Need a Tamper Proof / Password Locked FM Radio for Workplace. Suggestions?

pegaxs on 04/11/2019 - 19:26

Well, got some cry babies at work and people are fighting over the radio stations. Time to seek a solution. Instead of banning the radio full stop, it has been decided that a radio station will be decided upon and locked in. Problem is, people still change the radio and it sets the majority off again. (seriously, it's like dealing with kids)…

What I need is an FM radio with speakers built in, with as little in the way of buttons as possible.

What I would like;

Prefer no buttons. At all. Setup by Direct Wifi/Bluetooth connection or IR remote.
Prefer a display.
Maybe a way to set volume.
No way to change the channel at will. No presets, just one station, all the time.
If it has buttons, must be able to lock them out/disable them with a password (not a child lock)
Don't mind a DIY project (R.Pi/Arduino) if it's a full kit and not just a jumble of wires and a breadboard.
Happy to build a box for radio if required (ie: car radio solution)
Mains powered

What we cant use;

No Internet Radio (no internet, no Wifi, no 4G/3G/5G/2G… none of the G's)
No DAB. (We don't get reception here)
No mobile phone with FM and a lock screen. That would last about 2 mins before it "vanished".
No lock box/container.
Battery only powered. (It will never get charged.)

Hit me with some ideas on what I could do/use. Or I would be happy with a great deal on a bulk quantity of adult diapers and dummies for the big babies…

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • matt3 on 04/11/2019 - 19:41
    +73

    Best Solution is to find another workplace. Speak to you next week when you ask for advice about lunch room issue #43765.

    • Andard on 08/11/2019 - 16:46

      Need a Tamper Proof / Password Locked Microwave

    • HardlyCharly on 04/11/2019 - 21:46
      +43

      Found the person who didn't read the post.

  • iratepirate on 04/11/2019 - 19:48
    +8

    Management directive that no one is to touch the radio and a camera to watch it. Write up for any unauthorized tampering. Or put the radio high up out of reach with a remote control kept locked in your desk.

  • apsilon on 04/11/2019 - 19:51
    +30

    Any cheap radio and a tube of superglue.

    • pegaxs on 04/11/2019 - 19:55
      +31

      lol. Tried that. Even got to the point where I dug the buttons out of their radio with a screwdriver and removed all the knobs. Well, not all the knobs. Some still work there… :D

      • WT on 05/11/2019 - 09:15
        -1

        super glue is too easy to break, you gotta use hot glue

        • Nickels n Dimes on 05/11/2019 - 12:55
          +2

          What kind of hot glue are you using, all of the ones I've bought from craft shops are weak as piss for bonding to anything other than itself. I find UV Bonded Glue or Silicone works on most surfaces best (though obviously they can still be picked off with concerted effort).

      • iDroid on 06/11/2019 - 09:13
        +7

        Tried? What didn't work about that?

        • Blitzfx on 06/11/2019 - 12:31

          I want to know the answer to this too. That's basically destroying the radio at that point.

      • knk on 06/11/2019 - 12:12
        +6

        use epoxy

  • Fiximol on 04/11/2019 - 19:54
    +7

    Record yesterday's radio program and then play it back the next day.

    The mobile phone and lock screen does seem to be the easiest solution even though you think it will go missing. Suggest having a cheap BT speaker out for audio and hide the phone somewhere else, or get one of those alarmed tethers like they have for display phones :p

    This is an amusing if somewhat frustrating problem.

    • pegaxs on 04/11/2019 - 20:03
      +1

      The problem with a phone is that we have staff as well as volunteer workers. Staff are no issue, but the volunteers tend to knock off anything not tied down and a mobile phone/bluetooth speaker, regardless of how shitty it is would disappear in a second.

      The permanent staff like one radio station, every volunteer wants their radio station. They have been asked to not change it, but they do it anyway.

      This is an amusing if somewhat frustrating problem.

      It's kinda funny to me. I don't care what station it is on, but so many get so bent out of shape over it. I've just been tasked with finding a solution. And I sure as hell aren't going out of my way to record a whole days worth of radio for the following day. Once or twice, meh, ok. Every day of the week, sounds too much like effort.

