I am trying to quickly switch between audio output of my headphones and my speakers. Both are connected to my motherboard, which has a Line Out and a Optical Audio Out line. I would ideally like to do this via two commands so that I can add them as macros/ hotkeys.
- Speakers -> Optical Audio
- Headphones -> Line Out
I can accomplish the switch from speakers to headphones using the Settings > Sound > Output menu where it successfully lists the 4 audio options I have plugged in, the other two of which are DP/HDMI connections via the graphics card. If I attempt to now switch back to my speakers from my headphones, no audio is output. I have a 'workaround' where I pause all audio, switch to one of the graphics card outputs, waiting 5 seconds, switch to the speakers, wait 5 seconds, then play music and this has so far reliably fixed the issue.
I have been attempting to use pactl to change the outputs, which I thought would be sinks, but I only have two sinks available:
➜ ~ pactl list sinks short
55 alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.iec958-stereo PipeWire s32le 2ch 48000Hz RUNNING
52 alsa_output.pci-0000_2b_00.1.hdmi-stereo-extra1 PipeWire s16le 2ch 48000Hz SUSPENDED
This is show while listening to audio on the speakers. Below is while lsitening to audio on the headphones.
➜ ~ pactl list sinks short
52 alsa_output.pci-0000_2b_00.1.hdmi-stereo-extra1 PipeWire s16le 2ch 48000Hz SUSPENDED
55 alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.analog-stereo PipeWire s32le 2ch 48000Hz RUNNING
I assume these sinks correspond to the motherboard audio card and the GPU output. In this case I would expect that changing the device-port would be the command I am looking for.
➜ ~ pactl set-sink-port alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.iec958-stereo analog-stereo
Failure: No such entity
I'm quite confused on how to get this to work. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Below is some info I believe will be important.
OS: Ubuntu 21.10
Below is the output of pactl info with my username removed:
Server String: /run/user/1000/pulse/native
Library Protocol Version: 35
Server Protocol Version: 35
Is Local: yes
Client Index: 68
Tile Size: 65472
User Name: {USER}
Host Name: ubuntu
Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 0.3.38)
Server Version: 15.0.0
Default Sample Specification: float32le 2ch 48000Hz
Default Channel Map: front-left,front-right
Default Sink: alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.iec958-stereo
Default Source: alsa_input.usb-Sonix_Technology_Co.__Ltd._USB_2.0_Camera_SN0001-02.analog-stereo
Cookie: bf70:5e64
EDIT
Given @kanehekili 's answer and comments it appears I am looking to set the sink-port. The way to do this is to use pactl set-sink-port {SINK_NAME} {PORT_NAME} however my port does not exist according to pactl list sinks:
➜ ~ pactl list sinks
Sink #47
State: RUNNING
Name: alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.iec958-stereo
Description: Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller Digital Stereo (IEC958)
Driver: PipeWire
Sample Specification: s32le 2ch 48000Hz
Channel Map: front-left,front-right
Owner Module: 4294967295
Mute: no
Volume: front-left: 28524 / 44% / -21.68 dB, front-right: 28524 / 44% / -21.68 dB
balance 0.00
Base Volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
Monitor Source: alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.iec958-stereo.monitor
Latency: 0 usec, configured 0 usec
Flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY SET_FORMATS
Properties:
object.path = "alsa:pcm:1:iec958:1:playback"
api.alsa.path = "iec958:1"
api.alsa.pcm.card = "1"
api.alsa.pcm.stream = "playback"
audio.channels = "2"
audio.position = "FL,FR"
device.routes = "1"
alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
device.api = "alsa"
device.class = "sound"
alsa.class = "generic"
alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
alsa.name = "ALCS1200A Digital"
alsa.id = "ALCS1200A Digital"
alsa.subdevice = "0"
alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
alsa.device = "1"
alsa.card = "1"
alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xfc400000 irq 80"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
device.profile.name = "iec958-stereo"
device.profile.description = "Digital Stereo (IEC958)"
card.profile.device = "11"
device.id = "41"
factory.name = "api.alsa.pcm.sink"
priority.driver = "672"
priority.session = "672"
media.class = "Audio/Sink"
node.nick = "HD-Audio Generic"
node.name = "alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.iec958-stereo"
device.description = "Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller Digital Stereo (IEC958)"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-iec958"
device.bus = "pci"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:2d:00.4"
node.pause-on-idle = "false"
factory.id = "18"
client.id = "32"
node.driver = "true"
factory.mode = "merge"
audio.adapt.follower = ""
library.name = "audioconvert/libspa-audioconvert"
object.id = "47"
node.max-latency = "8192/48000"
Ports:
iec958-stereo-output: Digital Output (S/PDIF) (type: SPDIF, priority: 0, availability unknown)
Active Port: iec958-stereo-output
Formats:
pcm
When I attempt to switch sink ports I am met with an error
➜ ~ pactl set-sink-port alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.iec958-stereo analog-stereo
Failure: No such entity
The above occurs even when using the numeric identifier for the sink. It appears that the port I am looking for does not exist, however I can change the port using the Settings menu I mentioned above, and running the same pactl list sinks changes the ports so that my iec958-stereo port no longer exists:
➜ ~ pactl list sinks
Sink #47
State: RUNNING
Name: alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.analog-stereo
Description: Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo
Driver: PipeWire
Sample Specification: s32le 2ch 48000Hz
Channel Map: front-left,front-right
Owner Module: 4294967295
Mute: no
Volume: front-left: 31249 / 48% / -19.30 dB, front-right: 31249 / 48% / -19.30 dB
balance 0.00
Base Volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
Monitor Source: alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.analog-stereo.monitor
Latency: 0 usec, configured 0 usec
Flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY
Properties:
object.path = "alsa:pcm:1:front:1:playback"
api.alsa.path = "front:1"
api.alsa.pcm.card = "1"
api.alsa.pcm.stream = "playback"
audio.channels = "2"
audio.position = "FL,FR"
device.routes = "2"
alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
device.api = "alsa"
device.class = "sound"
alsa.class = "generic"
alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
alsa.name = "ALCS1200A Analog"
alsa.id = "ALCS1200A Analog"
alsa.subdevice = "0"
alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
alsa.device = "0"
alsa.card = "1"
alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xfc400000 irq 80"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
device.profile.description = "Analog Stereo"
card.profile.device = "5"
device.id = "41"
factory.name = "api.alsa.pcm.sink"
priority.driver = "689"
priority.session = "689"
media.class = "Audio/Sink"
node.nick = "HD-Audio Generic"
node.name = "alsa_output.pci-0000_2d_00.4.analog-stereo"
device.description = "Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-analog"
device.bus = "pci"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:2d:00.4"
node.pause-on-idle = "false"
factory.id = "18"
client.id = "32"
node.driver = "true"
factory.mode = "merge"
audio.adapt.follower = ""
library.name = "audioconvert/libspa-audioconvert"
object.id = "47"
node.max-latency = "8192/48000"
Ports:
analog-output-lineout: Line Out (type: Line, priority: 9000, availability group: Legacy 4, available)
analog-output-headphones: Headphones (type: Headphones, priority: 9900, availability group: Legacy 5, not available)
Active Port: analog-output-lineout
Formats:
pcm
