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Getting started

pCP Team 6 May 2024 pCP 9.0.0 Setup • How to

This “getting started” will show you how to get a basic player up and running on your Raspberry Pi using piCorePlayer.

By default, if you:

  • are using a wired ethernet
  • are using DHCP
  • have a functioning LMS server on your network
  • are using a Raspberry Pi with a Headphones jack,

then piCorePlayer will just work through the Headphones jack on the Raspberry Pi without any user setup. piCorePlayer will appear on your Lyrion Media Server (LMS) as a Squeezelite player called piCorePlayer. So, plug in your headphones, select a song and press play.

Info

Some models of the Raspberry Pi do not have a Headphones jack—see Raspberry Pi - Models.

Steps

Step 1 - Download piCorePlayer
Step 2 - Create SD card
Step 3 - Boot piCorePlayer
  • Insert the SD card into your Raspberry Pi.
  • Connect the ethernet cable.
  • Connect the power cable.
  • Connect a monitor for diagnostics (optional).
  • Turn the power on.
Step 4 - After boot

A Squeezelite player should appear in LMS named piCorePlayer. It can be controlled just like any other Squeezebox player, via:

  • Lyrion Media Server (LMS) web interface via any browser (ie. Material skin)
  • Software on your smartphone (ie. iPeng)
  • Duet Controller
  • Squeezebox Radio
  • Squeezebox Touch
  • piCorePlayer Simple Controls
  • piCorePlayer with Jivelite
  • Squeezeslave on PC
  • etc
Step 5 - Test Headphones (optional)
Info

Skip this step if your Raspberry Pi does not have a Headphones jack—see Raspberry Pi - Models.

  • Plug in your headphones into the Headphones jack.
  • Select a song and press play.
Step 6 - Determine the IP address
  • Access the piCorePlayer web interface via the IP address shown on the boot screen—see Determine your piCorePlayer IP address.
  • Type http://your_IP_address into your browser, or
  • Type http://pcp.local into your browser where pcp is the current hostname.
Step 7 - Set system password.
  • When the piCorePlayer web interface opens, you will be on a configuration page where you must set the password for the system.
  • After setting the password, you can enable ssh if you want.
Warning

Once your password is set, if you forget the password, you must have physical access to the device to reset the password.

Info

Default passwords can create easy access to attackers to create backdoors into your network. Prior to pCP 9.2.0, the images were shipped with a default password. With the current cybersecurity concerns. Starting with version 9.2.0 the default password has been removed from piCorePlayer images. If you download an image older than 9.2.0, it is recommended that you set the password from the security page of the web interface.

Step 8 - Set Audio output
  • Click [Squeezelite Settings].
  • Select the appropriate sound device under “Choose audio output” > “Audio output”.
  • Click [Save].
  • Click [Yes] when requested to “Reboot piCorePlayer”.
Info

If you selected USB audio ensure you complete the “Output setting” field, it will be blank.

Step 9 - Set player name (optional)
  • Select [Squeezelite Settings] > “Change Squeezelite settings” > “Name of your player”.
  • Type the player name.
  • Click [Save].
  • Click [Yes] when requested to “Restart Squeezelite”.
Step 10 - Set hostname (optional)
  • Select [Tweaks] > “pCP System Tweaks” > “Host name”.
  • Type the host name.
  • Click [Save].
  • Click [Yes] when requested to “Reboot piCorePlayer”.

More information

piCorePlayer documentation
How to
The Software and Information is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of condition, uninterrupted use, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.
Raspberry Pi is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi Foundation.