How can I lock audio selections

[Linux-Bill]

Every time I reboot, I must reselect my audio input and output choices. Because I dual boot several times a day, this is a real detractor from using Mint 20. How can I make my selections permanent - so they will survive a reboot? Thank you.

[Moonstone Man]

Every time I reboot, I must reselect my audio input and output choices. Because I dual boot several times a day, this is a real detractor from using Mint 20. How can I make my selections permanent - so they will survive a reboot? Thank you.

pavucontrol, as in sudo apt install pavucontrol.

[MrEen]

Hi Linux-Bill,

Try using PulseAudio Volume Control (pavucontrol) to select the setting instead of the default sound settings. Your changes are better this way of the settings sticking properly. EDIT: Beaten by the Man on that one I see.

If that doesn't work we can edit a config file to automatically select what you want at bootup. To know what to insert, I'll need to see the output of pacmd list-cards with a mention of your preferred settings.

[Linux-Bill]

PAVUCONTROL did not work. Looked OK, but did not survive reboot. He are the results you requested:

bill@bill-Aspire-TC-885:~$ pacmd list-cards
4 card(s) available.
index: 0
name: <alsa_card.usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_CODEC-00>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
owner module: 7
properties:
alsa.card = "3"
alsa.card_name = "USB AUDIO CODEC"
alsa.long_card_name = "BurrBrown from Texas Instruments USB AUDIO CODEC at usb-0000:00:14.0-10.1.3, f"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:14.0-usb-0:10.1.3:1.0"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-10/1-10.1/1-10.1.3/1-10.1.3:1.0/sound/card3"
udev.id = "usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_CODEC-00"
device.bus = "usb"
device.vendor.id = "08bb"
device.vendor.name = "Texas Instruments"
device.product.id = "29c6"
device.product.name = "PCM2906C Audio CODEC"
device.serial = "BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_CODEC"
device.string = "3"
device.description = "PCM2906C Audio CODEC"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
profiles:
input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Input (priority 65, available: unknown)
input:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Input (priority 55, available: unknown)
output:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Output (priority 6500, available: unknown)
output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Duplex (priority 6565, available: unknown)
output:analog-stereo+input:iec958-stereo: Analog Stereo Output + Digital Stereo (IEC958) Input (priority 6555, available: unknown)
output:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output (priority 5500, available: unknown)
output:iec958-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 5565, available: unknown)
output:iec958-stereo+input:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo Duplex (IEC958) (priority 5555, available: unknown)
off: Off (priority 0, available: unknown)
active profile: <output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo>
sinks:
alsa_output.usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_CODEC-00.analog-stereo/#0: PCM2906C Audio CODEC Analog Stereo
sources:
alsa_output.usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_CODEC-00.analog-stereo.monitor/#0: Monitor of PCM2906C Audio CODEC Analog Stereo
alsa_input.usb-BurrBrown_from_Texas_Instruments_USB_AUDIO_CODEC-00.analog-stereo/#1: PCM2906C Audio CODEC Analog Stereo
ports:
analog-input: Analog Input (priority 10000, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

iec958-stereo-input: Digital Input (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

analog-output: Analog Output (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

iec958-stereo-output: Digital Output (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

