Purpose

Why why why oh why ?

So nice to play music without turning on the screen and opening WMPlayer and picking tunes ... especially if the screen of the PC is in fact my big fat LCD TV (which I love). Just put some token on the sensitive area and music starts, remove it and it stops, or even drop the killer tokens that will shutdown the pc (damn small hard to press button beneath the table). Oh and also because I'm a curious geek in search of new toyes, yeah (but it was obvious).

Hall of fame:

Thanks to PcbHeaven.com : http://pcbheaven.com/opendir/index.php?show=9680gj9801hkd024260a

Important foreword

Please note that this project is based and very strongly inspired (who said "plagiat"?) from the very nice work made here : http://www.trileet.com/node/34
The guy made a very nice work, and all the benefit of the idea is for him only. Thanks for sharing mate.

Main differences will be :

No Squeezebox involved, it will be plugged to the PC that sits in the living room which is my goal (opposite of the original project)
- ... therefore no need for Ethernet shield or connectivity, we'll use the USB cable
- ... therefore we'll pilot the Windows Media player or whatever other tool (I'll try to have something that can run any command, even shutdown pc maybe ...)
Everything will be written in C#
It won't play albums but playlists (I barely never listen to an album)
It will use an Arduino; not a difference, but since I need the USB connection, I have to. I would have prefered saving it and making a homemade arduino but can't win all time.
I won't use the Parallax items (expensive and looks like having a not-so-fine review), I'll go to the SeeedStudio solution
- Cheaper 12.5 USD for a serial reader (vs 40 USD)
- Cheper 2.5 USD set of 5 tokens (2 card, 3 key holders) (vs 2 USD per item)
- Located in HK so not far from me and having free sending fees over 50 USD (my case)

Parts

Arduino 3200 JPY
RFID reader 1100 JPY (12.5 usd)
RFID tokens 300 JPY (per 5)
Some holders for the tokens ("in the 100 yen shop down the street we trust") or some recycled 100 jpy NES/SNES cartridge?
Case from Tokyu Hands 515 JPY
Vanilla shield from Switch-Science 600 JPY

Sum around 6000 JPY

Pictures

Playlist editor in ardTouch Connector

Schema

Text mode :

RFID token Pin TX connected to Pin 2 of Arduino
Led %20 470 Ohm resistor on Pin 12
%20 Vcc and Ground (but you guessed this one)

Code

Arduino side

No real fantastic thing here.
You will need the NewSoftSerial library available here http://arduiniana.org/libraries/newsoftserial/ (used to communicate between RFID reader and Arduino).
It uses the ARCPO library I wrote so feel free to use also.
RFID_PlayerToken.pde

PC side

It will use my previously created library ARCPO and the Windows software associated ardTouchConnector.
Changes to be done to the ardTouchConnector :

Can understand those new ID commands (should be nearly ok already)
Can start WMPLayer if not loaded
Can shutdown PC

Windows Media Player

wmplayer /Playlist NameOfPlayList http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/1389/windows-media-player-wmp-11-command-line-options/
wmplayer.exe /Playlist plylst1.wpl http://www.eggheadcafe.com/software/aspnet/31762245/window-media-player-playl.aspx
MSDN - WMP Command Line Parameters http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd562624%28VS.85%29.aspx

ardPlayer Tokens