Feature request: do not resample nor output sound with 0 usage
Submitted by Hi-Angel
Assigned to pul..@..op.org
Link to original bug (#103569)
Description
Steps to reproduce:
- Run a soundtrack in VLC
- Disable sound in VLC, or alternatively lower it to 0
- Run
top, and check CPU-load of pulseaudio
Expected results:
You should see almost the same usage as if pulseaudio was idle
Actual results:
Pulseaudio loads CPU around ≈4-5%.
Real-world significancy:
Initially I found the problem for figuring out why pulseaudio loads CPU to 10% (not even 5% as with VLC!) when I ain't play anything. Pavucontrol shows that no apps are using sound. Long story short, I went as far as to disable pulseaudio, and then noted something funny in top: one Qutebrowser tab been loading my CPU to 2-3%. I immediately figured it out: it's a crappy "freelancer.com" site, no surprise. After it's closed, the again enabled pulseudio does not load my CPU anymore.
I think they maybe play some static noise at 0 sound. Pulseaudio surely can detect it, because I do not see at pavucontrol's "audio usage" line any jumps.
Other applications: speech-dispatcher streams might be doing something alike https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=222857
I also found this Ubuntu bug https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pulseaudio/+bug/207135 despite tagged "fix released", peoples keep complaining. My guess it might be related.