# Owner: glow
# KeyID: E65A8520F36AEE13CFE4F56BEB8FE331063A4794
# Key: https://glow.li/pgp
# Verify: curl "https://glow.li/posts/global-push-to-talk/index.html.asc" | gpg
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+++
{
    "date": "2021-04-14",
    "layout": "post",
    "sharingimage": "media/videos/previews/p2t-pavucontrol",
    "sharingvideo": "media/videos/p2t-pavucontrol.webm",
    "tags": ["Technology", "Tutorial", "CLI", "Snippet"],
    "title": "Global push to talk with i3 and pulseaudio"
}
+++
<?= loop('p2t-pavucontrol.webm'); ?>

Just in case anyone needs it. I use it for Jitsi, slack, teams, zoom and other browser conference software like that.

<!--more-->

## Find out your microphone name

```
pactl list sources|grep "Name:"
```

This will give you a list of available sources. Find the correct name for your preferred microphone.

## Mute and unmute via command

```
# unmute
pactl set-source-mute <MICROPHONE> 0
# mute
pactl set-source-mute <MICROPHONE> 1
```

## Adding it as a key binding to i3

Add this to your i3 config:

```
bindsym Mod1+space exec --no-startup-id pactl set-source-mute <MICROPHONE> 0
bindsym --release Mod1+space exec --no-startup-id pactl set-source-mute <MICROPHONE> 1
```

Replace `<MICROPHONE>` with your preferred microphone (without `<` and `>`).

This will add an Alt(Mod1) + Space bar keybind that unmutes the microphone when pressed and mutes when released.

This is how it is set for my microphone:

```
bindsym Mod1+space exec --no-startup-id pactl set-source-mute alsa_input.usb-046d_0825_89361D50-02.analog-mono 0
bindsym --release Mod1+space exec --no-startup-id pactl set-source-mute alsa_input.usb-046d_0825_89361D50-02.analog-mono 1
```

I also set a 3rd keybinding that just unmutes, but doesn't mute on release. This way I can set it to constantly record.

## Continuous mode

If you want a button to toggle continuous mode (always recording) you can simply set an additional button but without `--release`. To undo it you can simply press your other push-to-talk button once.

```
bindsym Mod1+space exec --no-startup-id pactl set-source-mute <MICROPHONE> 0
```

## Using a mouse button

I wanted an additional keybinding for my mouse button 9, so I can toggle the microphone with my thumb.

```
bindsym --border --whole-window button9 exec --no-startup-id pactl set-source-mute <MICROPHONE> 0
bindsym --border --whole-window --release button9 exec --no-startup-id pactl set-source-mute <MICROPHONE> 1
```

Unfortunately there is currently an unresolved [issue](https://github.com/i3/i3/issues/3459) about using `--whole-window` and `--release` together. For it to work you need to apply [this patch](https://github.com/i3/i3/issues/3459#issuecomment-430597197) to your i3 before compiling.

## Bonus: Show microphone status with Scroll Lock led

If you use a keyboard with a scroll lock, like me, then you can misuse that led to show you the microphone status. It's mostly useless on Linux anyway.

<?= loop('scroll-lock.mp4'); ?>

```
# enable the led
xset led 3
# disable the led
xset -led 3
```

You can simply add that to your key bindings as well.

```
bindsym Mod1+space exec --no-startup-id "pactl set-source-mute <MICROPHONE> 0;xset led 3"
bindsym --release Mod1+space exec --no-startup-id "pactl set-source-mute <MICROPHONE> 1;xset -led 3"
```
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