CD ROM to CD Player

[TheDutyPaid]

I am mucking around with an old CD ROM (CED-8080B) and want to make a dumb CD player out of it. The CD ROM drive does not have a "play" button on the front or the headphone socket.

Was hoping that the audio CD would start playing automatic and I could use the rear analogue out on the rear of the drive to collect it to my amp.

Opening up the drive it has on the PCB the place where the play switch should go, but adding a quick lead and switch did not do anything once the drive was powered up.
There are still loads of old drives on ebay with a play button and from what I understand these will work without being connected to a computer by their IDE cable.

What I want to make is a minimalist CD player the size of a PC drive. Encased in walnut with bright brass corner protectors a bit of a steampunk with out going to deep sticking on old cogs. Just power, tray or CD eject and play button. But could omit the play button and when the tray is close the CD will start playing, much like dropping a needle on vinyl.

My main CD player a Sony a RCD-W3 is near dead, drive 1 is "disc error" probably a burnt out laser. Drive 2 is making a background noise like there is a family of ducks having a party.

At the moment I am unable to play CD's it's easier for me to play a 78 or a FLAC, cassette, DCC, Minidisc.

[DDY]

I'm thinking IDE (or SATA) to USB adapter, Raspberry Pi and optionally an LCD module.

[TheDutyPaid]

I'm thinking IDE (or SATA) to USB adapter, Raspberry Pi and optionally an LCD module.

Interesting approach. The CD ROM uses both 5V and 12V and the power supply I have from an old IDE to USB could be used to power the Pi and drive.
Guessing you would auto boot the pi as you turn the system.
Could you use switches just to control the Play, skip, eject etc without having a keyboard? Would that be through the Pi's header pins?

I never got into programing, was in that generation gap where we had nothing to program. It confuses me whether you can do something or not with the Pi and micro controllers alike.