      • smartazz104 on 06/11/2019 - 22:50

        Sounds like it’s time to get rid of volunteers.

        • danyool on 06/11/2019 - 23:28
          +1

          Or connect a taser to the radio - zzzzzzap!! - told you not to touch it! ;)

        • jwh on 07/11/2019 - 11:08
          +1

          Make them all permanent paid workers, their attitude will change overnight!

  • try2bhelpful on 04/11/2019 - 20:00
    +16

    Tell everyone to bring in their own personal sound system and ear phones, problem solved. I’d be willing to bet most people’s phones would fit the bill. Having to listen to someone else’s idea of a good radio station would drive me Batty.

    • iratepirate on 04/11/2019 - 20:04
      +9

      A lot of workplaces will not allow headphones to be used if heavy machinery is operated on site due to safety concerns.

      • try2bhelpful on 04/11/2019 - 20:11
        +1

        I would’ve though heavy machinery would need ear protection?

      • capslock janitor on 08/11/2019 - 12:40

        So whch station is it? And was there a vote?

    • pegaxs on 04/11/2019 - 20:07

      No head/ear phones. OH&S issues. I would love to just say "bring your own headphones in", but it's just not possible.

      Having to listen to someone else’s idea of a good radio station…

      As for "ideal" radio station, it's going to be a vote and a rotation based on votes. Most voted station goes first and then maybe a week about going down the list.

      • try2bhelpful on 04/11/2019 - 20:16
        -1

        How about getting rid of the radio station and get people to bring in CDs/mp3s. That way people don’t have to listen to ads, talk back radio, etc. then people can vote what CDs/mp3s they want to listen to. You might even be able to come up with some compilation “tapes”. If you get a reasonable portable speaker system and an old music player you are set to go. Most people are OK with mid 80s music. Even all the hipster places I visit in Fitzroy have it and so do most of the tradies.

    • kahn on 04/11/2019 - 20:16
      +17

      Being forced to listen to music you can't tolerate is a good way of increasing one's blood pressure and irritability. Try listening to a crying baby, a dog barking, country music - these were are all used in Abu Ghraib as a form of torture.

    • macrocephalic on 06/11/2019 - 11:35
      +5

      If someone locked the radio to 2GB or something I think I'd just walk out.

  • brendanm on 04/11/2019 - 20:19
    +16

    Put it up high. Put it in a lockable cupboard with the speakers outside the cupboard. Etc

    • spackbace on 04/11/2019 - 20:20
      +3

      Receiver up high but have a remote control. Remote stays with the boss/person in charge of music

      • brendanm on 04/11/2019 - 20:22
        +2

        This. It's what we have at work except purely so it's out of the way, no massive issues with stations haha. Can always use Bluetooth speaker, earphones etc if you want to listen to something else anyway.

  • spackbace on 04/11/2019 - 20:22
    +1

    Set up a schedule for each day? Different radio station per day and that's it? RnB Fridays on Friday of course :)

    Compromise

    • pegaxs on 04/11/2019 - 20:34

      Yeah, that is on the table. But what they don’t want is people just changing it when they feel like it.

      Would love something that would change the station on a daily basis. That’s why I was looking at Arduino or Rasp. Pi type solutions.

    • 900dollaridoos on 06/11/2019 - 11:37

      This seems the winner by far but noone noticed it haha

  • JimmyF on 04/11/2019 - 21:09
    +16

    locked box with holes for the sound to get out.

  • crentist on 04/11/2019 - 21:15
    +2

    What about about any cheap set of speakers with built-in amp, and any small FM radio with a headphone port plugged into it.
    You could then lock the radio in a drawer or lockbox something and just have the cable sticking out.
    Or depending on your drawer availability and lockbox restrictions, get some kind of lockbox and glue it to the speakers, put the radio inside.

