BMS audio output question
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@white_fang sounds too complex for me unfortunately But I’ll keep it in mind if I get more guts or just get fed up later on.
@airtex2019 I just want the ability to tell BMS to use headphones all the time regardless of what Windows setup is. Or tell Windows that if BMS is running, to route the BMS audio to headphones. But since I’m re-learning how to fly, I don’t really want super-complicated stuff on top of everything else at the moment (calibrate HMCS? really??!?)
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Usually you should be able to assign specific sound outputs in Windows in the “Advances Sound Settings” (right click on your sound symbol -> sound settings -> advanced sound settings)
Have you tried this?
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@airtex2019 said in BMS audio output question:
I’m no expert when it comes to audio programming … I assume BMS is using DirectSound?
That’s phase 1, imo. Phase 2 would be add controls to the 2D setup/audio screen to designate a preferred audio output device…
Yes. DS. No.2 , that’s only viable option …
Eh, BMS is old piece of work so , in that time “nobody” had 2 sound-cards in system
If used headphones, just plug-in instead speakers…
Today is whole another thing. we have 3 sound cards…
Biggest problem are those bloody wireless headphones, since they are audio-device themselves, so that’s why switching audio problem even exist.
No other way way then to route-audio, in “complex” situations, where too lazy to switch audio device - but I am also , why would use worse audio when don’t have to.@hawkdakilla , That’s exactly what that software I gave link does. just in gui , simplified, and some extras, but is using win audio route option in Recording device-> advanced -> Listen this device on
And that works just fine. But you need to have Wave recording option in souncard/driver , … or what would “input” be ?
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@hawkdakilla Yep, you are correct depending on the OS being used. Win 10 and 11 for sure allow it.
Below is how you can configure this, just select the device in the drop down. Your headset and speakers should be in the drop down.
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@Atlas I definitely second white_fang’s suggestion to use VoiceMeeter and VB Audio Cables instead of Windows to manage your input/output device volumes. This way, you can just mute the channel for your Logitech Speakers and unmute your Headphones whenever you wanna switch it up.
If you are looking for a testimonial/review of VoiceMeeter, here’s mine:
I first got into VoiceMeeter (the smallest, original) so I could route game sounds to both my headphones/speaker and the Buttkicker LFE bass shaker to “feel” games like BMS through my PC chair:
(generic pic from their website, don’t have a pic of when I used basic VoiceMeeter)Later, I realized the potential for using it to change my input/output devices for TeamSpeak or IVC, from my headphones mic or the area mic (like a speakerphone mic), and the ease of switching between my Bluetooth Headset and the wired headset I had at the time, so I got VoiceMeeter Banana:
Later still, when I needed more control for OBS recording and streaming in addition to TS3 input/output and Buttkicker output, I ended up using VoiceMeeter Potato (well worth the money) and also bought the VB Cables A-D for extra digital patch options so I could connect my phone and even direct the audio output of my VoiceAttack text-to-speech to its own audio channel.
IMHO this is an awesome setup now, I can record game audio on one channel, TS3/IVC audio onto the VoiceMeeter Tape, and my own Mic through Adobe Audition so that on the editing floor, I can isolate any audio source and cut any other out if desired (rather than all these sounds being lumped into one uneditable audio track tied to the video recording).
My current killer potato setup:
Definitely recommend this for much more easy control over audio devices without having to constantly re-open the Control Panel Sounds window and muck around in there.
edit: Forgot to mention how amazing it is to also have a many-band equalizer, too - I have decent wireless (Logitech G933) headphones with their own audio processing such as EQ, Dolby/DTS, and other options - I thought they sounded good until I turned of the Logi EQ and setup the VoiceMeeter EQ (free, comes with all VoiceMeeters). Was like night and day! I’d never use the Logitech EQ ever again, now that I have this:
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@Atlas @SemlerPDX That’s the stuff!! , and “worse” … you can combine ‘this’ with what @TxMtb posted above … only sky is the limit
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@white_fang @SemlerPDX I’ll be honest and that looks very complicated, like asking me to learn how to cold-start the F-16 when all I’m asking is how to safely remove chocks!
Is there a super-idiot’s guide somewhere? Thanks!
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@Atlas Dude, it can’t be simpler then this, have you ever seen like DJ mixer . or any mixer in general.
They look complicated (as a matter a fact, some really are) but in essence it is down to input-output , and some stuff in between.Take a look at what @SemlerPDX posted above, eg. vbBannana , it has fewer options but is simple as can be , left side inputs , right side outputs …now connect left to right, connect the dots can it be more simpler then that
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@Atlas said in BMS audio output question:
@white_fang @SemlerPDX …
Is there a super-idiot’s guide somewhere? Thanks!Absolutely! Here is the guide for VoiceMeeter Banana:
https://vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/VoicemeeterBanana_UserManual.pdf -
Just a final note - if you’re already using VoiceAttack, you can create a voice command to switch Windows audio devices, too (without needing VoiceMeeter or VB audio cables, of course) - here’s a post where I describe the steps to set up a voice command to switch the default microphone using VoiceAttack compare conditions and actions, easily translates to switching an audio output device as well using the {STATE_DEFAULTPLAYBACK} token instead:
https://forum.voiceattack.com/smf/index.php?topic=4145.msg18928#msg18928 -
@SemlerPDX Wow, that works on-the-fly ??
I mean, since eg . app is already using an allocated resource , audio output/input from some device(s) , and then in middle of things you can change it? … Too good to be true
I ask because , accidental stumbled upon an “experiment” m changed audio input while voice-attack already running , but it failed miserably , windows did change “default” input device , but voice attack didn’t., so any input was impossible till VA restart. (hmmm, but I never tried make the change inside VA options … that might-a work)
But I never did it “inside” voice attack itself, using its scripting…
Just wow…, … maybe for the default output for VA is not that big deal, question is how BMS/DirectSound is gonna react , eg if changed audio while BMS running., now that’s an experimentCheers
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@white_fang said in BMS audio output question:
@SemlerPDX Wow, that works on-the-fly ??
