You are not logged in.

#1 2018-10-03 07:36:34

rata
Member
Registered: 2006-04-10
Posts: 46

[SOLVED] pulseaudio combined sink with bluetooth is muted

I would like to play sound through some bluetooth headphones and the internal sound card simultaneously, as explained in https://askubuntu.com/questions/78174/p … ts-devices. I tried installing and using paprefs but the combined virtual device didn't show up in the Output Devices tab of pavucontrol after

pulseaudio -k

Then I found this question and this article on the archwiki. So I run

pacmd load-module module-combine-sink

and the combined sink appeared in the Output Devices tab of pavucontrol right away. However, when selecting it as the output device of an application, it didn't play any sounds. When selecting either the bluetooth headphones or the sound card it does play sounds correctly though.

I also tried adding

load-module module-combine-sink

either at the end or beginning of the /etc/pulse/default.pa and then restarting pulseaudio. That didn't work either.

Has anyone faced the same issue and solved it? Does anyone know why this could be happening?

Last edited by rata (2018-10-04 09:45:10)

Offline

#2 2018-10-03 08:12:15

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,410

Re: [SOLVED] pulseaudio combined sink with bluetooth is muted

module-combine-sink should work for that, can you post

pacmd list-sinks
pacmd list-sink-inputs

during attempted playback from a combined sink? There might be an issue with the fact that a bluetooth sink isn't a physical (ALSA) card.

Offline

#3 2018-10-04 02:58:27

rata
Member
Registered: 2006-04-10
Posts: 46

Re: [SOLVED] pulseaudio combined sink with bluetooth is muted

Hi V1del, thanks for the quick reply. Here's the output of each.

$ pacmd list-sinks
4 sink(s) available.
    index: 1
	name: <jack_out.equalizer>
	driver: <module-equalizer-sink.c>
	flags: HW_MUTE_CTRL LATENCY 
	state: IDLE
	suspend cause: (none)
	priority: 1000
	volume: front-left: 39359 /  60%,   front-right: 39359 /  60%
	        balance 0.00
	base volume: 65536 / 100%
	volume steps: 65537
	muted: no
	current latency: 205.27 ms
	max request: 62 KiB
	max rewind: 0 KiB
	monitor source: 2
	sample spec: float32le 2ch 48000Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	used by: 0
	linked by: 1
	fixed latency: 45.32 ms
	module: 25
	properties:
		device.master_device = "jack_out"
		device.class = "filter"
		device.description = "FFT based equalizer on MPOW-059"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card"
    index: 3
	name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY FLAT_VOLUME DYNAMIC_LATENCY
	state: RUNNING
	suspend cause: (none)
	priority: 9039
	volume: front-left: 26509 /  40% / -23.59 dB,   front-right: 26509 /  40% / -23.59 dB
	        balance 0.00
	base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	volume steps: 65537
	muted: no
	current latency: 24.91 ms
	max request: 13 KiB
	max rewind: 13 KiB
	monitor source: 4
	sample spec: s32le 2ch 44100Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	used by: 1
	linked by: 3
	configured latency: 40.00 ms; range is 1.00 .. 2000.00 ms
	card: 0 <alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0>
	module: 29
	properties:
		alsa.resolution_bits = "32"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.name = "CX20590 Analog"
		alsa.id = "CX20590 Analog"
		alsa.subdevice = "0"
		alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
		alsa.device = "0"
		alsa.card = "0"
		alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel PCH"
		alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel PCH at 0xf2520000 irq 28"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1b.0"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.vendor.id = "8086"
		device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
		device.product.id = "1c20"
		device.product.name = "6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller"
		device.form_factor = "internal"
		device.string = "front:0"
		device.buffering.buffer_size = "705600"
		device.buffering.fragment_size = "352800"
		device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
		device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
		device.profile.description = "Analog Stereo"
		device.description = "Built-in Audio Analog Stereo"
		alsa.mixer_name = "Conexant CX20590"
		alsa.components = "HDA:14f1506e,17aa21ce,00100002 HDA:80862805,80860101,00100000"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
	ports:
		analog-output-speaker: Speakers (priority 10000, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-speakers"
		analog-output-headphones: Headphones (priority 9000, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-headphones"
	active port: <analog-output-speaker>
  * index: 4
	name: <bluez_sink.E9_09_EF_A6_24_70.a2dp_sink>
	driver: <module-bluez5-device.c>
	flags: HARDWARE DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY FLAT_VOLUME 
	state: RUNNING
	suspend cause: (none)
	priority: 9050
	volume: front-left: 39359 /  60% / -13.29 dB,   front-right: 39359 /  60% / -13.29 dB
	        balance 0.00
	base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	volume steps: 65537
	muted: no
	current latency: 49.09 ms
	max request: 3 KiB
	max rewind: 0 KiB
	monitor source: 6
	sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	used by: 2
	linked by: 5
	fixed latency: 45.32 ms
	card: 1 <bluez_card.E9_09_EF_A6_24_70>
	module: 30
	properties:
		bluetooth.protocol = "a2dp_sink"
		device.description = "MPOW-059"
		device.string = "E9:09:EF:A6:24:70"
		device.api = "bluez"
		device.class = "sound"
		device.bus = "bluetooth"
		device.form_factor = "headset"
		bluez.path = "/org/bluez/hci0/dev_E9_09_EF_A6_24_70"
		bluez.class = "0x240404"
		bluez.alias = "MPOW-059"
		device.icon_name = "audio-headset-bluetooth"
		device.intended_roles = "phone"
	ports:
		headset-output: Headset (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: yes)
			properties:
				
