If you have a Raspberry Pi sitting idle, Raspiaudio just gave you a reason to turn it into a full-featured radio receiver. The company's new Digital Radio V1 HAT stacks onto any Pi with a 40-pin GPIO header and pulls in AM, FM, DAB/DAB+, and even HD Radio broadcasts, all driven by a Skyworks Si4689-A10 receiver chip. It works with the Raspberry Pi Zero 1 and 2, Pi 4, and Pi 5, and ships in a pHAT form factor kit that includes a telescopic antenna and a riser for mechanical compatibility.
The Si4689-A10 handles worldwide FM (76 to 108 MHz), AM (520 to 1710 kHz), and DAB/DAB+ Band III (168 to 240 MHz), along with an integrated 97 dB stereo DAC and I2S digital audio output. On the audio side, the HAT packs a built-in 5W amplifier with an onboard speaker, a 3.5 mm stereo jack, and screwless terminals for connecting an external 4 or 8 ohm passive speaker. A three-way navigation button on the board handles basic tuning without needing to reach for a screen. HD Radio (IBOC) support is also present on the chip, though Raspiaudio notes that licensing requirements vary by country.
While the hardware itself is not open source, the software is fully open and available on GitHub. Written in Python, the radio.py script launches a local web UI for scanning stations, managing favorites, adjusting volume, and recording audio, all without requiring an internet connection. A CLI mode is also available for scripting and automation, making it straightforward to integrate into headless or home automation setups. DAB/DAB+ coverage is strongest in Europe, South Korea, and Australia, while HD Radio is mainly used in the United States.
The Digital Radio V1 HAT kit is available for $65 (€60) from Raspiaudio's store. Setup amounts to plugging in the HAT, connecting the antenna, cloning the repo, and running a single Python command to get the web interface up on port 8686.
