Arch Linux

bdalenoord

Member

Registered: 2012-06-14

Posts: 25

Dynamic switching HDMI display and audio over Mini-Displayport

Hello all,

I've been using my Dell XPS15 with Arch for about 2 years now. I used Cinnamon up to about a week ago, when I decided to reinstall. I've switched to XFCE now and
I've got the following problem.

I tend to use my laptop as a media-pc every once in a while and I use a Mini-DP to HDMI converter before. Cinnamon was nice enough to keep track of the settings
I used and reapply them for every session. XFCE is more trouble though.

The display is easy to switch though the control panel, but sound is quite a bit harder. I've used the instructions in the wiki for the past three times but it requires a
reboot before and after plugging the HDMI which is far from ideal. (I have to reboot after modifying .asoundrc to apply these new settings)

Is there a way to automate this switching on plugin/plugout of the HDMI cable or Mini-DP converter? It should be because Cinnamon can do it, but I've searched Google and the forums but no luck so far. What am I missing?

Regards,
Bas

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,688

Re: Dynamic switching HDMI display and audio over Mini-Displayport

Did you use pulseaudio with Cinnamon and now only alsa with XFCE?

bdalenoord

Member

Registered: 2012-06-14

Posts: 25

Re: Dynamic switching HDMI display and audio over Mini-Displayport

No... I've never used Pulse. I suppose Cinnamon, which is a fork of GNOME, kept these settings stored in GSettings. If only I get to know how to apply a new .asoundrc at runtime, I can come up with a script myself, but I cannot find anything on the subject...

Gluekem

Member

Registered: 2012-12-22

Posts: 3

Re: Dynamic switching HDMI display and audio over Mini-Displayport

It isn't the ideal solution, but I've handled loading the new .asoundrc by running "systemctl restart alsa-restore" (which requires root, so a sudo helps).

Applications remain attached to the output they started with, so after running the above command, I then have to restart any applications to get them to use the HDMI audio. (And a similar restart of alsa-restore and the applications is required to switch back off of HDMI)

There might be a better way, but this method has served my needs. I also can't vouch that restarting this isn't secretly screwing something up, but I haven't run into any problems.

bdalenoord

Member

Registered: 2012-06-14

Posts: 25

Re: Dynamic switching HDMI display and audio over Mini-Displayport

I'll be testing that this weekend, might try Pulseaudio as well so I'll post back by then. Thanks so far.