[pulseaudio-tickets] [PulseAudio] #731: Muting should not conflict with volume changes

[PulseAudio]

#731: Muting should not conflict with volume changes
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 Reporter:  craftjmlpulse  |       Owner:  lennart
     Type:  defect         |      Status:  new    
Milestone:                 |   Component:  daemon 
 Keywords:                 |  
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 Pulse does not make a clear distinction between muting and changing the
 volume control level.

 Muting (seen, for example, in your TV set) is a way to stop sound without
 worrying about volume changes, and it should operate as such.  Pulse
 currently disobeys this in 0.9.21.

 1.  When the volume level is reduced to "zero", Pulse sets the output as
 muted.

 This is odd because the user has not actually muted the system; he has
 just reduced the volume.  But if he unmutes it, Pulse will stay at zero
 volume anyway, so what purpose does Pulse arbitrarily setting the mute
 flag at zero volume serve?

 2.  When the output is muted, changing the volume level unmutes it.

 This is not pleasant.  I have one of those "spin-wheel" type volume
 controls on my laptop, and when in my lap in the library it is easy to
 brush against it, and make a series of sounds.

 It makes the mute status far too fragile.  Mute is different from changing
 the volume level -- after all, this is why people hit the mute button
 instead of reducing their volume to 0.

 1 and 2 are related, because if (2) volume should not change mute status,
 then (1) volume should not trigger and detrigger mute status:  for
 example, if my TV is muted and at zero volume, turning the volume up
 should NOT unmute the TV.  But Pulse will.

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Ticket URL: <http://pulseaudio.org/ticket/731>
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