No Sound Over XRDP (using pipewire?)

[sshaikh]

(x-posted from https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=2207206)

I currently access my Arch desktop over RDP using xrdp. I used to have a working sound setup using pulseaudio and pulseaudio-module-xrdp. This used to break intermittently but I always managed to get it back after a couple of AUR rebuilds. This time wasn't so easy and so I took the opportunity to try to move to pipewire using the relatively new pipewire-module-xrdp in the AUR. However I am struggling to get any sound here either.

I have tried following the wiki to get a basic set up running (I only need sound for things like web browsing). I've always been confused by the audio stack, so started with just ALSA and pipewire, finally installing the pulseaudio plugin too. I'm in a bit of a mess now, not knowing what I need and what I don't, but the shortest, simplest and leanest path to stereo sound is my goal.

I'm not sure how to troubleshoot this so here is some info:

❯ pacman -Q | grep wire
libpipewire 1:1.2.6-1
libwireplumber 0.5.6-1
pipewire 1:1.2.6-1
pipewire-alsa 1:1.2.6-1
pipewire-audio 1:1.2.6-1
pipewire-module-xrdp 0.1-1
pipewire-pulse 1:1.2.6-1
pipewire-session-manager 1:1.2.6-1
pipewire-x11-bell 1:1.2.6-1
wireplumber 0.5.6-1

❯ pacman -Q | grep pulse
libpulse 17.0-3
pipewire-pulse 1:1.2.6-1

❯ sudo fuser -v /dev/snd/*

❯ systemctl --user status pipewire{,-pulse} wireplumber pulseaudio
Unit pulseaudio.service could not be found.
● pipewire.service - PipeWire Multimedia Service
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Thu 2024-11-07 17:09:06 GMT; 35min ago
 Invocation: c57844876d29483cbf6b75bf880dcae2
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire.socket
   Main PID: 614 (pipewire)
      Tasks: 4 (limit: 19103)
     Memory: 4.8M (peak: 6.3M)
        CPU: 19ms
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/[email protected]/session.slice/pipewire.service
             └─614 /usr/bin/pipewire

Nov 07 17:09:06 host systemd[506]: Started PipeWire Multimedia Service.

● pipewire-pulse.service - PipeWire PulseAudio
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire-pulse.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Thu 2024-11-07 17:09:06 GMT; 35min ago
 Invocation: b6bcb2b8a6714d2b91e994f24b20c6a0
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire-pulse.socket
   Main PID: 716 (pipewire-pulse)
      Tasks: 3 (limit: 19103)
     Memory: 7.5M (peak: 7.7M)
        CPU: 61ms
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/[email protected]/session.slice/pipewire-pulse.service
             └─716 /usr/bin/pipewire-pulse

Nov 07 17:09:06 host systemd[506]: Started PipeWire PulseAudio.

● wireplumber.service - Multimedia Service Session Manager
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/wireplumber.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Thu 2024-11-07 17:09:06 GMT; 35min ago
 Invocation: 349770dddcfe44c8a02ce27cacce9063
   Main PID: 615 (wireplumber)
      Tasks: 6 (limit: 19103)
     Memory: 5.9M (peak: 6.3M)
        CPU: 37ms
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/[email protected]/session.slice/wireplumber.service

❯ pactl list sinks
Sink #47
	State: SUSPENDED
	Name: auto_null
	Description: Dummy Output
	Driver: PipeWire
	Sample Specification: float32le 2ch 48000Hz
	Channel Map: front-left,front-right
	Owner Module: 4294967295
	Mute: no
	Volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	        balance 0.00
	Base Volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	Monitor Source: auto_null.monitor
	Latency: 0 usec, configured 0 usec
	Flags: DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY
	Properties:
		node.name = "auto_null"
		device.description = "Dummy Output"
		audio.rate = "48000"
		audio.channels = "2"
		audio.position = "FL,FR"
		media.class = "Audio/Sink"
		factory.name = "support.null-audio-sink"
		node.virtual = "true"
		monitor.channel-volumes = "true"
		factory.id = "19"
		clock.quantum-limit = "8192"
		client.id = "43"
		node.driver = "true"
		port.group = "stream.0"
		node.loop.name = "data-loop.0"
		library.name = "audioconvert/libspa-audioconvert"
		object.id = "45"
		object.serial = "47"
	Formats:
		pcm

I don't notice anything awry in the journal. pavucontrol shows levels moving when things play. I have tested that the client machine is able to play audio. I think only having a dummy sink smells, but not sure how to solve that?

[sshaikh]

Turns out I have to run /usr/lib/pipewire-module-xrdp/load_pw_modules.sh manually, so figuring out what to do about that.