So the setup is as follows.
I've got one of those wireless doorbells in which the button is powered by a 9V battery and is stickied to the door and the sound comes from a speaker plugged in a wall socket nearby. ( I use that since I am a student and I change houses a lot)
I also have a home stereo system that is quite loud.
I have been missing people that ring me or mail deliveries and it's getting kind of frustrating.
My idea is to use a wire of some sort to solder somewhere on the doorbell button, so I can detect the button press via a CP2102 UART USB Adapter I have left off from previous projects, and then send a command to the pc to mute the music playing.
I also have a Raspberry Pi, but I am currently using it as a HTPC, so I wouldn't want to use it.
I would be glad to any suggestions on how I could approach my task.
Best Answer
Don't mute it, broadcast it.
WARNING: Plugging in things with random voltages into your sound card may damage your hardware. The maximum acceptable line level for consumer sound products is about half a volt. Only proceed here if the speaker leads on the chime test nominally in this range, when it rings.
Take the speaker output from the doorbell and solder on a 3.5mm female connector jack. Take an 1/8" to 1/8" (3.5mm) cord and plug it into the 'in' on your computer. Or simply splice-on a cut cord to the doorbell chime (use a lighter to burn away the varnish insulation on the tiny wires after you remove their inner plastic insulation).
Test and adjust the input level accordingly. You don't want to get blown away when someone rings the doorbell and you've got the stereo cranked up to 11.
Alternatively, stop cranking it up to 11.