TagTuner music player
TagTuner is a device that enables you to access music playlists or albums using NFC tags.
It only works when integrated with Home Assistant media players and the Music Assistant music library is optional. This setup seamlessly blends your digital only music collection with the tactile experience of playing a physical record, tape or cd.
Physical music media offer several advantages:
- it’s easy
- it’s fast
- it’s inclusive
TagTuner is made with ESPHome and includes
- an NFC reader
- a dial
- a button
- a multicolor LED light
All of this is housed in a sleek, custom design case.
Here is an exploded view of the TagTuner 3D model with a round tag card
Installation
You can use the button below to install the pre-built firmware directly to your device via USB from the browser.
Getting started
To start using TagTuner, you’ll need the following:
- Home Assistant 2024.10.x
- Music Assistant 2.x or Sonos speaker
- configured MAss music library and/or a streaming subscription
- TagTuner device configured in HAss
- Programmable NTAG213/215/216 tags
Assuming you already have Home Assistant (HAss) with Music Assistant (MAss) or Sonos set up and running, TagTuner supports Improv via Serial for Wi-Fi configuration.
If the Wi-Fi connection is misconfigured, the device will start a Wi-Fi access point, allowing you to connect and set the password.
Home Assistant will automatically detect your new TagTuner as ESPhome device.
In the Diagnostic panel of TagTuner you can see detailed state of your device.
Simply place any NFC tag and watch Status messages.
Using TagTuner
TagTuner relies heavily on Home Assistant automation. To get it working, import TagTuner for HAss blueprint
Create automation with this blueprint.
Select your TagTuner device (you can have more than one!) and media player that will be your speaker
Playing music
Place your tag flat on the TagTuner or use the slot to position it nicely.
TagTuner will read the tag and send the playlist information to Home Assistant. Using automation, HAss will play music on the speaker you’ve set up for this TagTuner.
Button operations
Single click: play/pause
Double click: next
Long click (>1s): mute/unmute
Volume control
Rotate the dial left: volume down.
Rotate the dial right: volume up.
Feedback
Watch the LED light in the button:
white blink: operation confirmed
flashing red: writing operation in progress
flashing green: writing success
Diagnostic
Check the Diagnostic->Status messages on the device page in Home Assistant.
The ladybug icon is your guide.
How to get tags for TagTuner
Buy tags
Choose NTAG215 (504 bytes) or NTAG216 (888 bytes) tags if you want to include the playlist name and artist. Otherwise, NTAG213 (144 bytes) will suffice for just links to playlists
Stickers can be used with 3d printed cards or any other object you can place on your TagTuner to play music.
I use Canon KC-18IF card-sized labels to customize my wooden NFC cards.
Program tags for Music Assistant
If your speaker is one of Music Assistant media players, your tags need to have a MAss URI.
Here you can find instructions on how to get URI for the playlist or album you want.
On the TagTuner device page, you’ll find all the fileds nesesary to write the playlist URI to your tag
Minimum information needed is URI.
Fill in the Playlist URI -> click Write Tag -> LED starts flashing red -> Place the tag on TagTuner
Successful writing will be confirmed with green light.
Check Diagnostic->Status for any additional information.
Program tags for Sonos
If your speaker is Sonos media player, your tags can have a plain HTTP playlist URL.
Here you can find instructions on how to get the album or playlist url for Apple Music. Just copy it.
It should work the same with Spotify
On the TagTuner device page, you’ll find all the fileds nesesary to write the playlist URL (URI) to your tag
Minimum information needed is URL.
Fill in the Playlist URL -> click Write Tag -> LED starts flashing red -> Place the tag on TagTuner
Successful writing will be confirmed with green light.
Check Diagnostic->Status for any additional information.
Other options
You can also write your tags with any NFC NDEF tag writer, such as NXP NFC TagWriter for iOS or Android
or
More options
for Sonos
You can also play any Sonos app favorite playlist, album, or station!
Simply write the name of the playlist or station exactly as it appears in the Sonos app.
Then, enter sonos-2:// in the URI field.
for read-only tags
If you have any read-only tags that can be read by TagTuner (give it a try to check), you can use them too!
To set the playlist URL, place it as the name of the tag in HAss panel
Any tag id read by TagTuner will be pushed to HAss blueprint automation.
Build your own TagTuner
Choose and print your enclosure with preffered colors and surface patterns
I suggest a cool white base and a dark front plate with a nice carbon fibre pattern.
Parts for Atom grove version
This version is focused on minimum soldering since it’s based on Grove parts and connectors
- m5stack Atom Echo controller
- pn532 NFC reader
- grove angle connectors
- grove cables
- grove rotary encoder
Grove wiring
First, you need to solder the grove angle connector to the PN532 NFC board
Remember to set the DIP switches to 10 to enable I2C.
The SeeedStudio rotary encoder already has its connector. For the other end of the cable, simply use grove angle connector directly to the Atom controller
It’s really as simple as that
Everything will fit into the enclosure.
Use short (<5mm) M2 screw for Atom and longer (10mm) M2.5 screws for everything else (nfc board, volume encoder, front plate).
Parts for custom-built version
- esp32 D1 mini controller with USBC
- pn532 NFC reader
- rotary encoder
Wiring TBD
Firmware options
- tagtuner-atom-grove.yaml: based on m5stack Atom Echo and grove connectors
- tagtuner-for-tagreader.yaml: TagTuner firmware for Adonno tagreader device (buzzer only, no led support)
- tagtuner-esp32.yaml: custom-built TBD
A little history
It all began one day back in 2022.
I’ve seen all those cool NFC jukebox projects but found myself too lazy to automate each tag individually.
So, I contributed to the Adonno tagreader project to enable it to push playlist URLs as HAss events.
Here’s original story posted on Home Assistant communities.
Since then, TagTuner has been completely refactored and physically redesigned.
Disclaimer
All of this is my personal hobby project, available for free download and personal use. If you’d like to support me with a coffee, beer, filament, or electronic parts, feel free to use PayPal paypal.me/lukagra
Links to parts listed above are affiliate links, which allow me to earn a small commission from your purchase. Thank you! 🙏
In case you’re interested in buying a ready-made TagTuner, please drop me an email at tagtuner at icloud.com.
My work, including yaml files, 3d model and documentation, is licensed under
Creative Commons (4.0 International License) Attribution—Noncommercial—Share Alike
ESPhome components modifications are licensed under ESPHome license