  • djones145 on 04/11/2019 - 21:17
    +3

    get am radio and place john laws on

    get radio
    place.dog.shit.on it

    problem solved

    • pegaxs on 04/11/2019 - 21:20
      +5

      Hahaha… funny you should mention that. At my last job, this is what got the radio banned. Boss hates John Laws. Came out one day and heard Lawsie on and lost it. Banned all radios.

      • Bid Sniper on 07/11/2019 - 07:38
        +3

        I agree with that call

    • YellowDieselGolf on 08/11/2019 - 10:45

      Nice try. John Laws and dog shit are the same thing!

  • djkelly69 on 04/11/2019 - 21:20
    +9

    Either the children agree on a station (which they won't), or they get no radio. Why is having radio so important that management(?)'s time is being spent on this issue?

    • HardlyCharly on 04/11/2019 - 21:43
      -5

      Clearly you've never worked a physical job.

      • djkelly69 on 04/11/2019 - 21:59
        +4

        Clearly.

        Are you able to answer the question rather than making unfounded assumptions?

  • pjetson on 04/11/2019 - 21:40
    +2

    Happy to build a box for radio

    Then why not build a box with a lid that locks with a padlock?

    • pegaxs on 04/11/2019 - 22:05

      It might come down to that yet. Just wanted to see if there was an “off the shelf” solution before I go making a lock box for the radio.

      • macrocephalic on 06/11/2019 - 11:39
        +1

        Buy a cheap rodent/bird cage. Put radio in the cage. Put a padlock on the door. You might have to use a few zip ties to strengthen it up, but it should be pretty simple.

        • 811b11e8 on 07/11/2019 - 09:51

          Electric fence on bird cage.

        • OZBMate8911 on 12/11/2019 - 08:15

          This is genius

      • Chandler on 07/11/2019 - 10:42

        Just wanted to see if there was an “off the shelf” solution

         

        Don't mind a DIY project (R.Pi/Arduino) if it's a full kit and not just a jumble of wires and a breadboard.

        Happy to build a box for radio if required (ie: car radio solution)

        So off the shelf or not?

        • pegaxs on 07/11/2019 - 11:12
          +1

          1st preference: Off the shelf, just plug it in, set it up and go…

          2nd preference: Build something from a kit. As in, buy a kit, put it together and turn it on. Not "spend 4 hours prototyping it, trying to work out what wire is wrong, what line of code isnt right and/or recoding because I got a fake copy of an expansion board that uses different plugin…"

          3rd preference: Throw in the towel and tell the boss "(fropanity) it, just take their radio if they behave like kids again…"

  • bobbieb on 04/11/2019 - 21:42
    -1
    • Get a cheap google or amazon smart speaker thingy (one with no screen).
    • Turn off voice control.
    • Install the tune-in radio app/skill/whatever.
    • Set the station from your phone.
    • If you're feeling generous, add a task that turns the radio back on automatically if it gets switched off for some reason. (eg. power outage)
    • Move on.
    • pegaxs on 04/11/2019 - 22:02

      No internet radio

      There is no internet access to where the radio is.

      • bobbieb on 05/11/2019 - 07:03

        Doh… Sorry. Missed that bit of your post.

        In that case, I'd be inclined to go with one of the other suggestions of just putting a regular radio in a locked box. If you're handy you could knock something together pretty cheaply by just buying an appropriately sized toolbox or similar, then drilling holes to let the sound out.

        • lysp on 06/11/2019 - 20:36

          Get radio that has wired external speakers.

          Lock radio in lock box, put wired speakers outside lock box.

  • Blue Cat on 04/11/2019 - 21:46
    +8

    Buy a cheap radio from Kmart, disassemble it and remove some parts so that the buttons on the radio do nothing.
    If you have common sense and have opened up atleast one phone/laptop/desktop in your life, should be easy to do.
    And since it's a cheap Kmart one it will be very primitive (so that means easy to modify whatever you want) and if you screw up, it won't cost a lot.

    • pegaxs on 04/11/2019 - 22:07
      +1

      Thinking of doing that with the current radio. Just removing all the plastic casing, stripping the guts out and just making a new box with only the volume knob available. Only problem is that every time power is lost, this stupid radio loses the last station it was set to.

