RINGING IN THE CHANGES
In this issue we show how to upcycle a rotary phone from the end of the ’60s, which with the help of a Raspberry Pi and a few other electronic components will become a ‘Pi rotary smartphone’. In the next issue we will look at how many projects can be created with this re-engineered device.
Upcycling a rotary phone into an original and unconventional interface for a Raspberry Pi opens up countless possibilities limited only by your own creativity. Before opening the device, let’s look at the parts for interfacing:
• hang-up switch: detects when the caller picks up the phone receiver microphone• phone receiver: used by the caller to hear the voice and speak into• rotary dialler: the numeric interface that can possibly be used• the bell ring: is this really needed? It will be removed to make space for a B3 or B4 Raspberry Pi and I plan to include audio features too.
