Bug 472370 - Selecting a different audio output device sometimes won't change the output device for active applications
Summary: Selecting a different audio output device sometimes won't change the output d...
Status: RESOLVED UPSTREAM
Alias: None
Product: plasma-pa
Classification: Unmaintained
Component: general (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 5.27.6
Platform: Arch Linux Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2023-07-18 17:52 UTC by Damian C
Modified: 2023-10-11 18:05 UTC (History)
5 users (show)

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Description Damian C 2023-07-18 17:52:19 UTC
SUMMARY
***
Selecting a different audio output device sometimes won't change the output device for active applications such as a game or a player, or a browser. You need to change the application's output device individually by using the "applications" tab in the volume control.



***


STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Be playing some audio on an application, youtube over brave browser for instance.
2. Use the panel's volume control to select a different output device, such as a headset.
3. Audio continues to play over the previously selected output device.


OBSERVED RESULT
Audio continues to play over the previously selected output device

I then correct this by going over to the applications tab in the aforementioned volume control and select a different output device for the specific application.

EXPECTED RESULT
Applications play over the device selected on the devices volume control tab.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Arch Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 5.27.6
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.108.0
Qt Version: 5.15.10
Kernel Version: 6.4.3-zen1-1-zen (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 12 × Intel® Core™ i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz
Memory: 15.6 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070/PCIe/SSE2


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This does not happen always, can't find a pattern to it.

Unsure if related, sounds like it could be:
Using the mouse scroll wheel to change the volume by having the mouse cursor placed above the panel's volume icon also changes the volume of the previously used device (and the associated system sound for each step of volume change also plays over the previously active device) unless I open the panel and manually slide the volume over the desired currently active device, only then the mouse scroll wheel acts as expected. Same result happens with my keyboard's dedicated volume keys.
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2023-09-11 21:17:02 UTC
Can you install the "PulseAudio Volume Control" app and do the same thing there, and see if the same problem happens? Thanks!
Comment 2 Damian C 2023-09-18 15:32:19 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #1)
> Can you install the "PulseAudio Volume Control" app and do the same thing
> there, and see if the same problem happens? Thanks!

After some days of testing I can say it tends to happen less frequently, but still does happen even using pavucontrol.
Basically after selecting a device as default from the output devices tab, sometimes an app continues to send audio through the previously default device and needs to be set through the playback tab, changing the specific stream.
Comment 3 Bug Janitor Service 2023-10-03 03:46:20 UTC
Dear Bug Submitter,

This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least
15 days. Please provide the requested information as soon as
possible and set the bug status as REPORTED. Due to regular bug
tracker maintenance, if the bug is still in NEEDSINFO status with
no change in 30 days the bug will be closed as RESOLVED > WORKSFORME
due to lack of needed information.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures please read the
wiki located here:
https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Bug_triaging

If you have already provided the requested information, please
mark the bug as REPORTED so that the KDE team knows that the bug is
ready to be confirmed.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!
Comment 4 Nate Graham 2023-10-11 18:05:34 UTC
If it still happens when using pavucontrol, then it's not a KDE bug, but rather an issue in PulseAudio or PipeWire, or else a local config issue. Feel free to submit a report at https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/pulseaudio/pulseaudio/-/issues or https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/pipewire/pipewire/-/issues.