# Project export: EaseDJ
This document was generated by HackStack to give an AI agent context about a hackathon project. Sections are labeled with their provenance; content marked as truncated was cut to keep this document small.
## Project metadata
- Hackathon: Cal Hacks 11.0
- Tagline: beginner friendly portable dj station
- Devpost: https://devpost.com/software/easedj
- GitHub: https://github.com/Deetschoe/easeDJ
- Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/7gjYoUgeyIw?enablejsapi=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&start=&version=3&wmode=transparent
- Team: 1 GitHub contributor(s) — deetschoe (3 commits)
## Devpost submission (written by the team)
### Overview
Why this project? I have a big interest in music, but my wallet doesn’t want to drop $200+ on a DJ kit. What does EaseDJ do? Mix and play music in real-time with laser visuals on the go. How was it built? I used an Arduino 101 kit, added a knob, 2 touch sensors, and 2 buttons. Each has its own purpose. I programmed, designed, soldered, and assembled the entire kit into two small Amazon boxes the size of a laptop case. Challenges? I did not want to rely on a laptop, but the Raspberry Pi kits were all gone and taken. The Arduino 101 kit has Bluetooth, but it’s very low strength, so real-time audio doesn’t function properly. I wasted a lot of time trying to get around that because standalone is appealing. What did I learn? I learned a lot about soldering, Arduinos, and GPIO pins. I had never done a project solo and was worried I might not finish because of the lack of a team, but I proved myself wrong. I also miss my friends and working with other people. Never take building with friends for granted! It was my first time doing a hardware hackathon project, and I want to do it more.
## README (from the GitHub repository)
## Why this project?
I have a big interest in music, but my wallet doesn’t want to drop $200+ on a DJ kit.
## What does EaseDJ do?
Mix and play music in real-time with laser visuals on the go.
## How was it built?
I used an Arduino 101 kit, added a knob, 2 touch sensors, and 2 buttons. Each has its own purpose. I programmed, designed, soldered, and assembled the entire kit into two small Amazon boxes the size of a laptop case.
## Challenges?
I did not want to rely on a laptop, but the Raspberry Pi kits were all gone and taken. The Arduino 101 kit has Bluetooth, but it’s very low strength, so real-time audio doesn’t function properly. I wasted a lot of time trying to get around that because standalone is appealing.
## What did I learn?
I learned a lot about soldering, Arduinos, and GPIO pins. I had never done a project solo and was worried I might not finish because of the lack of a team, but I proved myself wrong. I also miss my friends and working with other people. Never take building with friends for granted!
It was my first time doing a hardware hackathon project, and I want to do it more.
## Detected evidence (automated analysis)
Indexed codebase: 2 recognized source files, 6 KB.
- Python (language) — detected in the code
## Codebase structure (from repository index)
### Files (14 of 14)
```
.DS_Store
app.py
ardWORKING 2.0
packs/.DS_Store
packs/acoustic/.DS_Store
packs/default/.DS_Store
packs/electric/.DS_Store
packs/guitar/.DS_Store
packs/licks/.DS_Store
packs/ukelele/.DS_Store
packs/wacky/.DS_Store
pyworking1.
README.md
workiong 3
```
### Dependencies
No dependency index available.
### Recent commits (newest first)
- Update README.md
- python part of the project
- first commit
- first commit
## Key source files (fetched from GitHub, selected and truncated for size)
### app.py
```python
import serial
import pygame
from pygame import mixer
import os
import time
import glob
# Initialize pygame mixer
pygame.mixer.init()
# Configure the serial connection
port = '/dev/tty.usbmodem11101'
max_retries = 5
retry_delay = 2 # seconds
def connect_serial(port, max_retries, retry_delay):
for attempt in range(max_retries):
try:
print(f"Attempt {attempt + 1} to connect to {port}")
ser = serial.Serial(port, 9600, timeout=0.1)
print(f"Successfully connected to {port}")
return ser
except serial.SerialException as e:
print(f"Error connecting to {port}: {e}")
if attempt < max_retries - 1:
print(f"Retrying in {retry_delay} seconds...")
time.sleep(retry_delay)
else:
print("Max retries reached. Unable to connect.")
return None
ser = connect_serial(port, max_retries, retry_delay)
if ser is None:
exit(1)
# Load packs
def load_packs():
packs = []
pack_folders = sorted(glob.glob('packs/*'))
default_index = pack_folders.index('packs/default') if 'packs/default' in pack_folders else 0
pack_folders = pack_folders[default_index:] + pack_folders[:default_index]
for folder in pack_folders:
pack = {
'B1': os.path.join(folder, 'amen.wav'),
'T1': os.path.join(folder, 'morph.wav'),
'T2': os.path.join(folder, 'vocal.wav')
}
packs.append(pack)
return packs
packs = load_packs()
current_pack_index = 0
# Load sounds for the current pack
def load_sounds(pack):
sounds = {}
for key, file in pack.items():
if os.path.exists(file):
sounds[key] = pygame.mixer.Sound(file)
print(f"Loaded {file}")
else:
print(f"Warning: {file} not found")
sounds[key] = None
return sounds
sounds = load_sounds(packs[current_pack_index])
# Keep track of which sounds are playing
sound_channels = {key: pygame.mixer.Channel(i) for i, key in enumerate(sounds)}
sound_states = {key: False for key in sounds}
# Knob state
knob_state = False
print("Listening for Arduino input...")
while True:
try:
if ser.in_waiting:
message = ser.readline().decode('utf-8').strip()
print(f"Received message: {message}")
if ':' in message:
input_key, state = message.split(':')
if input_key == "KNOB":
knob_state = (state == "1")
print(f"Knob state: {'On' if knob_state else 'Off'}")
elif input_key in sounds and sounds[input_key] is not None:
if state == '1' or (knob_state and sound_states[input_key]):
# Start or continue looping the sound
if not sound_channels[input_key].get_busy():
sound_channels[input_key].play(sounds[input_key], loops=-1)
sound_states[input_key] = True
print(f"Playing {input_key} (looping)")
elif state == '0' and not knob_state:
# Stop the sound
sound_channels[input_key].stop()
sound_states[input_key] = False
print(f"Stopped playing {input_key}")
print(f"{input_key}: {'Playing' if sound_states[input_key] else 'Stopped'}")
elif message == "PACK_SWITCH":
current_pack_index = (current_pack_index + 1) % len(packs)
sounds = load_sounds(packs[current_pack_index])
print(f"Switched to pack: {os.path.basename(os.path.dirname(packs[current_pack_index]['B1']))}")
except serial.SerialException as e:
print(f"Serial connection lost: {e}")
ser.close()
ser = connect_serial(port, max_retries, retry_delay)
if ser is None:
break
except KeyboardInterrupt:
print("Program terminated by user")
break
except Exception as e:
print(f"An unexpected error occurred: {e}")
print(f"Error details: {type(e).__name__}, {str(e)}")
# Clean up
if ser and ser.is_open:
ser.close()
pygame.mixer.quit()
```