Arch Linux

andrep

Member

Registered: 2015-12-15

Posts: 10

Is there a faster/easier way to change sound output?

Hello, I have 3 outputs that I use.

My headset, connected to my motherboard's internal card, and 2 hdmi connections to 2 monitors.

Right now, if I want to switch from my headset to my monitor, I have to open pavucontrol and change the playback option to my video card, then open plasma settings and set it to the right monitor. I was wondering if there was a quicker way to do this.

Also, preferably it being system wide, as in all the applications change to the new default sound output.

drcouzelis

Member

From: Connecticut, USA

Registered: 2009-11-09

Posts: 4,092

Website

Re: Is there a faster/easier way to change sound output?

I have a button on my keyboard that I configured to do two things: enable video output to my TV via HDMI (using "xrandr") and enable audio output to the TV via the same HDMI connection.

The way I switch to HDMI is similar to what is mentioned in the wiki here. It involves figuring out the name of the HDMI audio output (only needs to be done once) and putting that information into the "~/.asoundrc" file. As soon as that file is changed, audio output is changed too. The drawback is that any previously running application needs to be restarted to start using the new sound output, but since it's usually to start playing a video file it's not a problem for me.

To restore the "normal" audio output to my computer speakers, I just delete the "~/.asoundrc" file. I have both enabling and disable the TV video and audio set to a single command on my keyboard, so it's super easy to toggle.

Let me know if you'd like more details about my setup and I can provide them when I get home.

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,104

Re: Is there a faster/easier way to change sound output?

@Drcouzelis I wouldn't do that while using pulse.

@andrep There are certainly ways to do this, there's a script here which should be able to do this and can be adjusted/extended if needed. Maybe one of the alternative console pulse clients provides such a facility I wouldn't know