[pulseaudio-discuss] Two mono sinks to a single stereo card with left and right splitted.

[Daniël Sonck]

A graphical representation might be better:

                                                                  |volume-control|
MPD => (pulseaudio) => Local =+====> (Stereo-card) =+===(Left)===> Kitchen
                              |                     \===(Right)==> Bathroom
                              |
                              \==================================> RTP

The = means that it is a stereo channel (or combined into mono).


So basicly, MPD connects to pulseaudio, which should route it to the RTP
stream in true stereo and my sound card. It should combine the
left/right channel from MPD and send it to the left channel as a
separate sink and right channel as separate sink. I want to be able to
control the volume and mute/unmute of the RTP stream, Kitchen and
Bathroom separately. So for example: I want to be able to mute the
Kitchen only (leaving the Bathroom and RTP stream alone). And although I
could add a switch or something physical to the setup, I really want to
be able to control it through software.

Daniël Sonck


On 06/22/2012 02:46 AM, Daniël Sonck wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have a quite unusual configuration requirement:
>
> To explain my situation. I have a server which runs mpd. It sends the
> music simultaneously to a RTP stream and to my local stereo sound card.
> As the server is in a very usefull position in my appartment, the stereo
> output is connected to two speakers, one of which is in my kitchen and
> the other one is in my bathroom. It enlightens my kitchen and bathroom
> with music.
>
> The first problem is this: I want to send the left and right channel of
> the mpd program to both speakers. Thus it would have to be downmixed and
> sent to both channels of my stereo card. This is because some songs use
> panning (and I want to hear both channels). As it is background music, I
> don't mind that it is downmixed. However, the RTP stream may not be
> downmixed and must remain stereo.
>
> The second problem is this: I want to be able to mute the two speakers
> independently. If I'm at the kitchen, I want to be able to mute the
> sound in my bathroom. And also if I'm in my bathroom, I want to be able
> to mute the sound in the kitchen. Especially because I'm not the only
> one who is living in my home, and my taste of music is not that well
> received by others.
>
> I hope this is not impossible to do.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Daniël Sonck