[gentoo-user] KDE6 and Pipewire control change

[gentoo-user] KDE6 and Pipewire control change

[Dale]

Howdy,

As most, if not all, KDE users know, a while back KDE started using
Pipewire.  After I saw how it worked, I kinda liked it because it gave
me some controls I needed and they made it easier to switch audio around
and adjust volume levels on different apps independently.  All things
considered, it was a improvement.  On my main rig, I recently did the
switch to KDE6, at least I'm pretty sure anyway.  One thing I noticed
after the upgrade, I can't find the controls I used to have with the new
pipewire.  As a example, if I want to watch a video on my TV, I could
click the little speaker thing on the bottom panel, click on the app
tab, find the app that is playing that video then click the horizontal
bars.  From there I could select to either send audio to the main
speakers or to the HDMI cable which is my TV.  I can't find the
horizontal bars anymore.  I've tried clicking other things thinking they
changed what you click but I can't find those controls anywhere. 

I checked the USE flags and they look OK.  I don't see anything disabled
except for things I don't have, either software or hardware wise.  I'll
put a list of those below.  I've looked everywhere I can think of but
don't see how to control it anymore.  I've had to go back to the old
manual way of telling Smplayer to send audio to HDMI.  Thing is, sending
mpv or other players audio is more difficult.  I have some videos that
have no audio with Smplayer because they use DTS or something and the
sound doesn't work, despite the USE flag being on for it.  So, for those
I use Qmplay2 or mpv to play. 

Does anyone know where those controls went or if there is some new way
to control that that I've missed?  I really liked having those options. 
It made things a lot easier.  USE flag info. 


root@fireball / # equery u kde-plasma/kpipewire media-video/pipewire
[ Legend : U - final flag setting for installation]
[        : I - package is installed with flag     ]
[ Colors : set, unset                             ]
 * Found these USE flags for kde-plasma/kpipewire-6.1.1:
 U I
 - - debug : Enable extra debug codepaths, like asserts and extra
output. If you want to get meaningful backtraces see
            
https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Project:Quality_Assurance/Backtraces
 - - test  : Enable dependencies and/or preparations necessary to run
tests (usually controlled by FEATURES=test but can be toggled independently)

 * Found these USE flags for media-video/pipewire-1.0.7:
 U I
 + + X             : Enable audible bell for X11
 - - abi_x86_32    : 32-bit (x86) libraries
 - - bluetooth     : Enable Bluetooth Support
 + + dbus          : Enable dbus support for anything that needs it
(gpsd, gnomemeeting, etc)
 - - doc           : Add extra documentation (API, Javadoc, etc). It is
recommended to enable per package instead of globally
 - - echo-cancel   : Enable WebRTC-based echo canceller via
media-libs/webrtc-audio-processing
 + + extra         : Build pw-cat/pw-play/pw-record
 + + ffmpeg        : Enable ffmpeg/libav-based audio/video codec support
 - - flatpak       : Enable Flatpak support
 - - gsettings     : Use gsettings (dev-libs/glib) to read/save used
modules (useful for e.g. media-sound/paprefs
 - - gstreamer     : Add support for media-libs/gstreamer (Streaming media)
 - - ieee1394      : Enable FireWire/iLink IEEE1394 support (dv, camera,
...)
 - - jack-client   : Install a plugin for running PipeWire as a JACK client
 - - jack-sdk      : Use PipeWire as JACK replacement
 - - liblc3        : Allow loading LC3 plugins via media-sound/liblc3
 - - lv2           : Allow loading LV2 plugins via media-libs/lv2
 - - man           : Build and install man pages
 - - modemmanager  : Combined with USE=bluetooth, allows PipeWire to
perform telephony on mobile devices.
 + + pipewire-alsa : Replace PulseAudio's ALSA plugin with PipeWire's plugin
 + + readline      : Enable support for libreadline, a GNU line-editing
library that almost everyone wants
 - - roc           : Enable roc support for real-time audio streaming
over the network, using media-libs/roc-toolkit. See
                    
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/pipewire/pipewire/-/wikis/Network#roc
 + + sound-server  : Provide sound server using ALSA and bluetooth devices
 + + ssl           : Enable raop-sink support (needs dev-libs/openssl)
 - - systemd       : Enable use of systemd-specific libraries and
features like socket activation or session tracking
 - - test          : Enable dependencies and/or preparations necessary
to run tests (usually controlled by FEATURES=test but can be toggled
independently)
 - - v4l           : Enable support for video4linux (using linux-headers
or userspace libv4l libraries)
 + + zeroconf      : Support for DNS Service Discovery (DNS-SD)
root@fireball / #


Thoughts? 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

P. S.  Monitor out for delivery.  Today is the day.  :-D  Oh, I have a
lot of dried basil now.  Last batch was 8 trays full.  I still got some
in planters that I will pick again in a few days. 

