MaxCoderz

I have a friend accross the new with whom I voice chat a lot. Instead of me talking, I set my computer to record the wave output, hook up my MIDI keyboard, and play my piano accross the line.

The problrm? He can't do the same in return. Is there a program that will take the output of the computer (normally sent to headphones or something to that effect) and make it show up as a microphone line in? This is essentially what I need.

Thanks!

-gamefreak0134

Normally you should be simply able to set it in the mixer that comes up when double clicking the volume icon, choosing the appropriate device as the source for recording. For instance, I have one called ‘What U Hear’... After that using any wave recorder should do.

Usually it's called "Mixed Output" or "Stereo Mix", "what u hear" is specific to Sound Blaster drivers.

He only has one stream available on his end, which is the microphone port on the back of the computer. I am able to use this port fine because I have an adapter that will let me plug just about anything into it. (I can then run a line from my line out directly to my line in to send music from my applications into the microphone port, which gets picked up by YIM and sent.) I was looking for a way to basically do this without the wire.

If this is not possible, that is no problem, the adapter is relatively cheap. I was just hoping for a quick fix, as usual.

Thanks guys!

-thegamefreak

Go into Control Panel, Sounds and Multimedia (might be audio devices under XP or similar), Audio tab, and click "Volume" on the Sound Recording group. Put a tick under one of the mentioned devices (I have an Audigy so the cringeworthy "What U Hear" is what I need to use, it's "Stereo Mix" on this machine).

The device might not be listed, so in the mixer click Options, Properties and tick the device you need. Note that you can easily switch between playback and recording controls by using the Options, Properties dialog if you have the mixer shown in your notification area, rather than going via Control Panel.

If his card is not full-duplex, he might not be able to record what he's playing back. Some laptops still have half-duplex cards.

One further note - if you want to display all of the devices and the dialog gets too big to fit on your screen, Ctrl+S toggles size.

You should not be running the output of your card into the microphone port (or indeed any amplified signal into the microphone port).

You should not be running the output of your card into the microphone port (or indeed any amplified signal into the microphone port).

But why? It works so well, and I understand how to turn the volume down... I know your way is really better though... I only do it this way so YIM will see it. If I really feel the urge to record the computer's output, I do it the normal way. (This doesn't work for MIDI however, mind you. Not a huge loss really...)

Is there another way to stream audio accross the net? I'm thinking the whole YIM thing is nice and all, but if there are other ways that might let me like stream a file that would work well too.

-gamefreak

You don't have to stream it if it's already a completed file.

But could you re-iterate your goals in this situation? I'm a bit confused about what you're trying to accomplish with all this audio recording midi wave output streaming ports you're talking about.

I have YIM (yahoo instant messenger.) The newer versions have a "call" feature that lets you voice chat over the internet with anyone else on yahoo. This normally outputs to the soundcard, and accepts input from a microphone.

I was able to plug other things into this setup by running a line directly from my device to the microphone-in line on my computer. This allowed (for instance) me to stream myself playing my MIDI piano (live) to my friend in another city. He wants to do the same in return, but wants to output from something on his computer. His end on YIM can only see his microphone port (no "stereo mix", "What U Hear" or anything of the sort) and he does not have the required hookup to use an external device. (I was able to "stream" my computer's audio by using my hookup to go from the computer's out directly into it's in, which is what YIM was listening to.

I am looking for a way for his computer to somehow "emulate" a microphone line, or otherwise be able to stream live audio to me over the net. My experience with YIM (on dial-up, mind you) was excellent, so I know this is possible. That or he can't tell the difference in good and bad quality, I couldn't really hear it on his end, only he could.

Is this clear enough? Basically, I'm trying to bypass him having to go purchace a cord. I know they are cheap, but what I'm describing has got to be possible, so I want to try it first.

-thegamefreak

Just selecting the Stereo Mix/What U Hear as the recording source (in the system volume control) as described should be enough. That is how Windows applications get their audio input, after all (it's a global change) and if YIM is still getting data from the Microphone device, that's YIM's fault. I haven't used YIM, but you should be picking the device through Windows.

If he has no Stereo Mix device at all then chances are his card isn't full-duplex, and so he would not be able to record something and play back something at the same time anyway, rendering voice chat pretty useless.

YIM probably just labed (in the GUI) the "recording device" as "microphone" instead of actually perusing the microphone device over Windows' recording settings. Try it.

Also, instead of getting a cable to plug in devices incorrectly, just get a proper sound card. Much more benificial.