MP3 Shield

Netduino community (netduiners?),

Here's another shield that would be interesting to test: MP3 Shield for Arduino. I've seen some posts out there for making a similar device sans-shield for around $30. I'll have to investigate that. It would be interesting to use something like this as a source device for my whole house audio system.

Stacy

Why don't you use this shield? it is much cheaper! http://www.sparkfun....roducts_id=9736

The first shield also has a built in SD card slot. By the time you add that, the prices might be closer. This is one of those projects that will have to wait for a while anyway. I need to get another netduino and some time. Gotta finish the current project first.

The first shield also has a built in SD card slot. By the time you add that, the prices might be closer.

This is one of those projects that will have to wait for a while anyway. I need to get another netduino and some time. Gotta finish the current project first.

.NET Micro Framework supports FAT file system so I believe you only need a shield with and an SD card card socket. Or use other net micro framework device that has SD/microSD card socket. There are several out in the market.

.NET Micro Framework supports FAT file system so I believe you only need a shield with and an SD card card socket. Or use other net micro framework device that has SD/microSD card socket. There are several out in the market.

Yes, I understand that. That's why I thought the first shield would be good since it's MP3 and has SD built in. It seems that assembling the features of the first shield from separate components would come out to about the same cost, don't you think? Of course, it would be fantastic to do it for less money!

Yes, I understand that. That's why I thought the first shield would be good since it's MP3 and has SD built in. It seems that assembling the features of the first shield from separate components would come out to about the same cost, don't you think? Of course, it would be fantastic to do it for less money!

There is an important point that you missed here.
The shield you mentioned has an additional chip on the shield JUST to handle FAT file system. This chip is making it more expensive.
With NET Net Framework, all the FAT file system logic is already implemented.
I can give you an example:
With your solution you are paying $35 netduino + $53 that MP3 shield = $88, but with this you are wasting the already supported FAT file system in .NET Micro Framework.
Better solutions you are:
Netduino $35 or FEZ Panda $20 +Sparkfun MP3 shield $30 + SD shield or expansion (I suppose it will be 15 to 20, I think some of the guys here already used some) = $70 to $85. and you will make use of the included FAT file system.
or
FEZ Domino runs NET Micro Framework with FAT file system and it has build-in microSD connector and USB host connector(so you can even read files from your thumb drive) $75 + $30 MP3 shield = $105 with this option you get more space since you will use only the MP3 shield and you are saving more pins because use are not using any of the pins to run the microSD/SD.