Media Player

[Dominique]

Is there a media player that allows access directly to audio devices (Not
stucked to the Windows WaveMapper), so I could open two instances and play
different things in each audio device?

I want to use this device to drive amplified speakers in another room and
be able to do other things (with sound) on the computer at the same time.

http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-W1

TIA

 

[Paul]

Is there a media player that allows access directly to audio devices (Not
stucked to the Windows WaveMapper), so I could open two instances and play
different things in each audio device?

I want to use this device to drive amplified speakers in another room and
be able to do other things (with sound) on the computer at the same time.

http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-W1

TIA

A work around, may be to use ASIO for connecting to audio devices.

http://www.asio4all.com/

The thing is, an ASIO solution may support only a single session (making
it no better than the solution already in Windows), or it may support
multiple clients. And this picture, doesn't give the impression of
supporting multiple clients at the same time. There aren't enough channel
pairs showing here.

http://tippach.business.t-online.de/asio4all/Screenshot_29.jpg

There are some example comments here.

http://mtippach.proboards.com/index...lynotabugbutthereisaproblem&thread=786&page=3

"I found an ASIO multiclient driver:

ftp://ftp.steinberg.net/Download/Hardware/ASIO_multiclient_driver/asiomulti.msi
ftp://ftp.steinberg.net/Download/Hardware/ASIO_multiclient_driver/readme.rtf

The idea would be, you find a music player which talks ASIO on output,
and then treat your sound card, as three stereo output devices or whatever.
The sample rates and bit depths of the clients, would have to match.

Media player (client_1) ------ ASIO ----------- Front Left/Right

Media player (client_2) ------ ASIO ----------- Rear Left/Right

...

There may be a solution, but you'll have to search around and see if
there is a good (guaranteed to work) recipe somewhere. And WinXP may
make this easier to do, than Vista/Win7.

Paul

 

[Dominique]

A work around, may be to use ASIO for connecting to audio devices.

http://www.asio4all.com/

The thing is, an ASIO solution may support only a single session
(making it no better than the solution already in Windows), or it may
support multiple clients. And this picture, doesn't give the
impression of supporting multiple clients at the same time. There
aren't enough channel pairs showing here.

http://tippach.business.t-online.de/asio4all/Screenshot_29.jpg

There are some example comments here.

http://mtippach.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=likelynota
bugbutthereisaproblem&thread=786&page=3

"I found an ASIO multiclient driver:

ftp://ftp.steinberg.net/Download/Hardware/ASIO_multiclient_driver/
asiomulti.msi
ftp://ftp.steinberg.net/Download/Hardware/ASIO_multiclient_driver/
readme.rtf

The idea would be, you find a music player which talks ASIO on output,
and then treat your sound card, as three stereo output devices or
whatever. The sample rates and bit depths of the clients, would have
to match.

Media player (client_1) ------ ASIO ----------- Front Left/Right

Media player (client_2) ------ ASIO ----------- Rear Left/Right

...

There may be a solution, but you'll have to search around and see if
there is a good (guaranteed to work) recipe somewhere. And WinXP may
make this easier to do, than Vista/Win7.

Paul

I've read the .rtf and the way I understand it is that this drivers
allows multiple ASIO compatible applications to access the SAME ASIO
device so that, let's say an high end audio editor could access an ASIO
device at the same time than a software music workstation.

What I want to do, is to have two applications accessing two different
audio devices at the same time. The wireless transmitter of the
Audioengine W1 is a USB audio device.

I've tried WinAmp but I didn't find a preference that allows to choose
an audio device.

 

[Nil]

Is there a media player that allows access directly to audio
devices (Not stucked to the Windows WaveMapper), so I could open
two instances and play different things in each audio device?

I want to use this device to drive amplified speakers in another
room and be able to do other things (with sound) on the computer
at the same time.

Yes, most of them that I've come across will do that.

Winamp
Foobar2000
Media Player Classic

among others, all give you the choice to output to whatever audio
devices you have installed.

 

[Patok]

I've read the .rtf and the way I understand it is that this drivers
allows multiple ASIO compatible applications to access the SAME ASIO
device so that, let's say an high end audio editor could access an ASIO
device at the same time than a software music workstation.

What I want to do, is to have two applications accessing two different
audio devices at the same time. The wireless transmitter of the
Audioengine W1 is a USB audio device.

I've tried WinAmp but I didn't find a preference that allows to choose
an audio device.

Huh? If anything is configurable and could do what you want, it is WinAmp.
Depending on version, in Preferences -> Plug-ins -> Output, choose the output
plug-in - either DirectSound or wave out, and configure it to use the audio
device you want. And if the the transmitter appears as a separate audio device
on your system, I don't think you need that ASIO thing. Just run two copies of
Winamp, and configure one of them to play on the external speakers.

 

[Paul]

Huh? If anything is configurable and could do what you want, it is
WinAmp. Depending on version, in Preferences -> Plug-ins -> Output,
choose the output plug-in - either DirectSound or wave out, and
configure it to use the audio device you want. And if the the
transmitter appears as a separate audio device on your system, I don't
think you need that ASIO thing. Just run two copies of Winamp, and
configure one of them to play on the external speakers.

Perhaps an ASIO option appears, if an ASIO driver is installed ?

Paul

 

[Patok]

Perhaps an ASIO option appears, if an ASIO driver is installed ?

It probably does, but does the OP even need to install the ASIO? My point is
that he likely could do what he wants out of the box, without installing anything.

I need to take a look at this ASIO driver to see if it can emulate a
microphone. Fristratingly, there are no virtual microphones for XP. One app that
I tested was Virtual Audio Cable, but it is payware, and unfortunately didn't
run well on my system.

 

[Paul]

It probably does, but does the OP even need to install the ASIO? My
point is that he likely could do what he wants out of the box, without
installing anything.

I need to take a look at this ASIO driver to see if it can emulate a
microphone. Fristratingly, there are no virtual microphones for XP. One
app that I tested was Virtual Audio Cable, but it is payware, and
unfortunately didn't run well on my system.

The only reason for pursuing ASIO, is the possibility of a multi-client
audio playback scenario.

Media player (client_1) ------ ASIO ----------- Front Left/Right

Media player (client_2) ------ ASIO ----------- Rear Left/Right

In that example, the ASIO audio stack (if the right kind of driver
is present) can treat multiple audio devices, each having multiple
audio channels, as independent resources. For example, if you have
two PCI audio cards with 5.1 sound each, that is a total of six
stereo facilities. You could connect six media players (with ASIO
output capability and ability to select *which* card and stereo
channels get the output), and play six different tunes at the same
time.

It was my understanding, that the Windows KMixer doesn't allow this.
You can select one PCI card or select the other PCI card. You can
change the audio model to 2, 4, 5.1 channels or whatever. But you
can't run independent clients with it. You can certain "mix" a bunch
of sources together, and the noises all come out of one set of
speakers. But you can't play the BeeGees in the living room, and
symphony in the bathroom. With the Windows audio model, that takes two
computers.

ASIO has the *potential* to solve the problem. I've read accounts
of multiple audio players working at the same time, outputting to
independent sets of speakers. But I haven't tried it myself. Apparently,
Steinburg may have released source code for ASIO single client driver
code, which companies have used. Steinburg products may have included
the ability to support multiple clients. Some sound cards come with their
own ASIO drivers, but if they're based on the Steinburg code (without
adding significant software development effort), the sound card may be
limited to supporting one client at a time. So it isn't a given, that
switching to ASIO, instantly solves the problem.

The availability of the "asiomulti.msi" adds a new variable to
the mix, in the form of some kind of proxy. So at least
it's a "rich experimental environment", if you have the time
and inclination to play with it.

The usual warnings - back up your C: partition, before trying it.
If all that added cruft breaks Windows sound, then roll back to
your stable software configuration.

Paul

 

[Patok]

The only reason for pursuing ASIO, is the possibility of a multi-client
audio playback scenario.

