Sounder

The sounder agent needs to run on a Raspberry Pi, or any computer with a sound card.

Software

Install (Docker)

The Docker Agent is the preferred way to run the sounder agent.

Assuming a fresh install of Rasbian Lite on a Raspberry Pi:

  1. Create a sounder in the controller, not down the controller address and sounder key
  2. Run the installer from the repo. curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Open-School-Bell/sounder/refs/heads/main/install-docker.sh | sh and enter the controller address and sounder key.

Install (Direct Agent)

The direct agent is the same agent as the docker agent just running “bare metal”, it is possibly less reliable than the Docker agent.

Assuming a fresh install of Rasbian Lite on a Raspberry Pi:

  1. Run install.sh from the repo. curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Open-School-Bell/sounder/refs/heads/main/install.sh | sh
  2. Create a sounder in the controller.
  3. Run the sounders enroll command on the sounder.
  4. Reboot the Pi.

Convert a direct agent sounder to docker.

  1. Stop the sounder service sudo sounder stop
  2. Disable the service sudo update-rc.d sounder disable.
  3. Reset the Sounder Key iin the controller.
  4. Follow the Install (Docker) instructions.

Hardware

Suggested Hardware:

Part About Link
Raspberry Pi 5 Lowest spec is appropriate for the agent. https://thepihut.com/products/raspberry-pi-5
Raspberry Pi DAC+ The Pi 5 doesn’t have a headphone out, but even with a Pi4 it would be ideal to use a DAC Hat to get better audio quality. https://thepihut.com/products/iqaudio-dac
Raspberry Pi PSU Always use a proper USB power supply for your Pi. https://thepihut.com/products/raspberry-pi-27w-usb-c-power-supply
32GB SD Card The agent stores nothing on the SD card, so 32GB is plenty. https://thepihut.com/products/noobs-preinstalled-sd-card