	active port: <headset-output>
    index: 5
	name: <combined>
	driver: <module-combine-sink.c>
	flags: DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY FLAT_VOLUME DYNAMIC_LATENCY
	state: RUNNING
	suspend cause: (none)
	priority: 1000
	volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	        balance 0.00
	base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	volume steps: 65537
	muted: no
	current latency: 48.98 ms
	max request: 13 KiB
	max rewind: 0 KiB
	monitor source: 7
	sample spec: float32le 2ch 44100Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	used by: 1
	linked by: 3
	configured latency: 45.32 ms; range is 45.32 .. 45.32 ms
	module: 32
	properties:
		device.class = "filter"
		device.description = "Simultaneous output to Built-in Audio Analog Stereo, MPOW-059"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card"
$ pacmd list-sink-inputs
4 sink input(s) available.
    index: 0
	driver: <module-equalizer-sink.c>
	flags: START_CORKED 
	state: RUNNING
	sink: 4 <bluez_sink.E9_09_EF_A6_24_70.a2dp_sink>
	volume: front-left: 39359 /  60% / -13.29 dB,   front-right: 39359 /  60% / -13.29 dB
	        balance 0.00
	muted: no
	current latency: 17.78 ms
	requested latency: 45.32 ms
	sample spec: float32le 2ch 48000Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	resample method: speex-float-1
	module: 25
	properties:
		media.name = "Equalized Stream"
		media.role = "filter"
		module-stream-restore.id = "sink-input-by-media-role:filter"
    index: 3
	driver: <module-combine-sink.c>
	flags: VARIABLE_RATE DONT_MOVE NO_CREATE_SUSPEND 
	state: RUNNING
	sink: 3 <alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo>
	volume: front-left: 26509 /  40% / -23.59 dB,   front-right: 26509 /  40% / -23.59 dB
	        balance 0.00
	muted: yes
	current latency: 5.87 ms
	requested latency: 45.32 ms
	sample spec: float32le 2ch 44100Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	resample method: trivial
	module: 32
	properties:
		media.name = "Simultaneous output on Built-in Audio Analog Stereo"
		media.role = "filter"
		module-stream-restore.id = "sink-input-by-media-role:filter"
    index: 4
	driver: <module-combine-sink.c>
	flags: VARIABLE_RATE DONT_MOVE NO_CREATE_SUSPEND 
	state: RUNNING
	sink: 4 <bluez_sink.E9_09_EF_A6_24_70.a2dp_sink>
	volume: front-left: 39359 /  60% / -13.29 dB,   front-right: 39359 /  60% / -13.29 dB
	        balance 0.00
	muted: yes
	current latency: 0.00 ms
	requested latency: 45.32 ms
	sample spec: float32le 2ch 44100Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	resample method: trivial
	module: 32
	properties:
		media.name = "Simultaneous output on MPOW-059"
		media.role = "filter"
		module-stream-restore.id = "sink-input-by-media-role:filter"
    index: 5
	driver: <protocol-native.c>
	flags: START_CORKED FIX_RATE 
	state: RUNNING
	sink: 5 <combined>
	volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	        balance 0.00
	muted: no
	current latency: 380.00 ms
	requested latency: 45.32 ms
	sample spec: float32le 2ch 48000Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	resample method: speex-float-1
	module: 13
	client: 16 <VLC media player (LibVLC 3.0.4)>
	properties:
		media.role = "video"
		media.name = "audio stream"
		application.name = "VLC media player (LibVLC 3.0.4)"
		native-protocol.peer = "UNIX socket client"
		native-protocol.version = "32"
		application.id = "org.VideoLAN.VLC"
		application.version = "3.0.4"
		application.icon_name = "vlc"
		application.language = "en_GB.UTF-8"
		application.process.id = "10841"
		application.process.user = "rhz"
		application.process.host = "rhz-thinkpad"
		application.process.binary = "vlc"
		window.x11.display = ":0"
		application.process.machine_id = "3be33472f8d3eb8c8c21ebe80000223d"
		application.process.session_id = "2"
		module-stream-restore.id = "sink-input-by-media-role:video"