Media player (client_1) ------ ASIO ----------- Front Left/Right

Media player (client_2) ------ ASIO ----------- Rear Left/Right

In that example, the ASIO audio stack (if the right kind of driver
is present) can treat multiple audio devices, each having multiple
audio channels, as independent resources. For example, if you have
two PCI audio cards with 5.1 sound each, that is a total of six
stereo facilities. You could connect six media players (with ASIO
output capability and ability to select *which* card and stereo
channels get the output), and play six different tunes at the same
time.

It was my understanding, that the Windows KMixer doesn't allow this.
You can select one PCI card or select the other PCI card. You can
change the audio model to 2, 4, 5.1 channels or whatever. But you
can't run independent clients with it. You can certain "mix" a bunch
of sources together, and the noises all come out of one set of
speakers. But you can't play the BeeGees in the living room, and
symphony in the bathroom. With the Windows audio model, that takes two
computers.

ASIO has the *potential* to solve the problem. I've read accounts
of multiple audio players working at the same time, outputting to
independent sets of speakers. But I haven't tried it myself. Apparently,
Steinburg may have released source code for ASIO single client driver
code, which companies have used. Steinburg products may have included
the ability to support multiple clients. Some sound cards come with their
own ASIO drivers, but if they're based on the Steinburg code (without
adding significant software development effort), the sound card may be
limited to supporting one client at a time. So it isn't a given, that
switching to ASIO, instantly solves the problem.

I see what you mean now. I've never[*] had a computer with more than one
hardware audio output device, and thought that if you added a second sound card,
you'd get two mixer audio controls, one per each? Apparently not, judging by
what you write. If so, then maybe indeed installing ASIO is necessary, if
independent playback is desired.

[*] Never say never. I've had at times USB headphones, which probably
counted as separate audio devices, but all such times were very brief, as those
headphones I was trying turned out to be quite unsatisfactory, and I returned
every one after trying it. So I never though to check and see if all sounds mix,
regardless where you send them to, and whether you can play different things on
the different devices.

 

[Nil]

I see what you mean now. I've never[*] had a computer with more
than one hardware audio output device, and thought that if you
added a second sound card, you'd get two mixer audio controls, one
per each? Apparently not, judging by what you write. If so, then
maybe indeed installing ASIO is necessary, if independent playback
is desired.

You do if the hardware manufacturer supplies one. I have both the
built-in sound 'card' on my motherboard, and an M-Audio Delta
AP2496. Windows own mixer applet works for the motherboard system,
and there's a Delta mixer for the other. I use the Delta card for
"serious" audio editing, and the motherboard system for system sounds
and everyday entertainment playback.

Asio's main advantage is it's very low latency, but it doesn't easily
allow sharing of the audio hardware. I don't think you need it.

 

[Dominique]

The only reason for pursuing ASIO, is the possibility of a multi- client
audio playback scenario.

Media player (client_1) ------ ASIO ----------- Front Left/Right

Media player (client_2) ------ ASIO ----------- Rear Left/Right

In that example, the ASIO audio stack (if the right kind of driver
is present) can treat multiple audio devices, each having multiple
audio channels, as independent resources. For example, if you have
two PCI audio cards with 5.1 sound each, that is a total of six
stereo facilities. You could connect six media players (with ASIO
output capability and ability to select *which* card and stereo
channels get the output), and play six different tunes at the same
time.

It was my understanding, that the Windows KMixer doesn't allow this.
You can select one PCI card or select the other PCI card. You can
change the audio model to 2, 4, 5.1 channels or whatever. But you
can't run independent clients with it. You can certain "mix" a bunch
of sources together, and the noises all come out of one set of
speakers. But you can't play the BeeGees in the living room, and
symphony in the bathroom. With the Windows audio model, that takes two
computers.

ASIO has the *potential* to solve the problem. I've read accounts
of multiple audio players working at the same time, outputting to
independent sets of speakers. But I haven't tried it myself. Apparently,
Steinburg may have released source code for ASIO single client driver
code, which companies have used. Steinburg products may have included
the ability to support multiple clients. Some sound cards come with their
own ASIO drivers, but if they're based on the Steinburg code (without
adding significant software development effort), the sound card may be
limited to supporting one client at a time. So it isn't a given, that
switching to ASIO, instantly solves the problem.

