[pulseaudio-discuss] Problem with remapping sinks to separate outputs

[Tanu Kaskinen]

On Wed, 2015-04-29 at 10:09 -0600, Jenni Knoell wrote:
> Hi everyone
> 
> I've been stumped on that for a few months now and can't figure it out
> anymore.
> 
> What I am trying to do is separate front left/right, center left/right
> and back left/right into separate stereo channels. Oddly, this used to
> work until I reinstalled Kubuntu a few months ago (failed HD). Now it
> fails in a strange way.
> 
> I have and use three outputs:
> 
> ALC889 built-in sound chip, using the analog 7.1 outputs
> 
> HDMI via nVidia GPU (HDMI outputs not always connected)
> 
> Bluetooth Headset on-demand (i.e. not always connected)
> 
> I've added these lines to the end of /etc/pulse/default.pa, everything
> else is completely default:
> 
> # Split outputs and add echo cancellation service
> load-module module-remap-sink sink_name=earphones
> sink_properties=device.description="Earphones" remix=no
> master=alsa_output.pci-0000_00_14.2.analog-surround-71 channels=2
> master_channel_map=side-left,side-right
> channel_map=front-left,front-right
> load-module module-remap-sink sink_name=headset
> sink_properties=device.description="Headset"   remix=no
> master=alsa_output.pci-0000_00_14.2.analog-surround-71 channels=2
> master_channel_map=rear-left,rear-right
> channel_map=front-left,front-right
> load-module module-remap-sink sink_name=speakers
> sink_properties=device.description="Speakers"  remix=no
> master=alsa_output.pci-0000_00_14.2.analog-surround-71 channels=2
> master_channel_map=front-left,front-right
> channel_map=front-left,front-right
> load-module module-echo-cancel 
> 
> And that's where it gets odd. The "earphones" and "speakers" sinks
> work. The "headset" sink does not, it's silent even though it does
> show up as output in both pacmd list-sinks and in the KDE mixer.
> 
> The weird thing: If i go directly to the soundcard sink, I can play
> sounds on all channels - separately or simultaneously. And of course,
> this worked before, why doesn't it work now? What am I missing?

Sounds mysterious. I assume you have checked that nothing is muted?
Could run "pactl list" when at the same time you're playing something to
the headset sink, and send the output as an attachment?

-- 
Tanu