Offline

#4 2018-10-04 08:32:40

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,410

Re: [SOLVED] pulseaudio combined sink with bluetooth is muted

The combine sinks that actually redirect the audio over to the physical device seem to be muted. I'm not sure if pavucontrol's GUI shows them and you'd have to unmute there, or this is some strange interaction. In any case try

pacmd set-sink-input-mute 3 false
pacmd set-sink-input-mute 4 false

these index numbers can change, double check with pacmd list-sink-inputs in case.

Offline

#5 2018-10-04 09:08:18

rata
Member
Registered: 2006-04-10
Posts: 46

Re: [SOLVED] pulseaudio combined sink with bluetooth is muted

Amazing! Thanks a lot V1del! (=

Now I understand. In pavucontrol's Playback tab only applications are shown by default, not virtual streams. "Simultaneous output on Built-in Audio Analog Stereo" and "Simultaneous output on MPOW-059" are virtual streams. If I select "All Streams" it shows them. I used the commands you gave me to unmute them and it works. I think I could have also unmuted them from pavucontrol's Playback tab now these virtual streams are there.

I guess the combine sink module has to create these virtual streams to then create the output device "Simultaneous output to Built-in Audio Analog Stereo, MPOW-059". I wonder why does it create the virtual streams muted though and if there's a parameter that one could give to load-module module-combine-sink that would create them unmuted.

Thanks again V1del! This is great!

Offline

#6 2018-10-04 09:13:47

rata
Member
Registered: 2006-04-10
Posts: 46

Re: [SOLVED] pulseaudio combined sink with bluetooth is muted

I don't know how to change the topic's subject to say "[SOLVED] ...".

Offline

#7 2018-10-04 09:25:54

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,410

Re: [SOLVED] pulseaudio combined sink with bluetooth is muted

Yeah that's strange, been a while since I've fiddled around with the combined sinks, but I don't recall having to unmute them manually. Might be some combination with another module you have loaded the exact relation and potential effects between modules is sometimes hard to grasp.  Maybe the fact you already have a equalizer on the headset lead to that. An often occuring cause, especially if you utilize "phone" applications like teamspeak or mumble and similar is the role-cork and/or ducking module.

As for the [SOLVED] the title is likely currently too long, remove some unnecessary stuff, or better yet, include the fact that the cause is muted virtual sinks in the title

Offline

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB