Bug 437229

Summary:	HDMI output isn't present in Audio devices applet
Product:	[Unmaintained] plasma-pa	Reporter:	Vladimir Yerilov <openmindead>
Component:	applet	Assignee:	David Rosca <nowrep>
Status:	RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Severity:	normal	CC:	nicolas.fella, openmindead, plasma-bugs-null
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	5.21.90
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Manjaro
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments:	the output of pactl list

Description Vladimir Yerilov 2021-05-17 03:23:35 UTC

SUMMARY
Since Plasma 5.20, the Audio devices applet doesn't list my HDMI monitor output, only "Analog Stereo" (laptop's built-in speakers) is present. The only way to switch to HDMI audio source is to open Systemsettings, go to Audio, click Configure button - quite a long route I think.


STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. 
2. 
3. 

OBSERVED RESULT
Only "Speakers" are present in Audio devices

EXPECTED RESULT
Seeing both outputs in the list

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 
macOS: 
Linux/KDE Plasma: 
(available in About System)
KDE Plasma Version: 5.20.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.82.0
Qt Version: 5.15.2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Comment 1 Nicolas Fella 2021-05-17 08:09:07 UTC

Please attach the output of running "pactl list"

Comment 2 Vladimir Yerilov 2021-05-17 10:25:55 UTC

Created attachment 138501 [details]
the output of pactl list

Hello,

Here it goes attached!

Thanks,
Vladimir

Comment 3 Nicolas Fella 2021-05-17 10:43:03 UTC

Due to the way your hardware/PulseAudio works only either the Speakers or the HDMI output can be active at one time. Which one is active depends on the profile you set in systemsettings. This can be seem in the "pactl list" output where only one Sink is reported.

This is unfortunately an issue on the lower levels and nothing that Plasma influences. There also hasn't been a relevant behavior change in Plasma 5.20, it always behaved this way.

Comment 4 Vladimir Yerilov 2021-05-17 11:14:10 UTC

OK, but I remember that it started right after the update to 5.20. I also remember Nate talked in his blog about hiding inactive devices from Audio devices as one of the features of 5.20 release. And then BOOM - it happened.
I found only this commit which seems related: https://invent.kde.org/plasma/plasma-pa/commit/aa3c7235181abe4d386519f1e14d8a667766059f

Comment 5 Vladimir Yerilov 2021-05-17 11:25:19 UTC

Oops I meant this commit:
https://invent.kde.org/plasma/plasma-pa/commit/6611ff9e89ecedbedb38c630ece042d57832f72c

Comment 6 Nicolas Fella 2021-05-17 11:53:02 UTC

If it was filtered out by that then there would be a "Show Inactive Devices" button to show it again. However the output from PulseAudio (which is the source of truth here) clearly shows that only one sink is reported to Plasma

Comment 7 Vladimir Yerilov 2021-08-09 07:15:29 UTC

Just a bit of useful info if anyone is wondering: moving to PipeWire resolved this issue for me.