruit PiTFT on Volumio 2.
I got me the 2.8" version
https://www.adafruit.com/product/2423
and want to use it like britvic42

Hi!

I am planning to buy an 3,5 or 5 Inch Touchscreen (with HDMI and USB for touch) for using with Volumio! Is it possbile to get the exactly screen output as seen on the sceenshots above? Is there an example how to do this ?

many thanks in advance!
theghostofelvis

I’ve created a fork of the pmb-pitft project on Github for my version that has the functionality/look of what is shown at the start of this thread.

Link below:

github.com/britvic42/pmb-pitft