Re: [gentoo-user] KDE6 and Pipewire control change

[Mark Knecht]

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On Tue, Jul 2, 2024 at 5:47 AM Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com> wrote:
<SNIP>
> Does anyone know where those controls went or if there is some new way
> to control that that I've missed?  I really liked having those options.
> It made things a lot easier.  USE flag info.
<SNIP>

Everything I need is either in the speaker icon on the bottom rail or in
System Settings-> Audio.

I don't see anything missing from earlier versions of KDE audio, or if it
is missing I never used it.

Good luck with the new monitor

Mark

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Re: [gentoo-user] KDE6 and Pipewire control change

[Dale]

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Mark Knecht wrote:
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 2, 2024 at 5:47 AM Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com
> <mailto:rdalek1967@gmail.com>> wrote:
> <SNIP>
> > Does anyone know where those controls went or if there is some new way
> > to control that that I've missed?  I really liked having those options.
> > It made things a lot easier.  USE flag info.
> <SNIP>
>
> Everything I need is either in the speaker icon on the bottom rail or
> in System Settings-> Audio.
>
> I don't see anything missing from earlier versions of KDE audio, or if
> it is missing I never used it.
>
> Good luck with the new monitor
>
> Mark


It's missing here.  Right now, I can't play a video on my TV and it use
the TV speakers with mpv.  With the old pipewire, I just clicked the
speaker, clicked the applications tab and then find the correct instance
of mpv if I have more than one open.  Paused ones usually show a pause
button.  Once I find the right one, I just click the little horizontal
bars and select HDMI and the sound moves to my TV.  Thing is, it
defaults to my main speaker for mpv and others.  When I change it for a
one time thing, it resets when I start a app again.  It was quite handy
and made it very easy to switch with any app, even Firefox or something. 

Maybe it will come back with the next upgrade.  Or I'll find out where
it went if it got moved or something.  I sure miss it tho.

Rebooted a few times, still have the plasma panel thingy pop up on the
wrong monitor every once in a while but other than that, resolution and
stuff works.  I'll spend a few days beating it into submission until it
consistently comes up like it should each time.  It's working better now
at least. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

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[gentoo-user] Re: KDE6 and Pipewire control change

[Nikos Chantziaras]

On 02/07/2024 15:46, Dale wrote:
> I can't find the controls I used to have with the new
> pipewire.
Does it show up in the "Devices" tab?

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: KDE6 and Pipewire control change

[Dale]

Nikos Chantziaras wrote:
> On 02/07/2024 15:46, Dale wrote:
>> I can't find the controls I used to have with the new
>> pipewire.
> Does it show up in the "Devices" tab?
>
>
>


Actually, it does.  Thing is, it doesn't show the HDMI as a option in
the list.  I bet the reason it doesn't show up under applications like
it did before is because it only sees the main speakers as a option.  No
need showing options when there is none.  So, I need to figure out how
to make it see HDMI as a option as well as main speakers.  Then maybe it
will show up under applications again.  I'd be back in business then. 

Something to work on when I get back from town.  Today is shot day. 
:/   And grocery shopping.  Gotta eat. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: KDE6 and Pipewire control change

[Mark Knecht]

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On Wed, Jul 3, 2024 at 6:33 AM Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com> wrote:
<SNIP>
> Actually, it does.  Thing is, it doesn't show the HDMI as a option in
> the list.  I bet the reason it doesn't show up under applications like
> it did before is because it only sees the main speakers as a option.  No
> need showing options when there is none.  So, I need to figure out how
> to make it see HDMI as a option as well as main speakers.  Then maybe it
> will show up under applications again.  I'd be back in business then.
>
> Something to work on when I get back from town.  Today is shot day.
> :/   And grocery shopping.  Gotta eat.

Audio over HDMI is not a requirement of the HDMI spec, it's an
option.

You might want to look at the specs for your card to see if NVidia
included it in the chipset. Graphics adapters intended for use in
Bloomberg Stations might not include it.

Typically

lspci | grep Audio

should tell you something.

Good luck,
Mark

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Re: [gentoo-user] Re: KDE6 and Pipewire control change

[Dale]

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Mark Knecht wrote:
>
>
> On Wed, Jul 3, 2024 at 6:33 AM Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com
> <mailto:rdalek1967@gmail.com>> wrote:
> <SNIP>
> > Actually, it does.  Thing is, it doesn't show the HDMI as a option in
> > the list.  I bet the reason it doesn't show up under applications like
> > it did before is because it only sees the main speakers as a option.  No
> > need showing options when there is none.  So, I need to figure out how
> > to make it see HDMI as a option as well as main speakers.  Then maybe it
> > will show up under applications again.  I'd be back in business then.
> >
> > Something to work on when I get back from town.  Today is shot day.
> > :/   And grocery shopping.  Gotta eat.
>
> Audio over HDMI is not a requirement of the HDMI spec, it's an
> option.
>
> You might want to look at the specs for your card to see if NVidia 
> included it in the chipset. Graphics adapters intended for use in
> Bloomberg Stations might not include it.
>
> Typically
>
> lspci | grep Audio
>
> should tell you something.
>
> Good luck,
> Mark


Well, until the recent KDE upgrade, it worked.  I just had a easy way to
do it.  So I know the hardware is capable of it.  I just need to figure
out the software issue.  Since it doesn't see it now, I need to figure
out why it isn't being seen and fix it.  I may just need to configure
something.  Having it done in pipewire tho sure was handy.  I hope that
feature isn't gone for some reason.  As it is, I have to manually tell
Smplayer to send the audio to the HDMI port in Preferences.  It works
but I have to disable that to have sound on my main speakers.  Thing is,
on rare occasion I want to play a video on the TV with mpv.  Doing it
with pipewire made even it easy to switch.  I just click on it, select
for it to go to HDMI, done.  The next time I play something with mpv, it
goes back to the default.  Really nifty. 

Given the recent upgrade, I may just try logging out and back in.  Maybe
it just didn't pick it up last time.  It's not likely but possible.  One
can hope.  :-D

Neighbor is sick.  Gotta go mow about 4 acres of grass.  Poor thing.  He
has issues.  :/  It's already 90F. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

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Re: [gentoo-user] Re: KDE6 and Pipewire control change

[Dale]

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Dale wrote:
> Mark Knecht wrote:
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Jul 3, 2024 at 6:33 AM Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com
>> <mailto:rdalek1967@gmail.com>> wrote:
>> <SNIP>
>> > Actually, it does.  Thing is, it doesn't show the HDMI as a option in
>> > the list.  I bet the reason it doesn't show up under applications like
>> > it did before is because it only sees the main speakers as a
>> option.  No
>> > need showing options when there is none.  So, I need to figure out how
>> > to make it see HDMI as a option as well as main speakers.  Then
>> maybe it
>> > will show up under applications again.  I'd be back in business then.
>> >
>> > Something to work on when I get back from town.  Today is shot day.
>> > :/   And grocery shopping.  Gotta eat.
>>
>> Audio over HDMI is not a requirement of the HDMI spec, it's an
>> option.
>>
>> You might want to look at the specs for your card to see if NVidia 
>> included it in the chipset. Graphics adapters intended for use in
>> Bloomberg Stations might not include it.
>>
>> Typically
>>
>> lspci | grep Audio
>>
>> should tell you something.
>>
>> Good luck,
>> Mark
>
>
> Well, until the recent KDE upgrade, it worked.  I just had a easy way
> to do it.  So I know the hardware is capable of it.  I just need to
> figure out the software issue.  Since it doesn't see it now, I need to
> figure out why it isn't being seen and fix it.  I may just need to
> configure something.  Having it done in pipewire tho sure was handy. 
> I hope that feature isn't gone for some reason.  As it is, I have to
> manually tell Smplayer to send the audio to the HDMI port in
> Preferences.  It works but I have to disable that to have sound on my
> main speakers.  Thing is, on rare occasion I want to play a video on
> the TV with mpv.  Doing it with pipewire made even it easy to switch. 
> I just click on it, select for it to go to HDMI, done.  The next time
> I play something with mpv, it goes back to the default.  Really nifty. 
>
> Given the recent upgrade, I may just try logging out and back in. 
> Maybe it just didn't pick it up last time.  It's not likely but
> possible.  One can hope.  :-D
>
> Neighbor is sick.  Gotta go mow about 4 acres of grass.  Poor thing. 
> He has issues.  :/  It's already 90F. 
>
> Dale
>
> :-)  :-) 


Someone wrote me off list.  They not subscribed but read my post
somehow.  Anyway, they recommended installing pavucontrol-qt and using
the Pro Audio setting.  That package was already installed.  I'd never
used Pro Audio before, didn't know what it was so didn't know it was a
usable option.  However, when I selected it, all my options came back. 
I got my three little horizontal lines back.  One of the options is HDMI
again. 

