Bug 497015 - Can't use pc speaker for system bell anymore
Summary: Can't use pc speaker for system bell anymore
Status: CONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: systemsettings
Classification: Applications
Component: kcm_accessibility (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 6.2.3
Platform: Debian testing Linux
: NOR minor
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords: regression
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2024-12-03 22:34 UTC by Alex
Modified: 2024-12-04 10:18 UTC (History)
4 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:


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Description Alex 2024-12-03 22:34:59 UTC
SUMMARY
After upgrading to plasma 6.2, the system bell sound is played on external speakers instead of the pc speaker ("beeper"). I cannot see how to switch it back to the pc speaker.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Open a Terminal (not neccessarily konsole, I use rxvt-unicode here)
2. press tab twice

OBSERVED RESULT
The PC speaker is not used, so the bell can only be heard if external speakers are switched on.

EXPECTED RESULT
The usual "beep" like on the Linux console or Plasma 5.x should be played on the internal speaker.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Debian GNU/Linux 12
KDE Plasma Version: 6.2.3
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.6.0
Qt Version: 6.7.2
Kernel Version: 6.11.10-amd64 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: X11

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Accessibility -> System bell lets you configure to use an "audible signal" (switching on and off the sound effect) and/or a visual signal flashing the screen. Both work as they are probably intended, but an option "use system bell" to revert to default behavior is missing.

I also probably won't mind for most KDE programs themselves using audio effects (I think they also did before?), but my terminals should use the system bell, which is independent from other sound.
Comment 1 Alex 2024-12-03 22:36:35 UTC
Feel free to reassign the bug to the correct component, I am not sure what is responsible for the bell, I would have thought it to be independent from the desktop environment, but the Linux console still has the default behavior and urxvt seems to interact with Plasma (it works with the visual bell configurable in systemsettings) so it really seems to be related to some Plasma component.
Comment 2 Nate Graham 2024-12-04 08:45:27 UTC
AFAIK this is intentional as the pc speaker sound is often loud and terrifying and horrible, especially when played through headphones.
Comment 3 Alex 2024-12-04 09:48:36 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #2)
> AFAIK this is intentional as the pc speaker sound is often loud and
> terrifying and horrible, especially when played through headphones.

I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing. I'm talking about the little speaker inside PCs that can only make small beeps, doesn't even use a sound card, and didn't play in headphones before the update.

Two main things that are annoying me now:
- When I activate an audible bell, I now have a sort of "blip" sound playing over my music. It was nicer not to hear the bell from my (often much louder) speakers.
- When my audio power amp is currently switched to another device, I now cannot hear the bell sound at all.

Anyway, this is KDE, and customizing such behavior is great, and I can see why some people might want to hear it through headphones, and maybe some notebooks don't even have PC speakers: How about a third option on the configuration page "Use standard system bell"?

As said, it is only about not intercepting other programs, not about adding it to new KDE programs.
Comment 4 Nate Graham 2024-12-04 09:59:34 UTC
We're talking about the same thing, yes. I understood your meaning.
Comment 5 Alex 2024-12-04 10:18:51 UTC
OK, I think can see how people might not like the sound.

Another issue I've had with some more modern terminals that also use mp3 sounds is that it often work badly during tab completion when the notification beep plays longer than the time between two beeps. Then it is more like the vibration feedback when typing on a phone, if it is not instant it feels off.

I guess I will only notice if it seems to be missing in other places in the next few days, but I think what is mostly missing is the bell for tab completion in the shell and in certain shell tools. For other programs I agree that mp3 sounds are a much better option.