      But I like the idea of a cheap radio, stripping it down and refitting it.

      • smpantsonfire on 05/11/2019 - 21:51

        Get an old slider/dial radio. Super glue that thing. Externally, internally all which ways.

        • lgacb08 on 07/11/2019 - 19:14

          Slider radio is easy, just set it up to the channel you want and open it, cut or taking out the tuning string that get connected to the tuning dial and the channel is permanently set

      • EnALup on 06/11/2019 - 09:39

        This is best suggestion or buy one with remote and glue the radio buttons, so it is only operated via the remote. Also put a banner next to radio to not touch it.

        • pegaxs on 06/11/2019 - 09:45

          Also put a banner next to radio to not touch it.

          I did. There was gaffer tape over where I removed the buttons that said "DO NOT REMOVE. DO NOT TOUCH"… They tore it off…

  • HardlyCharly on 04/11/2019 - 21:51
    +3

    Anyone making fun of this issue obviously hasn't been forced to listen to a pop station. They should be banned in the workplace as the awfulness of the sad excuses for 'music' they play negatively affects performance and morale for anyone with even an ounce of taste. I've quit a job partly due to the new management putting in a speaker system and then deciding to leave it on the pop station because 'that's what the customers want'. Before that we all took turns playing our own music through a bluetooth speaker and it was really fun and great for morale.

    Sounds like you've tried just about everything. You could definitely build your own on the cheap which is a closed system, but I wouldn't think ozbargain is the place to find out how, maybe an arduino type of forum. Taking apart an existing radio and re-housing it in a closed box with just the speaker showing, after removing all the physical buttons/knobs (so that they can't be accessed even if box is breached) is also an option.

    • Blue Cat on 04/11/2019 - 22:00

      Which "pop" radio station are you talking about?
      Which station do you think is the most "normal"?

      • pegaxs on 04/11/2019 - 22:17
        +6

        Can’t speak for Charly, but most of the perm staff are all older people who like music and songs from 70’s~early 90’s. Most of the volunteers are younger people who like mainstream commercial radio that has 40mins of ads and DJ’s talking shit and laughing at themselves and 2 or 3 songs an hour.

        Most of the “pop” radio stations they change the radio to are just non-stop ads. The music isn’t the real issue (as there isn’t much of it) as the oldies don’t mind it, but they get pissed when the volunteers leave and the radio is just ad after ad after ad and (fropanity) idiot, unfunny DJ’s talking shit.

        I just want a radio station that plays music that almost everyone likes and a radio that can’t be messed with once a happy medium is found. I don’t really care that much, I’m just tasked with finding the solution.

        • Blue Cat on 04/11/2019 - 22:45
          +7

          40mins of ads and DJ’s talking shit and laughing at themselves and 2 or 3 songs an hour.

          radio is just ad after ad after ad and (fropanity) idiot, unfunny DJ’s talking shit.

          Glad I am not the only one who thinks the exact same way! I am surprised nobody else points this out, it drives me nuts!

          Have you found any radio stations that don't do that?

          • spackbace on 04/11/2019 - 23:16

            @Blue Cat: DAB does (a few ads yes but no drive teams), but unfortunately no DAB reception or internet access to stream :/

            • pegaxs on 05/11/2019 - 06:45

              @spackbace:

              Have you found any radio stations that don't do that?

              Have found a lot of radio stations in the USA on Tune In app that are great. Great music, not a lot of talking and next to no ads. I wish we had internet access to where the radio was, it would be open and shut.

              My fave for listening at home or in the car is 98.5 WUPS

          • Russ on 06/11/2019 - 00:57

            @Blue Cat:

            Have you found any radio stations that don't do that?

            Consider recording a radio station from ~9pm to ~6am, and play it during the day. There are fewer ads, often more music variety (less of the high-rotation songs), and you'll still get the occasional news bulletin, which will still be moderately current if you listen to it the day you record it. And usually no shock jocks or commentators!

            Added bonus: if a song that you dislike starts playing, you can skip forwards to the next song.

