SlimPi Is a DIY Squeezebox with an ePaper Readout For Logitech Media Servers

The Logitech Squeezebox was a network media player that was introduced in 2001, and was actually way ahead of its time. In a time when Wi-Fi was just starting to take off, Squeezebox devices could stream music from online services and, more importantly, from home media servers. That functionality has ensured that the Logitech Squeezebox has gained quite a substantial following, and many people still use the devices today. Aaron Ciuffo has been using his Squeezebox since 2006 — and it was used even then — and the built-in LED matrix display has finally started to become difficult to read. His solution was to create SlimPi, which shows the current media information on an ePaper display.

Ciuffo could have simply purchased a lightly-used replacement device, as Logitech still offered Squeezebox software on their recently-discontinued UE Smart Radio. But he didn’t want to have to rely on official products that have unknown lifespans. The SlimPi is a DIY Squeezebox that isn’t subject to the whims of a massive tech corporation, and has added a few cool features to boot. The most interesting of those is the large ePaper display, which shows the current media information clearly and that should have a very long lifespan since it only needs to refresh when the song changes.

As you’d expect from the name, SlimPi is built on a Raspberry Pi. Specifically, it has a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. The screen is a 5.83” WaveShare ePaper display, though similar models can also be used if you build your own. Audio output can be handled by a typical USB sound card, or, ideally, with a DAC like the HiFiBerry DAC+ Pro that Ciuffo is using. The Raspberry Pi is housed within a beautiful laser-cut wood enclosure, and the ePaper display sits in a repurposed picture frame. Ciuffo has even setup a very handy installer to setup the Logitech Media Server and the code for SlimPi, which includes a few different display styles. If you’ve been looking to replace your old Logitech Squeezebox, SlimPi is a great choice.