index: 1
name: <alsa_card.usb-0c76_USB_PnP_Audio_Device-00>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
owner module: 8
properties:
alsa.card = "2"
alsa.card_name = "USB PnP Audio Device"
alsa.long_card_name = "USB PnP Audio Device at usb-0000:00:14.0-10.3, full speed"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:14.0-usb-0:10.3:1.0"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-10/1-10.3/1-10.3:1.0/sound/card2"
udev.id = "usb-0c76_USB_PnP_Audio_Device-00"
device.bus = "usb"
device.vendor.id = "0c76"
device.vendor.name = "JMTek, LLC."
device.product.id = "161f"
device.product.name = "USB PnP Audio Device"
device.serial = "0c76_USB_PnP_Audio_Device"
device.string = "2"
device.description = "USB PnP Audio Device"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
profiles:
input:mono-fallback: Mono Input (priority 1, available: unknown)
input:multichannel-input: Multichannel Input (priority 1, available: unknown)
output:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Output (priority 6500, available: unknown)
output:analog-stereo+input:mono-fallback: Analog Stereo Output + Mono Input (priority 6501, available: unknown)
output:analog-stereo+input:multichannel-input: Analog Stereo Output + Multichannel Input (priority 6501, available: unknown)
output:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output (priority 5500, available: unknown)
output:iec958-stereo+input:mono-fallback: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output + Mono Input (priority 5501, available: unknown)
output:iec958-stereo+input:multichannel-input: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output + Multichannel Input (priority 5501, available: unknown)
off: Off (priority 0, available: unknown)
active profile: <output:analog-stereo+input:mono-fallback>
sinks:
alsa_output.usb-0c76_USB_PnP_Audio_Device-00.analog-stereo/#1: USB PnP Audio Device Analog Stereo
sources:
alsa_output.usb-0c76_USB_PnP_Audio_Device-00.analog-stereo.monitor/#2: Monitor of USB PnP Audio Device Analog Stereo
alsa_input.usb-0c76_USB_PnP_Audio_Device-00.mono-fallback/#3: USB PnP Audio Device Mono
ports:
analog-input-mic: Microphone (priority 8700, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:
device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
multichannel-input: Multichannel Input (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

analog-output: Analog Output (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

iec958-stereo-output: Digital Output (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

index: 2
name: <alsa_card.usb-Burr-Brown_from_TI_USB_Audio_CODEC-00>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
owner module: 9
properties:
alsa.card = "1"
alsa.card_name = "USB Audio CODEC"
alsa.long_card_name = "Burr-Brown from TI USB Audio CODEC at usb-0000:00:14.0-4.4, full speed"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:14.0-usb-0:4.4:1.0"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-4/1-4.4/1-4.4:1.0/sound/card1"
udev.id = "usb-Burr-Brown_from_TI_USB_Audio_CODEC-00"
device.bus = "usb"
device.vendor.id = "08bb"
device.vendor.name = "Texas Instruments"
device.product.id = "2901"
device.product.name = "PCM2901 Audio Codec"
device.serial = "Burr-Brown_from_TI_USB_Audio_CODEC"
device.string = "1"
device.description = "PCM2901 Audio Codec"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
profiles:
input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Input (priority 65, available: unknown)
input:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Input (priority 55, available: unknown)
output:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Output (priority 6500, available: unknown)
output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Duplex (priority 6565, available: unknown)
output:analog-stereo+input:iec958-stereo: Analog Stereo Output + Digital Stereo (IEC958) Input (priority 6555, available: unknown)
output:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output (priority 5500, available: unknown)
output:iec958-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 5565, available: unknown)
output:iec958-stereo+input:iec958-stereo: Digital Stereo Duplex (IEC958) (priority 5555, available: unknown)
off: Off (priority 0, available: unknown)
active profile: <output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo>
sinks:
alsa_output.usb-Burr-Brown_from_TI_USB_Audio_CODEC-00.analog-stereo/#2: PCM2901 Audio Codec Analog Stereo
sources:
alsa_output.usb-Burr-Brown_from_TI_USB_Audio_CODEC-00.analog-stereo.monitor/#4: Monitor of PCM2901 Audio Codec Analog Stereo
alsa_input.usb-Burr-Brown_from_TI_USB_Audio_CODEC-00.analog-stereo/#5: PCM2901 Audio Codec Analog Stereo
ports:
analog-input: Analog Input (priority 10000, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

iec958-stereo-input: Digital Input (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

analog-output: Analog Output (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

iec958-stereo-output: Digital Output (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

index: 3
name: <alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1f.3>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
owner module: 10
properties:
alsa.card = "0"
alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel PCH"
alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel PCH at 0xa2298000 irq 134"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1f.3"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.3/sound/card0"
device.bus = "pci"
device.vendor.id = "8086"
device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
device.product.id = "a348"
device.product.name = "Cannon Lake PCH cAVS"
device.form_factor = "internal"
device.string = "0"
device.description = "Built-in Audio"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
profiles:
input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Input (priority 65, available: no)
output:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Output (priority 6500, available: unknown)
output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Duplex (priority 6565, available: no)
output:hdmi-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output (priority 5900, available: no)
output:hdmi-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 5965, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI) Output (priority 800, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 865, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround71: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI) Output (priority 800, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround71+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 865, available: no)
output:hdmi-stereo-extra1: Digital Stereo (HDMI 2) Output (priority 5700, available: no)
output:hdmi-stereo-extra1+input:analog-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI 2) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 5765, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround-extra1: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 2) Output (priority 600, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround-extra1+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 2) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 665, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround71-extra1: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 2) Output (priority 600, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround71-extra1+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 2) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 665, available: no)
output:hdmi-stereo-extra2: Digital Stereo (HDMI 3) Output (priority 5700, available: no)
output:hdmi-stereo-extra2+input:analog-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI 3) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 5765, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround-extra2: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 3) Output (priority 600, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround-extra2+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 3) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 665, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround71-extra2: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 3) Output (priority 600, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround71-extra2+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 3) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 665, available: no)
output:hdmi-stereo-extra3: Digital Stereo (HDMI 4) Output (priority 5700, available: no)
output:hdmi-stereo-extra3+input:analog-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI 4) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 5765, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround-extra3: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 4) Output (priority 600, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround-extra3+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 4) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 665, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround71-extra3: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 4) Output (priority 600, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround71-extra3+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 4) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 665, available: no)
output:hdmi-stereo-extra4: Digital Stereo (HDMI 5) Output (priority 5700, available: no)
output:hdmi-stereo-extra4+input:analog-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI 5) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 5765, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround-extra4: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 5) Output (priority 600, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround-extra4+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI 5) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 665, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround71-extra4: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 5) Output (priority 600, available: no)
output:hdmi-surround71-extra4+input:analog-stereo: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI 5) Output + Analog Stereo Input (priority 665, available: no)
off: Off (priority 0, available: unknown)
active profile: <output:analog-stereo>
sinks:
alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo/#3: Built-in Audio Analog Stereo
sources:
alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo.monitor/#6: Monitor of Built-in Audio Analog Stereo
ports:
analog-input-front-mic: Front Microphone (priority 8500, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
analog-input-rear-mic: Rear Microphone (priority 8200, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
analog-input-linein: Line In (priority 8100, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:

analog-output-lineout: Line Out (priority 9000, latency offset 0 usec, available: yes)
properties:

analog-output-headphones: Headphones (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "audio-headphones"
hdmi-output-0: HDMI / DisplayPort (priority 5900, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "video-display"
hdmi-output-1: HDMI / DisplayPort 2 (priority 5800, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "video-display"
hdmi-output-2: HDMI / DisplayPort 3 (priority 5700, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "video-display"
hdmi-output-3: HDMI / DisplayPort 4 (priority 5600, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "video-display"
hdmi-output-4: HDMI / DisplayPort 5 (priority 5500, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
properties:
device.icon_name = "video-display"

[Linux-Bill]

Preferred settings:
Output is "Line Out Built-in Audio"
Input is "Microphone USB PnP Audio Device"

[MrEen]

Okay, let's tell pulseaudio those are the defaults we want and see if it sticks. In the terminal run xed admin:///etc/pulse/default.pa and when the file opens scroll to the bottom and add these two lines:

Code: Select all

set-default-sink alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo
set-default-source alsa_input.usb-0c76_USB_PnP_Audio_Device-00.mono-fallback

Save and close the file, ignore any warnings in the terminal, then reboot and test.

There's a chance this is a timing issue, so there's another edit or two we can make to the same file if this wasn't enough yet.

[Linux-Bill]

That appears to have fixed the problem. I rebooted and it stayed where it was supposed to.
Thank you very much. I would have been totally unable to solve this problem on my own. I just do not have the background.

[Linux-Bill]

Again - thank you very much.

[MrEen]

You're very welcome!

And I know it's not something that's easy to find out about. It took me quite some time to learn what I know about sound on Linux. And now they're changing quite a bit of it! *grumble*