          • Aids on 07/11/2019 - 13:49
            +2

            @Blue Cat: If you're in Melbourne 102.7 RRR or 106.7 PBS. They still sort of have the odd add but they are much less intrusive and are relevant (music festivals etc.)
            The programming is different in that they have 2 hour blocks of different music genres. Between the 2 stations there's usually something good on.
            Triple JJJ is the only other station that I can stand, but even that is too poppy these days.

            Edit: I remembered FBI fm in Sydney or check out this list: https://happymag.tv/8-flat-out-superb-community-radio-statio…

        • stumo on 05/11/2019 - 22:08
          +3

          Oh god I can literally feel the life being sucked out of me listening to radio station ads.

        • macrocephalic on 06/11/2019 - 11:42

          If you're already making a lock box, you might want to just use the phone/mp3 player idea with a huge collection of mp3s or spotify offline playlist from the 70s-90s. That way you don't get ANY ads, and there's no way anyone can change it.

    • Autonomic on 06/11/2019 - 14:35

      Listening to Nova is torture. Same 4-5 songs on repeat and the most unfunny hosts ever.

  • jason101 on 04/11/2019 - 22:55

    Turn on, set desired station then Duct tape the entire radio so only the speakers are exposed. Unless up you know exactly where to pry or poke it will just be too hard.

    • pegaxs on 05/11/2019 - 06:38

      Strange you should mention that. What I did was glued the buttons, they broke them to get them working again. I then removed the buttons with a screwdriver, and they used other tools to poke down where the buttons were. Next, I just duct taped the crap out of the radio. Came in yesterday and all the duct tape had been removed and the radio was changed again….

      • apsilon on 05/11/2019 - 06:39
        +1

        OK, so remove buttons etc and then fill holes with hot glue or epoxy etc.

        • pegaxs on 05/11/2019 - 06:49

          Problem with that is that we want to be able to do stations on rotation. I want a way of being able to change the radio stations, but not give access to just anyone who walks past it.

          • apsilon on 05/11/2019 - 07:36
            +5

            @pegaxs: Given the trouble you're having might be worth just buying 5 radios and locking each one to a different station. Swap them when no one's around. It'd actually be somewhat amusing watching them figure out how you're changing the station LOL.

            • pegaxs on 05/11/2019 - 10:18

              @apsilon: What I really want is a black wooden box with two speakers on the front and a power cord in the back. That's it. No buttons. No dials. No screens. Just music…

              • foolsgold on 06/11/2019 - 12:40

                @pegaxs: easiest solution was what others recommended, remove the buttons, and you keep a remote control to change it. this way it can be located far out of reach.

              • Antikythera on 08/11/2019 - 01:48

                @pegaxs: when my brother was driving highway patrol cars in the 80's he built a "portable" car radio.

                head unit, amplifier, some decent speakers all in a wooden box that sat in the back seat. power cord that plugged into the police car's cigarette lighter.

                if you built similar you'd want to place the head unit behind a locked door.

  • Austaurean on 05/11/2019 - 08:21
    +4

    just get a plastic/Perspex, or a polycarbonate box drill some holes for the sound to escape and put a lock on it…. bolt it to a table, wall shelf etc.

    https://www.megaofficesupplies.com.au/esselte-48556-shelf-mo…

    https://www.tro-pacific.com/products/enlec-polycarbonate-ter…

    • pegaxs on 05/11/2019 - 10:06

      No lock box/container.

      Didn't really want to go the whole locked box thing. This would be the last resort if I cant find and off the shelf solution.

  • OzHunterNSW on 05/11/2019 - 09:42
    -3

    What you do is advertise, or donate to a particular station. This then sets the request from "the boss" that all are to listen to this particular station.

    I would consider supporting a local independent station reliant on donations, or go for the ABC.

    You are this "password", you dictate the terms.

    Seems like everyone's mind is on radio wars and one-up-man-ship.

    You are fostering a culture of hate and spite, with little productivity, by the sounds of it.

    ABC, classical - give them a cultural education.

