sound volume keyboard shortcut keys don't change sound volume

I have the same problem... its really annoying to use the switch on the speakers:P

I have a similar problem.
Since when I upgraded to kubuntu 7.10, my keyboard volume key only controls the "main" channel. The problem is, that the main channel does not affect my rear speakers (I have 4.1 setup). Before I solved this problem by setting in kmix PCM as the main channel. Now this does not work anymore.
There is a similar bug here:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/kdemultimedia/+bug/106926

I don't believe that, at least at first glance, it's not the same problem. In this case the keyboard shortcuts do not affect any channel, no matter what channel we configure kmix to handle.

I too have the problem :(

Even though keyboard shortcut displays icon as if its increasing and decreasing or muting the volume, nothing exactly happens to the sound being played from the application (rhythmbox or totem)

I tried adjusting the Volume preference from the system. Surprisingly even that didn't work. I tried changing the device in the volume preferences and other options too, but nothing brought a change

I found out what it was... When you install the new version of Ubuntu, the settings are reversed, you need to find an option where you choose the purpose of the volum switch and set it to "Master". Its a rather tricky menu that i never really understood before now, it should be changed. Or at least added a description,

Hello,
could you be more specific on which "tricky menu" you found and how you set the volume switch to "Master"?
Thank you,
raph

I could set it to 'Master' in the Right Click Volume -> preferences -> under the menu Intel ICH6 (Alsa Mixer), I chose 'Master'
But, didn't get anything normal.
Klas Lothe, Is this is the property that you were mentioning ?

- Mohan

After a bit of fiddling with alsamixer, I've noticed that the keyboard shortcuts do affect a channel - the surround channel. Does anyone know how to configure that shortcut?

It's a KMilo issue (the popup that appears when you press volume related keys).
It seems that the KDE people are aware of it. There are several bug reports of this:
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=134820
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=149487
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=128224

Go to System -> User Preferances -> Sound

Under the "devices"-tab, look at Default Mixer Tracks.

Set the device to your soundcard/motherboard/whatever.

Set the scrolling thing under there to "Master" and you should be good to go really.

If it doesnt work, you probably need drivers for the keyboard.
Good luck:)

Thanks Klas,

That helped me !
In fact, I didn't get it selecting "Master" alone ! The volume of sound from other applications (rhythmbox, . . ) get affected only on selecting multiple options in the list. I am not sure as which are all those options, I just have everything selected for time being. Yet to resolve as which are those options

- Mohan

Great that it worked. It isn't as much a bug as just the Ubuntu settings resetting when you upgrade:)

And what about those of us who use Kubuntu? There is no such thing as "System -> User Preferances -> Sound". Could anyone shed some light on this?

Hello,

I have recently done a fresh install of Hardy Kubuntu. In that release when I use the keyboard volume controls the volume will not go above 48% (it does work at increasing the volume to 48% and down to 0%). I have to use kmix to increase the volume above 48%.

In Gutsy I had no problems even with the kde 3.4.9 packages from PPA.

I've found that I can change the volume with the keyboard shortcuts sound is playing. When nothing is going through the sound board, I can only change the volume by adjusting the PCM settings using alsamixer. The Master volume controls do nothing for me.

Correction to previous comment...

I've found that I can change the volume with the keyboard shortcuts when sound is playing.

I should have included this information too...

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 01)

assigning right package (kdemultimedia)
unassigning ubuntu audio team
adding upstream bug

This bug still persists in Kubuntu 8.04 beta. On the other hand, it isn't present in Ubuntu 8.04 beta.

Chiming in - I've got this issue. I can select the Master Channel by right-clicking KMix, but my volume keys don't respect that - they continue to affect the "Master" channel which isn't much of a master on my hardware since it only affects laptop speaker volume, when headphones aren't plugged in. I want PCM to be my master channel so it affects the volume when I'm using my laptop speakers AND when I have headphones plugged in. But the volume keys won't obey these KMix settings, and I can't find anywhere to change KMilo's settings either.

Oops. Forgot to say I'm on Kubuntu 8.04 Beta, latest updates.

I can't say this is everybody's problem, but I learned that the kmilo service needs to be restarted after you change the Master Channel in kmix (see System Settings' Service Manager in Advanced; you can also log out and back in). I made a patch that prevents the kmilo service from needing to be restarted, so if, for whatever reason, you change the Master Channel a lot, or simply want the freedom to do it without restarting kmilo or logging out/in, hopefully this simple patch can be integrated.

(If there's anything wrong with the way I'm posting this, please let me know.)

OKay.... if u have Ubuntu i have found how to fix it...
go to System, Preferences, Sound, Under sound capture and click on any other one listed... Then go back and select the one it was on. It seems to work.. I have posted it before and please try it.
The-Wise-Man

Seen in Intrepid Alpha 5, KDE 4.1. Volume up do not work without a kmix restart. Is the patch for KDE 4 or 3 ?

I can confirm SireeBob's solution. If I restart KMilo, the selection in "select master channel" takes affect.

I've just upgraded to Kubuntu 8.10 and I'm afraid that this bug is still present on KDE 4.1.2, kmix 3.0. This time the default sound channel was PCM and once I switched it to Front and tweaked the sound volume, the nifty visual cue appears with the "Front" channel sound volume but it's the PCM channel getting tweaked in the process.