Bug 415751

Summary:	Regression in default device handling for audio, caused by D22616
Product:	[Frameworks and Libraries] Phonon	Reporter:	retired <pepko94>
Component:	settings	Assignee:	Harald Sitter <sitter>
Status:	RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Severity:	normal	CC:	myriam
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Other
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments:	Mockup

Description retired 2019-12-31 16:39:27 UTC

SUMMARY
What I've noticed is that in recent update one page with default devices was removed. It causes serious regression for my use case, maybe not directly.

So, I use USB DAC for headphones and it's not always plugged in to my laptop. In the past I used to set which device is meant to have priority in playing audio and it worked for years without need for my intervention.
Recently systemsettings tab responsible for setting default audio devices hierarchy has been removed and it causes serious issues for me. Allow me to explain below.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Set external USB audio as default
2. Disconnect it (default switches to internal)
3. Reconnect USB audio again (Sound should switch back to USB, but it stays on internal instead)

OBSERVED RESULT

Settings forget that there used to be an USB device after it's disconnected, requiring me to switch audio manually.

EXPECTED RESULT

Audio switches to external USB according to hierarchy set few years ago. Now I see no option to do that by the way!

Proposal:

Bring back phonon applet with settings for hierarchy in audio inputs/outputs.
Or alternatively, introduce a feature allowing me to set which audio device is more important, and make sure that it's not forgotten after it's disconnected.

Use cases:
USB DACs
Bluetooth Headsets

What I mean is tab from first screenshot here: https://userbase.kde.org/Phonon/Handbook

Operating System: Arch Linux
KDE Plasma Version: 5.17.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.65.0
Qt Version: 5.14.0
Kernel Version: 5.4.6-zen3-1-zen
OS Type: 64-bit
Processors: 8 × Intel® Core™ i7-3720QM CPU @ 2.60GHz
Memory: 15,6 GiB

Comment 1 retired 2019-12-31 16:48:43 UTC

After reading all comments in D22616 I tried phononsettings. It exposes all devices as single pulseaudio device which is not very helpful.

Comment 2 Harald Sitter 2019-12-31 17:32:25 UTC

When you only see a generic pulseaudio device that means either phonon was built without pulseaudio support or it was disabled at runtime because (for example) the glib event loop of Qt isn't working or being detected correctly.
https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Debugging/Phonon outlines some ways to get more context

Comment 3 retired 2020-01-01 05:48:43 UTC

Created attachment 124819 [details]
Mockup

Tested with fresh user account, same deal.
Either way, default devices are not reliable at being set if I disconnect them.

Here's original message I was supposed to send before reading your response:

New way of dealing with multiple sound cards is not very intuitive. I can't consider it a wontfix I'm afraid, that's a regression from old way, it was working same way since KDE 4 days.
Can't we have a list of sound cards with ability to set which one is the most important to least important? It's not obvious in new applet now. All I get is a star near currently set one.