I see what you mean now. I've never[*] had a computer with more than one
hardware audio output device, and thought that if you added a second sound card,
you'd get two mixer audio controls, one per each? Apparently not, judging by
what you write. If so, then maybe indeed installing ASIO is necessary, if
independent playback is desired.

[*] Never say never. I've had at times USB headphones, which probably
counted as separate audio devices, but all such times were very brief, as those
headphones I was trying turned out to be quite unsatisfactory, and I returned
every one after trying it. So I never though to check and see if all sounds mix,
regardless where you send them to, and whether you can play different things on
the different devices.

I'm pretty sure I don't need ASIO, one reason among other things why ASIO
was developped is for musicians who need low latency drivers to play
software synthesiser in real time from MIDI or USB keyboard without
unacceptable delay.

I will check WinAmp again but yesterday I didn't found where you could
select the audio device so I presumed it was always using the
SoundMapper.

 

[Nil]

I will check WinAmp again but yesterday I didn't found where you
could select the audio device so I presumed it was always using
the SoundMapper.

Look in Preferences | Plugins | Output | Nullsoft WaveOut Output |
Configure | Device to choose from all the devices available on you
computer.

 

[Tim Meddick]

I don't know anything about the Window's Wave Mapper (being a hindrance to
playing two audio files simultaneously), but if you use the application
[mplayer2.exe] that's provided in Windows XP, you should (as I can do), be
able to start two or more instances of it playing as many different files
as you like!!

e.g. [from the command-line]

mplayer2.exe /play C:\My Music\Beatles\AbbeyRd\Because.mp3
mplayer2.exe /play C:\My Music\Beatles\AbbeyRd\Something.mp3

(obviously this is an example - paths will be different on your system)

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[Dominique]

I don't know anything about the Window's Wave Mapper (being a hindrance to
playing two audio files simultaneously), but if you use the application
[mplayer2.exe] that's provided in Windows XP, you should (as I can do), be
able to start two or more instances of it playing as many different files
as you like!!

e.g. [from the command-line]

mplayer2.exe /play C:\My Music\Beatles\AbbeyRd\Because.mp3
mplayer2.exe /play C:\My Music\Beatles\AbbeyRd\Something.mp3

(obviously this is an example - paths will be different on your system)

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Is there a media player that allows access directly to audio devices (Not
stucked to the Windows WaveMapper), so I could open two instances and
play
different things in each audio device?

I want to use this device to drive amplified speakers in another room and
be able to do other things (with sound) on the computer at the same time.

http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-W1

TIA

The Windows WaveMapper is the sound applet in the Control Panel, Windows
and Windows Media player uses the device you choose there to play sounds.

I do want to play two audio files simultaneously but using two different
audio devices which the Windows Control panel won't allow, that's why I
needed a player that allows me to choose the sound device separately from
the Windows control panel.

The problem is solved now, Nil guided me in the right direction in WinAmp
and now it works.

Thank you.

 

[Dominique]

Look in Preferences | Plugins | Output | Nullsoft WaveOut Output |
Configure | Device to choose from all the devices available on you
computer.

Found it, works perfectly, Windows using the SoundMapper and WinAmp using
the Audioengine AW1 wireless USB audio device.

Thank you.

P.S. I knew it but NO ASIO.

 

[Patok]

I do want to play two audio files simultaneously but using two different
audio devices which the Windows Control panel won't allow, that's why I
needed a player that allows me to choose the sound device separately from
the Windows control panel.

The problem is solved now, Nil guided me in the right direction in WinAmp
and now it works.

Thank you.

FWIW, I think that I mentioned that WinAmp method first. But thanks for
verifying and confirming that indeed, one can play two different sounds on two
different devices, simultaneously.

 

[Tim Meddick]

You mean like two different applications, playing two different sound-files
and each application specifying a different virtual device for say two
sound-cards?

