No simple way to change sound output after HDMI monitor disconnected

[Paul]

Use an HDMI device to play sound, the disconnect it and open the Audio Volume widget. Notice that there are at least two Playback Devices: Analog Stereo, and HDMI (even though there's no HDMI device connected). In the HDMI device's hamburger menu, set it as the Default. When you do this, all sound gets sent to the non-existent HDMI sink (not sure how, as pacmd shows no active HDMI sink at that time). Once you do this, you can't change it back to the Analog Stereo sink, because its Default checkbox is already checked.

Perhaps the UI should not display an HDMI entry if there is none present. However it would have to guarantee that it would switch the sound output automatically.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: plasma-desktop 4:5.12.5-0ubuntu0.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-22.24-generic 4.15.17
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-22-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.1
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: KDE
Date: Mon Jun 4 22:04:45 2018
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-03-12 (84 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 18.04 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Alpha amd64 (20180310)
SourcePackage: plasma-desktop
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Paul (i41bktob-launchpad-net)]

Note this isn't just a widget issue, because it happens if you use the Audio Volume Settings. But it does seem to be a KDE issue, as it doesn't happen if you use "pacmd set-default-sink" directly.

[Scarlett Gately Moore (scarlettmoore)]

This bug is very old, if it is still an issue please update the bug with information from a supported release.