    • pegaxs on 05/11/2019 - 10:15

      The boss wants "no radio" to solve it. I convinced them that removing the radio altogether would result in much more unhappy workers and loss of what volunteers we already have. So, because of that, I got the job of finding a resolution. (I am not a manager, I don't care much for whats on the radio, I am one of the volunteers.)

      It's not really a workplace that would advertise. We don't have external customers or deal with general public, so the advertising route would not work.

      And sure, productivity could be better and moral could be higher, but the bosses idea is to remove the radio. Spats over what station are rare and not much of a grind, but the removal of the radio, that would cause people to quit.

      And the current spat is over a local, university radio station playing 60's ~ 80's music and a gawd awful commercial radio station that is about 60% ads, 30% (fropanity) idiot DJ's and 10% actual music.

  • Bargain80 on 05/11/2019 - 09:50
    +1

    how about put the radio in locked cabinet. (put small holes on the cabinet to let the sound out).

    • pegaxs on 05/11/2019 - 10:04

      No lock box/container.

      It's been suggested, but isn't really the route I wanted to take if there was an off the shelf solution.

  • spackbace on 05/11/2019 - 11:28
    +5

    So my soundbase would be great, pity is you can't find it any more! This one, from DS back in the day. Has no media buttons on it, you have to use the remote.

    Maybe look for a soundbar that does the same? Likely they only have volume keys on them, and leave media playback for the remote

    Found it!
    Make an offer coz he has it on Gumtree for $70

    • macrocephalic on 06/11/2019 - 11:45

      Many mobile phones have IR blasters in them. I used to love turning down the volume on obnoxious TVs that they put in restaurants.

      • spackbace on 06/11/2019 - 12:43

        Not since about the S5 days or so

        • BartholemewH on 07/11/2019 - 07:15

          The Huawei Mate 20 Pro etc still have one.

  • worrierwan on 05/11/2019 - 20:17
    +1

    Use a bluetooth speaker and use your phone as the one to recieve the FM signals. That way you control it with your phone and nobody can change it. Could even just buy a bluetooth reciever if your current radio connects with an AUX cable and tape the radio button so it cant be turned on lol.

    Something like this would work fine to receieve bluetooth https://www.amazon.com.au/Bluetooth-Receiver-SZMDLX-Wireless…

    As for the radio… well any bluetooth speaker would be fine… including the $2 from the recent Astivita deal

    • pegaxs on 05/11/2019 - 23:05

      Hahaha, yes, it is stupid, and considering all of these people are adults, it does make me laugh…

  • trev likes bargains on 05/11/2019 - 22:11
    +3

    Why not just get an amplifier and put it somewhere out of sight? The ones that are used to play music to multiple rooms. Will need to wire in the speakers though.

    I have a Yamaha the model from memory is N402

  • Thatbargainhunter on 05/11/2019 - 22:24
    +1

    Could you have a Bluetooth speaker

    Than have something like
    Retekess V-112 AM FM Radio Portable Mini Radio with Earphone Pocket Digital Tuning Rechargeable Battery LCD Display for Walk & Jogging(Gold) https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B019BYBR48/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i…

    And plug it into a Bluetooth transmitter
    TaoTronics Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter / Receiver, 2-in-1 Wireless 3.5mm Adapter (aptX Low Latency, 2 Devices Simultaneously, for TV / Home Sound System) https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01EHSX28M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i…

  • Blitz001 on 05/11/2019 - 22:33
    -1

    Just pull the tuning knob off, what’s the big deal??

  • systema on 05/11/2019 - 22:39

    Just get everyone to vote for a station, top 3 voted will get rotated on different work days. Get them to vote again every month or two. If anyone tempers with the radio afterwards, no more radio for everyone.

    • pegaxs on 05/11/2019 - 23:03

      That’s looking like the exact way the boss wants it to go. They are of the opinion “play nice or it’s gone”. And I can understand their position.

      I’m just trying to find a workable solution for everyone. Boss, employees and volunteers.

  • Mg on 05/11/2019 - 22:53

    Buy a jukebox and reward good employees with 'tokens' to play the music of their choice :)

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