VLC_Linux won't restart at 0% vol, but SMPlayer will.

[Chrisi22]

I read several bugs in trac about VLC and remembering volume - or not, in Linux. For some it restarted at 100%; for others it restarted at 0%, when they wanted the last volume.
My problem is I want it to start at 0, but it starts at the last volume. It ignores "volume_save=0" (Boolean). I'm not sure why VLC has to get a volume value from Linux, if ~ "Don't Remember Last Volume" is set; it should then default to 0?

The reason given for the audio level problems in Linux is usually something about Pulse or ALSA audio outputs not playing well with media players in general & VLC especially.
And there's no solution.

Except SMPlayer - using mpv works OK on the same machine in Mint 18.1 (based on Ubuntu xenial). SMP has the same audio outputs to deal with as VLC.
When I set SMP.ini value, "Initial_volume=0" it starts at 0 (or any number entered) every time.

Is the reason SMP - Linux can start at a specified volume, because they have a config value for "initial_volume?
Where it appears VLC only has "volume-save" (yes or no). Several media players - yrs ago - also had "initial_volume" prefs, if you wanted one.

Could VLC devs add a VLCRC pref - to enter (optional) specific starting volume? Less than 100% that some get, or what ever they want.
That way VLC wouldn't depend on Pulse or ALSA - correct? It seems like this might work. A lot of Linux users have complained.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

VLC cannot not depend on neither PulseAudio nor ALSA. Those are the only two ways to play audio on most Linux installations.

And I don't agree to the characterization that PulseAudio does not play with media player or with VLC. I think it works just fine (and WASAPI works almost the same way on Windows). And the fact of the matter is that you can change PulseAudio's configuration if you don't like the default behaviours.

As for ALSA, its API is just too low-level for direct usage by desktop applications.

[Chrisi22]

Thanks. I understand most of what you wrote. Was there an answer to my problem(s)?
Was "cannot not" an intentional double negative, or typo?
1) VLC won't allow setting an always start at Volume xx%. It only uses the last volume setting when the last video or VLC was closed.

2) There's no pref in VLCRC to enter a starting volume.
'
Are you saying VLC uses either Pulse Audion or ALSA, or it does NOT depend on either? Either way, meaning what?

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

1) If PulseAudio is involved, the initial volume is policed by PulseAudio. If it's not (meaning ALSA), then you can force the initial volume in preferences.
2) With ALSA, there is. With PulseAudio, it's a matter of PulseAudio configuration, not VLC.

[Chrisi22]

Thanks Remi. That gave me a little to look into.
I haven't compared how VLC & other players control starting volume level (like SMPlayer) - on Linux using Pulse audio.
I compared Pulse audio (showing v8.0 is installed) info shown for VLC & SMP - on the same vid.

On the surface, it appears Pulse audio volume for VLC works both ways.
In Pulse audio's UI - main Output tab volume level (slider) for my discreet audio card, doesn't affect VLC's volume level, or vice versa.
Under Pulse's "Applications" tab - that only shows a player when it's playing or paused, it's "bi-directional."

Changing Pulse's volume for VLC under Applications tab does change VLCs volume slider, AND VICE VERSA. So I don't know if either has exclusive volume control.

For SMPlayer, Pulse's volume level under Applications tab (*for SMP*), doesn't affect SMP's startup volume.
While playing, changing Pulse's slider for the SMP application, does not change SMP's UI volume slider. Pulseaudio is the only audio process running, using these media players.

Changing Pulse's application volume for SMP only has an effect, if SMP's own volume slider is already at a non-zero level.
If SMP's volume slider = 0, changing Pulse's volume for SMP has no effect at all.
That's true, whether (1) SMP audio prefs are set to use the software's equalizer or the sound card's, or (2) SMP prefs are to use, or not use global volume. Global = use same volume for all files.

Pulse can show 100% for SMP (while it's playing) and the volume in SMP's UI could be anything - 0%, 10%, 55%. And changing SMP's UI volume slider (during play) does not change Pulse's volume slider for SMP .

One difference in VLC & SMP is, in Pulse's Application tab, it always shows a mute symbol beside SMPlayer's name; even if both Pulse's level for SMP AND SMP's own level are non-zero (& sound IS then audible) - Pulse still shows the mute symbol. (see screen shot)

AFAICT, one big difference is SMP has a config setting: "initial_volume", when set, starts all files at the specified volume. I set it to start at 0 or a low value.

Your statement,

If PulseAudio is involved, the initial volume is policed by PulseAudio

seems partly true. I assume you meant, "For VLC, if Pulseaudio is involved..."? It seems to work both ways.
Changing VLC's volume from its UI also controls Pulseaudio's level - for VLC, under Pulse's Applications.

But that's not true for SMP (& guessing some other players). Changing Pulseaudio's setting for SMP only has an effect if SMP's volume slider is already set to an audible level.
It seems a player's starting volume doesn't have to be controlled by Pulseaudio - only if that's how devs choose to do it.
When using Pulseaudio, SMPlayer uses config / ini settings control the starting volume and its own UI to control level.