UPDATED-Default Audio Input in the Standalone, Mac & Win
Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:21 pm
The following "how-to" is intended for informational purposes, to assist our Platinum license holders with accessing the "default audio mix" for availability as an audio input source in the Standalone application.
Background: It is frequently pointed out that the default audio mix (the sound playing through your speakers) isn't available as an audio input source in the Standalone application. The question we normally get is "why can't I visualize the default audio?"... YOU CAN, but it does require a little extra effort for the time being. SoundSpectrum's Standalone app will display/operate with any sound source made available by your computer, sound-card, or other audio interface (including line-in audio, CD audio, microphone input, usb interface, etc). The "missing" computer default audio mix is an unfortunate result of OS manufacturers deliberately disabling (or not providing) functionality in their drivers and software by default (largely for DRM purposes, so you can't go making infinitely reproducible recordings of the audio playing through your computer). For Mac users, we have discovered a free and open source solution, with configuration instructions below. For Windows, we have finally been able to engineer a solution (SoundSpectrum Audio Cable) as an optional install that must be configured.
----------------- Windows / SoundSpectrum Audio Cable Driver -----------------
Option 1, Enable Stereo Mix (Win 7):
1. Open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Manage Audio Devices
2. In the "Playback" tab > keep your default audio device selected (audio should play normally)
3. Click the "Recording" tab > right click in the Recording window and select “Show Disabled Devices"
4. Select “Stereo Mixâ€. It should now be an option in the Recording Tab
5. Stereo Mix should now show up in G-Force
If you do not see an option to enable "Stereo Mix", then the newly supplied Virtual Audio Cable, may be the best alternative.
Option 2, Configuring the SoundSpectrum Audio Cable driver supplied in any Platinum install (Win 8/10): [/b]
Working with a very talented audio kernel engineer, and longtime SoundSpectrum user, we are now including a SoundSpectrum Audio Cable driver in each Platinum installer (thanks Anup!!). This audio loopback driver will enable the routing of your computer's audio signal to our Standalone applications on Windows, allowing you to visualize audio from any application (VLC, Media Players, Browsers, etc).
Here is the step by step procedure to set up the driver on your Windows computer:
- In Windows, open Control Panel > Sound (or search "Sound" in system settings)
- Select the Plackback tab
- Right click on Stereo In and select Set As Default Device
- Select the Recording tab
- Right click on Stereo Out and select Properties
- *Within the General Properties tab, select Use this device (enable)*
- Select the Listen tab
- *Check the box Listen to this device*
- *Under Playback through this device, select your desired playback device/speakers*
- Press the "OK" button (exiting the Properties window)
- Press the "OK" button (exiting the Sound window)
- Restart Standalone and change the audio source to Stereo In.
You should now be able to hear and visualize the default audio signal (what you hear through your speakers).
If you do not complete the starred steps, your configuration will fail. You can and should blame Windows for the overly involved and confusing set up procedures that are *required*. Mac users will have to rely on third party software for a similar solution, such as Loopback (by Rogue Amoeba) or LineIn + SoundFlower (older, but free / open source).
----------------- Mac / SoundFlower / LineIn -----------------
Mac Instructions: In order for your default audio to be made available in the Standalone app, you will need two additional (currently) open source applications. Here's what you will need to do:
1. Download and install "LineIn" by Rouge Ameba
2. Download and install "SoundFlower" a github project
3. Open System Preferences -> Sound and select the Output tab -> select "SoundFlower" as your sound output
4. Open "Line-In" application (this app must be kept running during use) -> Select Input From "SoundFlower -> Select Output to: Built-in Output
5. Open SoundSpectrum's Standalone application -> right click on the screen or go to 'Settings' -> "Audio Input Source" and select SoundFlower.
You should now be able to hear your default audio through speakers while also sending the same audio to the Standalone application! Keep in mind that this is not an endorsement for these applications, and we can not provide any official support for them.
Please feel free to discuss and provide comments/feedback on your experiences with this work around.
Background: It is frequently pointed out that the default audio mix (the sound playing through your speakers) isn't available as an audio input source in the Standalone application. The question we normally get is "why can't I visualize the default audio?"... YOU CAN, but it does require a little extra effort for the time being. SoundSpectrum's Standalone app will display/operate with any sound source made available by your computer, sound-card, or other audio interface (including line-in audio, CD audio, microphone input, usb interface, etc). The "missing" computer default audio mix is an unfortunate result of OS manufacturers deliberately disabling (or not providing) functionality in their drivers and software by default (largely for DRM purposes, so you can't go making infinitely reproducible recordings of the audio playing through your computer). For Mac users, we have discovered a free and open source solution, with configuration instructions below. For Windows, we have finally been able to engineer a solution (SoundSpectrum Audio Cable) as an optional install that must be configured.
----------------- Windows / SoundSpectrum Audio Cable Driver -----------------
Option 1, Enable Stereo Mix (Win 7):
1. Open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Manage Audio Devices
2. In the "Playback" tab > keep your default audio device selected (audio should play normally)
3. Click the "Recording" tab > right click in the Recording window and select “Show Disabled Devices"
4. Select “Stereo Mixâ€. It should now be an option in the Recording Tab
5. Stereo Mix should now show up in G-Force
If you do not see an option to enable "Stereo Mix", then the newly supplied Virtual Audio Cable, may be the best alternative.
Option 2, Configuring the SoundSpectrum Audio Cable driver supplied in any Platinum install (Win 8/10): [/b]
Working with a very talented audio kernel engineer, and longtime SoundSpectrum user, we are now including a SoundSpectrum Audio Cable driver in each Platinum installer (thanks Anup!!). This audio loopback driver will enable the routing of your computer's audio signal to our Standalone applications on Windows, allowing you to visualize audio from any application (VLC, Media Players, Browsers, etc).
Here is the step by step procedure to set up the driver on your Windows computer:
- In Windows, open Control Panel > Sound (or search "Sound" in system settings)
- Select the Plackback tab
- Right click on Stereo In and select Set As Default Device
- Select the Recording tab
- Right click on Stereo Out and select Properties
- *Within the General Properties tab, select Use this device (enable)*
- Select the Listen tab
- *Check the box Listen to this device*
- *Under Playback through this device, select your desired playback device/speakers*
- Press the "OK" button (exiting the Properties window)
- Press the "OK" button (exiting the Sound window)
- Restart Standalone and change the audio source to Stereo In.
You should now be able to hear and visualize the default audio signal (what you hear through your speakers).
If you do not complete the starred steps, your configuration will fail. You can and should blame Windows for the overly involved and confusing set up procedures that are *required*. Mac users will have to rely on third party software for a similar solution, such as Loopback (by Rogue Amoeba) or LineIn + SoundFlower (older, but free / open source).
----------------- Mac / SoundFlower / LineIn -----------------
Mac Instructions: In order for your default audio to be made available in the Standalone app, you will need two additional (currently) open source applications. Here's what you will need to do:
1. Download and install "LineIn" by Rouge Ameba
2. Download and install "SoundFlower" a github project
3. Open System Preferences -> Sound and select the Output tab -> select "SoundFlower" as your sound output
4. Open "Line-In" application (this app must be kept running during use) -> Select Input From "SoundFlower -> Select Output to: Built-in Output
5. Open SoundSpectrum's Standalone application -> right click on the screen or go to 'Settings' -> "Audio Input Source" and select SoundFlower.
You should now be able to hear your default audio through speakers while also sending the same audio to the Standalone application! Keep in mind that this is not an endorsement for these applications, and we can not provide any official support for them.
Please feel free to discuss and provide comments/feedback on your experiences with this work around.