Bugzilla – Bug 9051
Additional Line Out modes
Last modified: 2010-05-05 11:48:18 UTC
In addition to headphone and subwoofer modes, implement the following: - On. Send full range output to the Line Out port, but also keep full range audio playing through the Boom speakers. This would be useful for anyone who wants a simple line out to be run to another set of powered speakers or into an amplifier. - Off. Would permit you keep something connected to the port without having audio sent to it.
When we implement this, I'd make the strings: "Always Off" and "Always On". Probably too late for 7.2, patches welcome for 7.2.1.
Fixing this will at last allow headphones users to keep their headphones permanently plugged into the Boom. Very useful for people who use their Boom as a clock radio/alarm/bedroom hifi.
(In reply to comment #1) > When we implement this, I'd make the strings: "Always Off" and "Always On". > Probably too late for 7.2, patches welcome for 7.2.1. More important than the names will be the explanations given in the settings info of the web interface. For the current choices, the info is badly lacking. There's nothing that even hints at what the subwoofer or headphone settings actually do.
BTW, "Always On" is going to have to be at a fixed volume. There's no way that you can expect to simultaneously regulate both the volume to the Boom speakers and to whatever device is attached to the line out. For attaching the line out to powered speakers or to an amp/receiver with volume control this should work well.
I think the names do matter. Good names will imply the functions, without further explanation being needed by most users. As I see it, we have basically four modes of operation that are being described. I would suggest the following: 1) Rename current player and web UI option "Line Out" to "Output Mode" or simply "Output". The "Line Out" label is already a mismatch with the printed label on the hardware port. It is label with a headphone icon + "Sub Out". This being the case, we're not losing consistency by changing the label of this item. Also, "Line Out" is also a bit misleading in that the output port doesn't support a mode that most users would expect in a Line Out, i.e. fixed or variable full range output. 2) Have four options under "Output Mode" a) Headphone Out - cuts Boom speakers when connected, responds to Boom volume and tone controls b) Line Out Fixed - sends full range output at a reasonable level compatible with standard line out voltage range, Boom speakers operate while connected, does not respond to Boom volume or tone controls c) Line Out Variable - same as Line Out Fixed, except that output signal does respond to volume (and perhaps tone??) controls. d) Sub Out - sends bass range output, Boom speakers operate when connected, responds to Boom volume and tone controls
and... e) Output off (or Speakers Only.. a term my wife is more likely to understand) Fairly crucial as headphones get left in the device all the time due to sub-optimum placement of headphone socket.
Getting close to the cutoff for 7.2.1
Dean/Caleb - we need to define what this should be. I see basically two use cases here: - have a line out with fixed level - enable/disable internal speakers even when headphones are plugged in (bedroom useage) I can take care of the latter, but have no idea about the first. Dean's comment about "always on/off" sounds as we were initially talking about the second case?
doesn't it actuall boild down to - Headphone - Subwoofer - disable ...where the last case covers the plugged in, but I want internal speakers case?
Assigning back to Caleb as this requires DSP code changes.
Additional modes added in fw (rev4958) for 7.3 to always have the headphone out 'on' or 'off' regardless of whether something is plugged in or not (volume is _not_ fixed, but goes with the internal speakers) Now we have in fw: 0 -> Headphone out (i.e. if something's plugged in the internal speakers are off) 1 -> Sub out (i.e. internal speakers have reduced bass which goes to sub out) 2 -> Always on (internal speakers on, line out on) 3 -> Always off (internal speakers on, line out off)
(In reply to comment #11) > Additional modes added in fw (rev4958) for 7.3 to always have the headphone out > 'on' or 'off' regardless of whether something is plugged in or not (volume is > _not_ fixed, but goes with the internal speakers) > > Now we have in fw: > 0 -> Headphone out (i.e. if something's plugged in the internal speakers are > off) > 1 -> Sub out (i.e. internal speakers have reduced bass which goes to sub out) > 2 -> Always on (internal speakers on, line out on) > 3 -> Always off (internal speakers on, line out off) > While the proposed solution would certainly work for me, I'm curious as to what happened with the talk of having a fixed Line-out mode. To me the ultimate would be to have two settings: on/off and mode - sub, headphone, line-out. Unless I'm reading things wrong, we would still have to crank the volume on the Boom pretty high to get a reasonable volume when using with an external amp (at least this has been my experience).
(In reply to comment #12) > While the proposed solution would certainly work for me, I'm curious as to what > happened with the talk of having a fixed Line-out mode. Same here. For many of those who requested a line out from the Boom, having it variable volume will be of little use.
This is now available as part of Boom firmware 36. It needs a UI, though. Any takers?
UI will be covered by 9357.
This bug has been fixed in the 7.3.0 release version of SqueezeCenter! Please download the new version from http://www.slimdevices.com/su_downloads.html if you haven't already. If you are still experiencing this problem, feel free to reopen the bug with your new comments and we'll have another look.
Sorry for the newbie Q but IS the output a fullrange, stereo output or is it a mono low-pass (typical for subwoofer) signal? I seem to be getting only a mono output over the 3.5mm connection which I'm running to another stereo amp. Bill L.