Main Project Plans and Alternatives

My project initially set out to display characteristics of the Space Age aesthetic. This aesthetic was popular during the 1960s and 1970s when the U.S. and U.S.S.R. were in the midst of the Space Race. As the name suggests, the aesthetic takes lots of inspiration from space-related objects such as spacecraft/rockets and satellites. This generally entails the use of streamlined forms with rounded corners to mimic the aerodynamic shapes used in the space industry. Additionally, designs are generally more minimalist but do include one or two bold colors. The cartoon “The Jetsons” is a great example of the Space Age aesthetic with simple but smooth geometric shapes and bright colors. The aesthetic also has some overlap with the Googie style, which was seen more in architecture and signage of the time.

For some background, I was planning my project to consist of a Space Age-style TV connected to a Raspberry Pi running some version of Spotify. This combination would result in a music control device that could be connected over Bluetooth/WiFi to some of my existing speakers. The device is meant to be a desktop accessory that I can use to play music in my Spotify library while working or relaxing. A lot of these older TVs have CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) displays that produce a grainy, fuzzy, and slightly distorted image. In my mind, the analog display properties contrasted with the digital Spotify interface would create an interesting user experience.

So far, I have been able to acquire a Raspberry Pi 4 from the ITLL for free. Currently, I plan to use this for testing since I do not own it, but I may be able to rent it for the rest of the semester. After doing some research, there are multiple software packages that can be installed on the Raspberry Pi that provide a Spotify interface. I still need to do more work on this front to get the Pi set up but I do not envision this aspect of the project to be challenging.

As far as the TV side of the project, it seems like my original Space Age aesthetic will no longer be feasible. After doing many hours of digging on Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay, I determined that most of the TVs that fit the Space Age aesthetic are either prohibitively expensive or not in good working condition. A lot of the more reasonably priced examples are actually from Russia or Eastern Europe but I have yet to find one that states that it has been tested/turned on.

Due to these issues, I plan to pursue either a vaporwave aesthetic (1980s style) or a cassette futurism aesthetic (late 1960s-1970s). I chose these aesthetics because most of the old TVs available on the market fit one or the other. Here are some examples of each aesthetic:

Cassette Futurism aesthetic: https://www.redbubble.com/i/sticker/Cassette-Futurism-Old-PC-Retro-tech-by-AnalogStatic/139636690.EJUG5

Vaporwave aesthetic: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/0X2ky4

Right now, I am leaning towards the cassette futurism aesthetic since I was able to find an old Sony mini TV for an affordable price in working condition:

Sony 204UW TV: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/68lEo5