Linux Mint and Kxstudio - Settings

[lintlicker]

I guess I'll kick this off. I just installed Kxstudio into Linux Mint, and the most curious side effect has manifested. I am unable to control the master volume level for my speakers. My laptop has a little touch sensitive slider bar that typically controls volume settings and mute. This region of my keyboard still functions (the volume display appears, and the typical sample sound plays at the selected volume) but my tinny little laptop speakers are constantly cranking full volume.

Is there an app that I should be using for volume control? I can't seem to find it. Also, can I restore my keyboard volume control to full functionality?

Thanks all,

Lintlicker - The Licker of Lint

[i2productions]

Must be using the built in sound card? I have the same "problem" except it's of no issue to me. I control my volume from my audio interface.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe you are controlling PulseAudio, which is fine and dandy for the average setup. Normally Pulseaudio handles most of the outputs of programs and then dumps it all into ALSA to go out. But when you're using a pro-setup, in particular KXStudio where JACK is auto-started at login, Non-JACK apps pass their audio to PulseAudio first then into JACK as well as your JACK apps then is passed to ALSA. If this is correct then I don't think there is a "fix".

[falkTX]

i2productions is right here - on KXStudio pulseaudio outputs to JACK, and JACK then sends the audio to your speakers (pulseaudio is running as "slave" to JACK).
usually pulseaudio outputs directly to the soundcard, and all sound goes trough it (so the mixer works), but in this case the usual mixers will only control the output of pulseaudio applications.
(I hope I'm making sense here...)

A fix is possible - just use a different mixer application/applet that can handle raw ALSA instead of pulseaudio. KMix and qamix are 2 examples.
If everyelse fails, just use the command-line tool:

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alsamixer

and it will work nicely.

[lintlicker]

Kmix works.

THANK YOU

Now, the volume controls and mute button on my keyboard do not seem to function at all. I noodled with Kmix config a little bit to try and get them to work with very limited success. The shortcut config screen recognizes the keystrokes, but the keys fail to perform their assigned task.

Any thoughts?

Thanks again

[falkTX]

Now, the volume controls and mute button on my keyboard do not seem to function at all. I noodled with Kmix config a little bit to try and get them to work with very limited success. The shortcut config screen recognizes the keystrokes, but the keys fail to perform their assigned task.

Any thoughts?

Yes, you need to re-assign the keyboard shortcuts. This means opening the cinnamon config stuff and remove all the shortcuts related to volume.
KMix should automatically pick the shortcuts when they are free, if not try to re-login.

[lintlicker]

Um.... I make sure to keep my cinnamon closed whenever i'm using my computer. And my sage, tarragon, coriander and paprika.


<pause for comedic effect>



No, but seriously. Huh?

Forum posting is way more fun after a few.

[lintlicker]

Sorry to revisit a old post, but when I said "Kmix works!" what I should have said is, Kmix workED. After a reboot (I reboot my computer like once every full moon or something) Kmix ceased functioning.

Alsamixer works though, but it's not as nice to look at as Kmix.

Could someone help me make Kmix work again?

Thanks a ton.

[falkTX]

Should be easy to fix.
Open ~/.bashrc and add at the end:

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export KMIX_PULSEAUDIO_DISABLE=1

re-login, and it should work again.

[lintlicker]

Sorry, but could you break it down a little bit more for me? I'm still green and intimidated by linux. Where and how do I find and open bashrc?

[falkTX]

Sorry, but could you break it down a little bit more for me? I'm still green and intimidated by linux. Where and how do I find and open bashrc?

no prob. in the file "~/.bashrc", you'll first see '~', meaning it's your own home folder. On linux any file starting with a dot will be hidden.
So just open any file manager (nautilus, dolphin, whatever), use the menu to show hidden files (Ctrl+H shortcut on Nautilus), and look for ".bashrc". open it and add that line at then end, then save.

after a re-login, kmix should work fine again.

[wolftune]

Incidentally, I've had this issue since I installed KXStudio. I've never had Kmix working. It shows up graphically, but it doesn't successfully change the levels. The GUI and keyboard settings change KMix's settings, but they have no effect on alsamixer nor the actual sound being heard. I tried the .bashrc thing listed here, and that didn't make any difference (yes, I logged in and out)

[falkTX]

Incidentally, I've had this issue since I installed KXStudio. I've never had Kmix working. It shows up graphically, but it doesn't successfully change the levels. The GUI and keyboard settings change KMix's settings, but they have no effect on alsamixer nor the actual sound being heard. I tried the .bashrc thing listed here, and that didn't make any difference (yes, I logged in and out)

I guess you'll need to use 12.04 there then. I've manually patched kmix (kdemultimedia) to get rid of pulseaudio.