AMI /Rowe CD wallete to MP3 conversion

[s-petersen]

I just bought a AMI CD Wallette to convert to MP3, I would like to use the original computer and interface it to a Raspberry Pi Zero(like the Seeburg I did)
From what I read, the box uses RS-485 (Rowelink)protocol to communicate. If all else fails, I can ditch the original computer, and run directly from the Pi, similar to the datasync units. Does anyone know anything about the data that is sent between the wallbox and the Jukebox?

[lilshawn]

i'd just ditch the computer system all together and piece something together with an arduino (to interface the button selection) and something like this...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Seeed-Studio-Music-Shield-Play-Control-With-Arduino-2770068-MP3-Control/361618799963?epid=2256582172&hash=item543228fd5b:g:IecAAOSw3YNXcU4w

[s-petersen]

That's interesting, I'll look deeper into it!
Thanks,
Scott

[lilshawn]

if you want to go all in and do 10,000's of songs, you could pi it with a small HDMI monitor inside the cabinet instead of the cd titles and a usb HID keyboard interface or something for input/control... i mean the sky is the limit really. depends what you want to accomplish.

[s-petersen]

Basically I want to keep it as "stock" as possible, someone may want to use it for it's original purpose after the pi dies, and I'm not around to fix it.
Decoding the the signals would be the best way,but I would pull the computer and replace it with the Pi If I have to, I have already made a Seeburg SCH1 into a jukebox this way(also increased the songs from 160 to 358), so most of the programming is already done, I would have to just write a program to read the buttons and write the display. and maybe build a IO board between the 2.