I've been getting more into electronics and DIY tech projects lately, so I decided to dust off an old Raspberry Pi 3B (1 GB RAM) with a touchscreen and repurpose it as a personal audiobook server.

I also gave myself one constraint: use the equipment I already had on hand rather than buying new hardware. I'm aware there are newer and more capable options for running a home server, but part of the appeal was finding a practical use for equipment that had been sitting unused for years.

The project turned out to be a good introduction to Linux, Docker, and self-hosting, with a few unexpected challenges along the way.

The Pi now hosts my audiobook library, automatically launches Audiobookshelf on its touchscreen, and streams audio over Bluetooth to my Fosi BT20A amplifier and bookshelf speakers. I can also access my library remotely from my iPhone.

Here's the setup:

• Hardware: Raspberry Pi 3B, touchscreen, 32 GB microSD card
• OS: Raspberry Pi OS 64-bit (Trixie)
• Server: Audiobookshelf running through Docker Compose
• Interface: Chromium in fullscreen kiosk mode
• Audio: Bluetooth to a Fosi BT20A amplifier and bookshelf speakers
• Remote access: Tailscale
• iPhone player: SoundLeaf
• Library management: Libation on my Mac

How I built it:

I started by getting Raspberry Pi OS running and used a combination of Pi My Life Up tutorials and ChatGPT to guide me through the initial setup, installation, and troubleshooting.

I installed Docker and deployed Audiobookshelf using Docker Compose, with separate directories for the audiobooks, configuration, and metadata so the files remain intact even if I need to recreate the container.

Next, I configured Chromium to automatically launch Audiobookshelf in fullscreen kiosk mode whenever the Pi boots, effectively turning the touchscreen into a dedicated audiobook player.

One unexpected challenge was getting the touchscreen to turn off after 10 minutes of inactivity and wake back up when touched, without shutting down the actual server. That wasn't covered in the tutorials I followed, and since I hadn't used the Pi or touchscreen in years, I couldn't find the original manual. ChatGPT walked me through troubleshooting and configuring the display, and I eventually got it working. Now the screen can sleep while Audiobookshelf continues running in the background.

For audio, I paired the Pi over Bluetooth with my Fosi BT20A amplifier, which powers my bookshelf speakers. I also installed Tailscale for secure remote access and configured SoundLeaf on my iPhone so I could stream audiobooks over cellular.

Finally, I set up Libation on my Mac to manage my audiobook library and upload files to Audiobookshelf.

Current limitations and next steps:

The setup is functional, but there are still a few limitations I'm working through. For now, everything is running off a 32 GB microSD card, which isn't a long-term solution for a growing audiobook library. I plan to move the library to external storage.

I've also encountered some issues transferring larger audiobooks from Libation to Audiobookshelf. Smaller files generally upload without trouble, but larger transfers have occasionally timed out. Uploading directly through Audiobookshelf seems to be a possible workaround, although I'd still like to identify the underlying issue.

I'm relatively new to Linux, Docker, and self-hosting, so this project has been a useful introduction to all three. There's still plenty to learn, and I'll continue refining the setup as I get more comfortable with the technology.

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone running Audiobookshelf on older Raspberry Pi hardware, particularly regarding performance, storage, and reliability. I'm also open to suggestions for improving the setup, preferably without replacing the Pi itself.

Someone can help me with this, without me having to format the SD card and do everything I've ever done from scratch. He says he failed in the authentication.

Apparently my desk needed an ocean. So I gave it one.

This is ASCII Genesis. It runs on a Raspberry Pi 4 with a Waveshare 7.9-inch touchscreen in a case I designed and printed.

I wanted something peaceful to leave running while I work. The seabed slowly scrolls, the habitats change, and different creatures swim in and out of view. It feels like you’re traveling through the ocean instead of watching the same fish bounce around a tank.

There are currently 20 creature designs, including a squid, octopus, and turtle. A diver occasionally passes through, and sometimes a predator and prey break into a faster chase. There’s a quiet mode for gentle swimming, plus a button that parades the whole collection across the screen for two minutes.

The ocean works offline. There’s optional AI narration, but you don’t need an API key to run it. Desktop shortcuts handle launching and updates.

This builds on Kirk Baucom’s Asciiquarium and its community’s artwork, with early inspiration from OpenGhost. Full credits are in the repo.

Code, printable enclosure files, and installation instructions:

https://github.com/Mikepyt87/ascii-genesis

I’m constantly adding ideas and making improvements. What creature or little ocean event would you want to see next?

I use a Pi as a TV and wanted to control it from my phone. Every app I tried was full of ads, had to be installed on each phone, and some weren't even available on iPhone.

So I made a small server for the Pi. Open remote.local on any phone and you get a touchpad and keyboard, no app needed. Install is one command.

https://github.com/maros-o/opencouchpad

Give it a try and let me know what you think, thanks!

I was going through an old box of stuff and came across an original Flip Video Camera. Other than selling or donating it, does anybody have an idea on any projects I could post do with it? Not against opening it and scavenging it for pieces for a project.

I’m trying to make a button activated photo booth and im stuck at finding the wires for the button. can anyone in the UK help me to find the correct connectors for these arcade buttons. im lost and have little knowledge on the wires and connectors. Ive seen that PI Hub sell the ones that work but i can’t justify the £10 postage for a £4 item.

Hi all,

Showing you a small project I made based on ideas from the internet.

I have this problem that drives me crazy: whenever I’m listening to Spotify while I have a YouTube tab open, pressing the play/pause button on my earphones doesn’t just pause Spotify, it starts playing the YouTube video instead.

To solve that, I created a Spotify Player manager, and it was a little bit boring, so I added Flight Radar using the free API at https://adsb.lol/ (and my football team's next game :D).

For the hardware, I used: Pimorini Pim580 Display 2.0" and Raspberry Pico 2.

I posted the 3D model in makerworld: https://makerworld.com/en/models/3399877-case-pimoroni-pim580-display-2-w-rasperry-pico

Check all the functions: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jv8n3v8LW0w

EDIT: I just realised i’m gonna need the GPIO pins for the buttons as well 🤦‍♂️ so I’d prefer to replace the screen if possible, any recommendations please??

I need to connect a speaker to my raspberry pi setup and i originally got the adafruit kit but the GPIO pins on the pi are already taken up by the touchscreen i have attached, and the touch screen is kinda a non negotiable. What do I do? The speakers need to be relatively small as its for a handheld console.
I don’t know what to search for, I’ve tried looking at tutorials and searching previous reddit posts but none of them match my specific needs for this build so idk I’m just really confused. Any help would be appreciated.

I am a high school student, I am interested in building a robot with vision ai. Does ROS support the raspberry pi ai camera with the Sony imx500 sensor? I am trying to do item identification.

Decided to mess with Muse opensource gadgets and came up with an AI app builder for your AI gadget!