I mean, since eg . app is already using an allocated resource , audio output/input from some device(s) , and then in middle of things you can change it? … Too good to be true
I ask because , accidental stumbled upon an “experiment” m changed audio input while voice-attack already running , but it failed miserably , windows did change “default” input device , but voice attack didn’t., so any input was impossible till VA restart. (hmmm, but I never tried make the change inside VA options … that might-a work)
But I never did it “inside” voice attack itself, using its scripting…
Just wow…, … maybe for the default output for VA is not that big deal, question is how BMS/DirectSound is gonna react , eg if changed audio while BMS running., now that’s an experimentCheers
When these actions are executed in VoiceAttack, it may have special coding to know to make use of this change in device or whatever it does - it plays nice with the change. Some programs, however, discover the device on load, and therefore if changed while that program is running, may have issues with the change.
Some programs also like to take exclusive control over a device, though not all of them will mind disabling this option for the device they use - ymmv and depends on the program - but in general, I disable Exclusive Mode for every playback and recording device on my system including virtual cables provided by VoiceMeeter.
Wouldn’t be hard to test it out - make the command in VA, and launch BMS to Instant Action, then issue the command to VA to switch the playback (or recording) device for the test. If you do, wouldn’t mind if you posted your results here so we know if the rule is “do this before launching BMS/IVC” or if it doesn’t matter either way.
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@SemlerPDX No prob, that’s 3-4 weeks
Kidding… , yes, will do , no biggie. With/without “exclusive” bit set.
But I have “creative” driver in system … I expect that will make for some interesting “results” , if not bsodI already get bsod at shutdown, everytime ,
… if left vb-banana running when input channel set to a “KS:Audigy” … if using “WDM:What you hear” type driver, it is ok, but sound is full of pops and click , especially if system in idle, no sound… already broke my mind trying to figure it out … to no avail…- creative., plus, win cpu power state/dpc latency …
… but seems KS driver works ok, at least no pops and clicks…, well aside bsod at shutdown - something about “dpc watchdog” bsod - didn’t remember code… don’t care, known issue , can’t /won’t fixNow isn’t that “creative magic”. - good cards… bad drivers. war never changes…
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@white_fang @SemlerPDX
Tried this tonight due to my audio issues and I might as well be reading an alien language. No idea what to do or where to go to get what I want to get. I have RTFM but while I seem to see English words, I can’t make any sense of it. -
@Atlas Ok, take a pic and mark on it what is unclear. Will try to explain.
Did the test. … all ops failed miserably.
Found and included in VA script/option to change win default audio, … result total loss of sound in BMS , and couldn’t return.I guess some apps don’t suffer from that (changing audio device output on the fly), VA for instance, but obviously, depends on implementation of kind of interface app is talking to audio system, Directsound/openaAl/ Ks…
So, no, I wouldn’t recommend doing that on ordinary basis … it would even require a valid reason first… doesn’t mean there are no any, just I don’t see one.
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@white_fang basically just how to set it up. I’ve installed it, tried RTFM, but that doesn’t make sense so I don’t really know where to look to get to where I want to be.
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@white_fang said in BMS audio output question:
So, no, I wouldn’t recommend doing that on ordinary basis … it would even require a valid reason first… doesn’t mean there are no any, just I don’t see one.
What you discovered is simply that audio device cannot be changed WHILE the BMS program is running. Has nothing to do with the use of this sort of very helpful voice command prior to launching BMS. In fact, if one were to ALWAYS use a different audio device when using BMS, the person could create a voice command to launch that program, and to fire off the audio-switch command before launching BMS. That would be very easy, and far less hassle than anything else mentioned here.
@Atlas There are drop-down menus along the top of VoiceMeeter - on the left are inputs, and on the far right are outputs. Inputs are microphones or other such devices, outputs are your headphones, speakers, etc.
First, on the top right of the VoiceMeeter window, select an output like A1 and set it to the device MME: (Your Headphones), then select another like A2 and set it to the device MME: (Your Speakers):
Next, in the Windows Sound control panel, set your default Playback Device to the VoiceMeeter VAIO device:
Finally, in VoiceMeeter, choose which ‘channel’ to output to - both A1 and A2 - then, whenever you want to use the headphones, just unmute A1 and mute A2, or vice-versa:
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@SemlerPDX So I take it VoiceMeeter has to be opened at that point to mute/unmute stuff?
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@Atlas said in BMS audio output question:
@SemlerPDX So I take it VoiceMeeter has to be opened at that point to mute/unmute stuff?
If you use VoiceMeeter for your audio, it should be the first thing you run after launching Windows, and it should remain running in the background at all times. It can be minimized of course.
Personally I keep it on the bottom half of my secondary desktop monitor to the left of my main. Since I run most programs in a windowed mode, I can move my mouse over to it and mouse-wheel-up or mouse-wheel-down while hovering over any of the volume bars without having to click on it to change focus from the game, or without having to alt-tab to it to adjust one of these volume sliders:
(edit: I suppose I should also note that I use Dual Monitor Tools (DMT) when desired to lock my mouse to the primary monitor or to allow it to travel to the secondary, with these “lock the mouse” and “unlock the mouse” actions on voice commands through VoiceAttack, of course)
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@SemlerPDX Thanks for that but I guess what I was looking for was something that would play all audio to my TV speakers or my Logitech speakers but when BMS would run, it would only play BMS audio on my headphones and do so automatically. Can VoiceMeeter do something like that or do I have to switch each time?