dotfiles/media.md

# Media control in i3
There are multiple choices of audio program available, the i3 config file I followed at beginning using amixer, while I choose PulseAudio. Please check "addy-dclxvi/i3-staterpack" 

His volume/music control config is shown as below:

```
# change volume
bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec amixer -q set Master
bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec amixer -q set Master 5%-
bindsym XF86AudioMute exec amixer set Master toggle

# music control
bindsym XF86AudioNext exec mpc next
bindsym XF86AudioPrev exec mpc prev
bindsym XF86AudioPlay exec mpc toggle
bindsym XF86AudioStop exec mpc stop
```

Following are the process I used in my Media/Volume control in i3

## Volume Control using PulseAudio

* Install `PulseAudio` (Pulse Audio Sound server system)
* Install `pactl` as commandline controller `PulseAudio`
* Install `pavucontrol` as GUI controler of `PulseAudio` 

### Check `pactl` controller is working and learn how to use it and add to i3

1. Play music on youtube or Spotify
2. Open `pavucontrol` to check sound is player correctly
3. Find correct Sink by `pactl list`, the playing one should be the "Sink" that has "State: Running"
4. Increase volume by `pactl set-sink-volume <sink number> 70%`, which change volume and should be reflected on `pavucontrol` and your ear
5. Now you know which sink is using and add the command line into i3 config

## Check `playerctl` controller is working and learn how to use it and add to i3 

1. Play music on Spotify
2. Pause the music by `playerctl play-pause`, and check whether the music stopped
3. After confimring this commandline worked, add it to with keybind in your i3

## Media control in separate mode
1. Create a mode "media" in i3 configuration
2. In the mode, add bindsym to control media flow

## Media control using TUI
1. Install `pulsemixer` 
2. Use `pulsemixer` TUI to change volume, this program cannot do single channel change, it can only do change on both channel at once

## Media control using GUI (Suggested in Ubuntu Distro)
1. Install `pavucontrol`
2. Use `pavucontrol` to change volume