# R pi PIR triggering playing mp3 file
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/r-pi-pir-triggering-playing-mp3-file/91194
**Category:** General
**Created:** [23 September 2024 02:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/r-pi-pir-triggering-playing-mp3-file/91194 "2024-09-23T02:16:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@thecybo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/thecybo)
#### Post date: [23 September 2024 02:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/r-pi-pir-triggering-playing-mp3-file/91194/1 "2024-09-23T02:16:06Z")
I am new to node-red and have spent days trying to get a simple project to play a sound file when triggered from a PIR and turn on a light with a Raspberry Pi.
I have tried all the nodes that deal with audio. Even tried to install Contrib-audio only to have the install fail.
The file plays great in VLC so it is not hardware
If someone can help me with an example of this flow or a link to how I can learn to do this.
Thanks
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [23 September 2024 09:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/r-pi-pir-triggering-playing-mp3-file/91194/2 "2024-09-23T09:12:46Z")
Welcome to the forum @thecybo
> [@thecybo](#):
>
> I am new to node-red
If you have not already done so then I recommend watching this playlist: [Node-RED Essentials](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyNBB9VCLmo1hyO-4fIZ08gqFcXBkHy-6). The videos are done by the developers of node-red. They're nice & short and to the point. You will understand a whole lot in about 1 hour. A small investment for a lot of gain.
First make sure that your PIR input is working as expected. Connect a Debug node to it and check that it is sending the messages you expect.
Are you trying to play the file on the pi running node-red or in the browser, which may be on a different machine?
---
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [23 September 2024 14:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/r-pi-pir-triggering-playing-mp3-file/91194/3 "2024-09-23T14:52:30Z")
> [@Colin](#):
>
> Are you trying to play the file on the pi running node-red or in the browser, which may be on a different machine?
This is the first thing to check. I've lost count of the number of times Linux sound has let me down. If it doesn't "just work" I generally don't even bother. The first step is to use a Linux command-line tool on the Pi to output a sound and make sure that is working.
If that works, I'd try doing the same from Node-RED using an exec node.
Once you know that that is working, then you can move on to any custom sound nodes.
---
### Author:  [@thecybo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/thecybo)
#### Post date: [23 September 2024 15:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/r-pi-pir-triggering-playing-mp3-file/91194/4 "2024-09-23T15:38:54Z")
Hi Colin
Thanks for the reply
I think that my biggest problem is that I don't do this enough to get good at it.
I had the same set up a couple of years ago and it worked just find, but I lost that flow and now have to start all over again. I also had a dashboard to select three different videos. Gone
I mentioned in my post that I could get the mp3 to play outside node-red but did not say that it had to play on the Pi. I installed MPG321 as required in one of the nodes and I am able to run the MP3 from the command line so I ruled out problems with Linux.
I am not familiar with exec nodes but a quick search looks like that might be the anaswer. I will dig into it and get back with you.
Thanks a lot!
Richard
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [22 November 2024 15:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/r-pi-pir-triggering-playing-mp3-file/91194/5 "2024-11-22T15:39:16Z")
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.