DroidStar for Linux

DroidStar is a digital voice client designed for Linux users who want to use digital radio modes on their computer.

It supports several popular modes, including M17, D-Star, Fusion, and DMR.

With DroidStar, you can connect to a reflector server to send and receive voice data encoded in Codec2 or AMBE formats.

The app also shows details about other users and modules connected to the same reflector, helping you stay informed during communication.

One important feature of DroidStar is the use of vocoder plugins.

Some digital voice modes require an external vocoder plugin to work properly.

On Linux, you can download these plugins directly from a URL inside the app, or you can install them manually.

To download, enter the full HTTP link in the Vocoder URL option found on the Settings tab, then click the "Download vocoder" button.

For Linux, manual installation means copying the vocoder plugin to a specific folder: ~/.var/app/io.github.nostar.DroidStar/config/dudetronics.

This folder also holds other key files like DMRHosts.txt and DMRIDs.data.

When installing manually, make sure the plugin file is named following this format: vocoder_plugin.linux.arch, where “arch” is either x86_64 or arm64.

You can check your system’s architecture in the About tab of the app.

The official vocoder plugins are available at http://pizzanbeer.net/droidstar/plugins/.

While DroidStar offers strong support for several digital voice modes, users should note that vocoder setup can be tricky.

Downloading and installing plugins, especially manual installation on Linux, requires careful file placement and naming.

This might be a challenge for less experienced users, but tech-savvy individuals will find DroidStar a reliable tool for digital voice communication on Linux.