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

I don't know anything about the Window's Wave Mapper (being a hindrance to
playing two audio files simultaneously), but if you use the application
[mplayer2.exe] that's provided in Windows XP, you should (as I can do), be
able to start two or more instances of it playing as many different files
as you like!!

e.g. [from the command-line]

mplayer2.exe /play C:\My Music\Beatles\AbbeyRd\Because.mp3
mplayer2.exe /play C:\My Music\Beatles\AbbeyRd\Something.mp3

(obviously this is an example - paths will be different on your system)

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Is there a media player that allows access directly to audio devices (Not
stucked to the Windows WaveMapper), so I could open two instances and
play
different things in each audio device?

I want to use this device to drive amplified speakers in another room and
be able to do other things (with sound) on the computer at the same time.

http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-W1

TIA

The Windows WaveMapper is the sound applet in the Control Panel, Windows
and Windows Media player uses the device you choose there to play sounds.

I do want to play two audio files simultaneously but using two different
audio devices which the Windows Control panel won't allow, that's why I
needed a player that allows me to choose the sound device separately from
the Windows control panel.

The problem is solved now, Nil guided me in the right direction in WinAmp
and now it works.

Thank you.

 

[Dominique]

FWIW, I think that I mentioned that WinAmp method first. But thanks for
verifying and confirming that indeed, one can play two different sounds on two
different devices, simultaneously.

Yes of course you mentioned it but yesterday when I tried it (before
posting) I didn't find the audio devices preferences in WinAmp because of
its unusual UI.

Thank you.

 

[Dominique]

"Tim Meddick" <[email protected]> écrivait @speranza.aioe.org:

Yes exactly, and it works in XP. In the Control panel (SoundMapper) I
choose the integrated sound chip for the "display" speakers, and in
WinAmp I choose The Audioengine AW1 transmitter as the audio output
device. The receiver is located in another room with amplified speakers.

The transmitter/receiver is a gift. Now that I know it works, i'll try it
Vista, It must be similar.

Thank you all!

You mean like two different applications, playing two different sound- files
and each application specifying a different virtual device for say two
sound-cards?

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

I don't know anything about the Window's Wave Mapper (being a

hindrance
to

playing two audio files simultaneously), but if you use the application
[mplayer2.exe] that's provided in Windows XP, you should (as I can

do),
be

able to start two or more instances of it playing as many different files
as you like!!

e.g. [from the command-line]

mplayer2.exe /play C:\My Music\Beatles\AbbeyRd\Because.mp3
mplayer2.exe /play C:\My Music\Beatles\AbbeyRd\Something.mp3

(obviously this is an example - paths will be different on your system)

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.




Is there a media player that allows access directly to audio devices (Not
stucked to the Windows WaveMapper), so I could open two instances and
play
different things in each audio device?

I want to use this device to drive amplified speakers in another

room
and

be able to do other things (with sound) on the computer at the same time.

http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-W1

TIA

The Windows WaveMapper is the sound applet in the Control Panel, Windows
and Windows Media player uses the device you choose there to play sounds.

I do want to play two audio files simultaneously but using two different
audio devices which the Windows Control panel won't allow, that's why I
needed a player that allows me to choose the sound device separately from
the Windows control panel.

The problem is solved now, Nil guided me in the right direction in WinAmp
and now it works.

Thank you.

 

[Paul]

Found it, works perfectly, Windows using the SoundMapper and WinAmp using
the Audioengine AW1 wireless USB audio device.

Thank you.

P.S. I knew it but NO ASIO.

So then, what's the output method ?

I found a few options listed here, and there's one I hadn't heard
of (kernel streaming).

http://www.mp3car.com/the-faq-emporium/88852-faq-what-is-bit-perfect-print.html

I'm surprised you can talk directly to an audio device, without
the Sound control panel output device selection getting in the way.
(Like, what would happen if KMixer also wanted to talk to that
device ?)

Winamp also supports some kind of network streaming option,
and I suppose that would avoid the sound subsystem entirely.

Paul