Sound on Ubuntu base install - not working until user logs in on local keyboard
 

Hi,

I have an application for which I built a small Linux computer. It is serving as a basic Music on Hold source for a phone system.

I installed a non-gui Ubuntu base install. It is just CLI and that's the way i want to keep it.

I have the following problem:

I get no sound when invoking VLC from /etc/rc.local The command i put in rc.local for startup on boot is:
su - john -c '/home/john/start.sh'

Contents of /home/john/start.sh:
cvlc -I http -Z -L /home/john/list.m3u

This is supposed to enable vlc playback of the M3U playlist and play it random and loop it indefinitely while enabling the HTTP control interface so that I can control playback from any web browser.

The vlc program launches just fine, but no sound comes out of the audio out unless a user logs in on the console locally.

There must be a way to do this. Can someone please help?

I want to make it so the system runs headless (no monitor, keyboard, or mouse) so that all they have to do is patch the audio to the phone system, and attach a power and network cable for control.

Please help.

Thanks.

You may be able to setup a auto login.

I could be off base here (I have never done this), but I would think it would be hard to give user null audio rights.

Sounds to me like a permission/group issue none the less.