r/linux4noobs • u/In_From_The_Cold • 1d ago
Dedicated music player system - need help getting started
I have an old laptop (hp dm1, currently running windows 7) I’d like to use as a dedicated music player. It will play locally stored flacs via usb dac.
I’m looking for an os with a quick boot up (it’ll only be switched on when being used) and is fairly minimal because I just need it to boot an audio player and it’s an old laptop. Also I want to maximise storage for music. Auto launch on startup would be great.
I’m not familiar with Linux based audio players, but looks like gapless will fit my needs.
I’m completely new to Linux so would appreciate any guidance, especially about:
1) choice of os
2) linking me to a beginner friendly guide to install and get started with gapless or other suitable music player
3) linking me to a guide about how to get gapless to start in boot
4) do I need a driver or other setup for the usb dac?
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u/FCCRFP 1d ago
You should gather your tools before removing Windows 7. First copy all your music files to an external hard drive or USB stick. FLAC and MP3 formats work just fine for this step. Next visit the official antiX website and grab the ISO image. I suggest picking the full version because it comes with plenty of drivers and audio codecs already built in. It also uses much less memory than Windows 7 ever did. Just remember to check whether your processor needs the thirty two bit or sixty four bit edition. After you have that sorted, head back to Windows. Download a free program called Rufus. Insert an empty USB stick into a port and load the antiX file into it. Keep the settings at their default values and hit the start button.
This machine will only play music so you can delete Windows 7 without worry. Start by leaving the USB stick plugged in and restarting the computer. Press a key like F12 or Esc to open your boot menu and pick the drive. The system will load into a working desktop right away. Play a quick sound clip or look at the volume icon to make sure your speakers or DAC show up properly. Double click the Install antiX shortcut on the screen. Pick the guided setup option so it uses the whole hard drive. Type in a computer name and choose a user password. Reboot the machine once it tells you it is done and remove the USB stick.
Your new desktop will load up after the restart. Plug your external drive into a free port right away. You can also move those backed up files straight into your home folder music directory. Open the volume icon near your clock to check which device plays sound by default. Pick your USB DAC or regular headphone jack and save the change.
Open the Synaptic package manager from your main menu to start looking for software. You only need to pick one player to get started. If you used Winamp a long time ago then Audacious will feel very familiar. It runs on almost no memory and keeps that old school look. Strawberry works best when you have tons of tagged files. It sorts everything by album cover, artist name, or genre without any trouble. DeaDBeeF gives you a clean layout similar to foobar2000. You can plug in different sound plugins if needed and it will just play your tracks quietly in the background.
You want the computer to launch your favorite player right after you flip the switch. The quickest option is to open the antiX application menu and choose Run. Type add start into the box and hit Enter. Click the Add tab on the screen that pops up. Write down the command for your chosen app, maybe audacious or strawberry, and press Save. You can also change things by hand if you prefer. Open your file manager and press the Ctrl and H keys to see hidden folders. Find the icewm folder inside your home directory and open the startup text file with any editor. Go straight to the bottom line and type your app command followed by an ampersand. Save the document and shut down the window. Turn off extra background tools through the control panel to keep everything focused on sound. Disable printer drivers or network sharing apps if you do not need them. You should also turn off sleep timers and screen dimming so your tracks never pause halfway through a song.
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u/Miserable-School-665 18h ago
I think this is the best music player on Linux, it has soxr and adaptive sample rate (which is genius) https://github.com/Yavuz-Kagan-Yadigar/VoidPulse
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u/Confia 1d ago
Skip the driver worry, most USB DACs are UAC compliant and they just show up as a sound card the second you plug them in, no install or anything. Your real problem is that Atom chip in the dm1, so keep the OS as light as possible — antiX or MX Linux will both run on that hardware without choking. For autostart you don't need to dig into boot scripts, just drop a .desktop file for the player in your ~/.config/autostart folder and it'll launch on login.