[Bug 38954] Re: Multimedia keys don't work when not focused

[Sitsofe Wheeler]

Indeed. I think it might be by design but totem only responds to multimedia keys when focused. This is good because programs like rhythmbox also bind to multimedia keys and it would be unclear where the key press should go if both rhtyhmbox and totem (or another app) were running at the same time...
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Multimedia keys don't work when not focused
https://launchpad.net/malone/bugs/38954