vlc won't play audio on usb speakers even though chrome will

[John Rose]

I have a pair of usb speakers. Audio plays Ok on them for video clips using Chrome (e.g. from BBC website). Using vlc 2.2.2 (from Ubuntu repos), neither a CD nor DVD (video is Ok) nor .mp3 file plays audio. .mp3 files play Ok using Rhythmbox. So problem must be with vlc. vlc shows the only Audio Device of 'type' USB as USB Audio Device Analogue Stereo, with that selected. But Sound Settings shows 2 USB Devices: Speakers and Digital Output (S/PDIF) and I do not use the Optical socket (i.e S/PDIF) on my Barebones PC. Currently, vlc has Output Module set to Automatic on Tools->Preferences->Audio. I've tried changing it to Pulseaudio and Alsa without success. PS on another Barebones PC, vlc plays Ok (for CD, DVD, .mp3 file) with the speakers connected to to the Headphones jack plug socket.
vlc does NOT show any Audio Device of 'type' USB (i.e. USB Audio Device Analogue Stereo is not shown) when the USB Speakers are disconnected. So the problem is definitely that vlc dosen't play sound through the USB Speakers even though the USB Speakers are selected for it.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: vlc 2.2.2-5ubuntu0.16.04.4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-116.140-generic 4.4.98
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-116-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.15
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Wed Feb 28 08:24:39 2018
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-12-08 (446 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160719)
SourcePackage: vlc
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Sebastian Ramacher (s-ramacher)]

Please try again with 3.0.0. This bug is also missing the output of vlc -vvv.

[John Rose (johnaaronrose)]

"vlc -vvv" terminal output attached. www.videolan.org does not provide vlc 3.0. I am using Xenial which provides vlc 2.2. And I do not want to upgrade Ubuntu to a STS version just to run a newer version of vlc.

[Sebastian Ramacher (s-ramacher)]

You could try the vlc 3.0 snap: https://snapcraft.io/vlc.

[John Rose (johnaaronrose)]

Just tried vlc 3.0 snap. It also failed to play audio.

[John Rose (johnaaronrose)]

Interestingly, he standard Videos app (Totem?) also doesn't play sound on these speakers either of an mp4 file (downloaded from YouTube though it plays Ok on YouTube website using Chrome) or a DVD. What do vlc & Totem have in common re playing sound whether from sound files or DVDs?

[Sebastian Ramacher (s-ramacher)]

Both of them use PulseAudio, I suppose. Can you switch the output device of vlc via pavucontrol to the bluetooth speakers?

[John Rose (johnaaronrose)]

I installed & ran pavucontrol: screenshot attached. I've set the Builtin Audio Interface. The USB Audio Device Analogue Stereo is the USB Speakers. vlc has a dot to the left of USB Audio Device Analogue Stereo. But vlc still does not have the sound audible when playing an mp3 file.

[John Rose (johnaaronrose)]

I should have said that I muted the Builtin Audio Interface.

[John Rose (johnaaronrose)]

BTW sound doesn't play when using my monitor's built in speakers connected by hdmi (though the monitor then displays Ok). Sound plays Ok when using Clementine to play music.
So problem looks like it might be Pulseaudio. If so, what package should I find/report a bug on?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for vlc (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]