So, that's working again.  I hope this might help someone else who runs
into this problem.  I won't be surprised tho if the original option
comes back after I log out and back in again.  Weirder things have
happened.  ;-)

Thanks to all. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

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Re: [gentoo-user] Re: KDE6 and Pipewire control change

[Dale]

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Dale wrote:
> Dale wrote:
>> Mark Knecht wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Jul 3, 2024 at 6:33 AM Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com
>>> <mailto:rdalek1967@gmail.com>> wrote:
>>> <SNIP>
>>> > Actually, it does.  Thing is, it doesn't show the HDMI as a option in
>>> > the list.  I bet the reason it doesn't show up under applications like
>>> > it did before is because it only sees the main speakers as a
>>> option.  No
>>> > need showing options when there is none.  So, I need to figure out how
>>> > to make it see HDMI as a option as well as main speakers.  Then
>>> maybe it
>>> > will show up under applications again.  I'd be back in business then.
>>> >
>>> > Something to work on when I get back from town.  Today is shot day.
>>> > :/   And grocery shopping.  Gotta eat.
>>>
>>> Audio over HDMI is not a requirement of the HDMI spec, it's an
>>> option.
>>>
>>> You might want to look at the specs for your card to see if NVidia 
>>> included it in the chipset. Graphics adapters intended for use in
>>> Bloomberg Stations might not include it.
>>>
>>> Typically
>>>
>>> lspci | grep Audio
>>>
>>> should tell you something.
>>>
>>> Good luck,
>>> Mark
>>
>>
>> Well, until the recent KDE upgrade, it worked.  I just had a easy way
>> to do it.  So I know the hardware is capable of it.  I just need to
>> figure out the software issue.  Since it doesn't see it now, I need
>> to figure out why it isn't being seen and fix it.  I may just need to
>> configure something.  Having it done in pipewire tho sure was handy. 
>> I hope that feature isn't gone for some reason.  As it is, I have to
>> manually tell Smplayer to send the audio to the HDMI port in
>> Preferences.  It works but I have to disable that to have sound on my
>> main speakers.  Thing is, on rare occasion I want to play a video on
>> the TV with mpv.  Doing it with pipewire made even it easy to
>> switch.  I just click on it, select for it to go to HDMI, done.  The
>> next time I play something with mpv, it goes back to the default. 
>> Really nifty. 
>>
>> Given the recent upgrade, I may just try logging out and back in. 
>> Maybe it just didn't pick it up last time.  It's not likely but
>> possible.  One can hope.  :-D
>>
>> Neighbor is sick.  Gotta go mow about 4 acres of grass.  Poor thing. 
>> He has issues.  :/  It's already 90F. 
>>
>> Dale
>>
>> :-)  :-) 
>
>
> Someone wrote me off list.  They not subscribed but read my post
> somehow.  Anyway, they recommended installing pavucontrol-qt and using
> the Pro Audio setting.  That package was already installed.  I'd never
> used Pro Audio before, didn't know what it was so didn't know it was a
> usable option.  However, when I selected it, all my options came
> back.  I got my three little horizontal lines back.  One of the
> options is HDMI again. 
>
> So, that's working again.  I hope this might help someone else who
> runs into this problem.  I won't be surprised tho if the original
> option comes back after I log out and back in again.  Weirder things
> have happened.  ;-)
>
> Thanks to all. 
>
> Dale
>
> :-)  :-) 


Oh, forgot to mention, I enabled that option in KDE System Settings
under Sound.  For me, it was at the top.  Could vary tho. 

Also, the monitor I bought dropped in price.  I ordered a second one. 
Should be here before to long.  My current 27" monitor will become the
monitor that moves from whatever system I need to use.  I plan to check
the power supply again in the LG but may retire it, just use it on that
rare occasion I need something simple but don't rely on it. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

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