Video Killed the Radio Alarm Clock

Using MTV archival footage, Derf created a unique video alarm clock that channels the nostalgia of the channel’s heyday in the 80s and 90s. The build features a portable TV from the late 80s, complete with its original CRT display, to maintain the appropriate 80s aesthetic.

Behind the scenes, a Raspberry Pi serves as the brains of the operation, hosting the video files and running a Python script. This script launches the VLC media player with a playlist loaded with MTV shows from the past. Configuring the Raspberry Pi to output to the CRT display requires some setup, but once configured, it’s ready to serve as an alarm clock.

To automate the wake-up process, Derf uses a smart outlet to power the TV at the appropriate time. Additionally, a cron job starts the video player simultaneously, ensuring that the user is greeted with a blast from the past as they wake up.

In the realm of retro TV setups, using one as an alarm clock adds a nostalgic twist to the morning routine, providing a unique way to start the day with a blast from the past.

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