Virtual Soundcard over Network

USB headsets to digital audio workstation software...
W7GES
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Location: Phoenix AZ

Virtual Soundcard over Network

Postby W7GES » Sun Sep 12, 2021 1:22 am

I’m not sure if this is a VAC question but I’m assuming it is…

I have a dedicated computer for my Anan 7000 MKII DLE “Black Box”.

The rest of my SO2R station is running on a different shack computer. I have it set up this way as I don’t want to have problems with the processor getting overloaded.

I have N1MM running and controlling both the 7000 and my TS-890 as well as displaying the spectrum. Right now I have the microphone cable plugged into the 7000 front panel and the audio out plugged into the 7000 rear panel, the other ends are plugged into Radio 1 on my SO2R box.

The 7000 rig control is accomplished through a VSPE virtual comport and a VSPE serial to tcp pair running through the network.

My SO2R box keys both rigs, the microphone audio is switched correctly and I’m happy if I operate CW or SSB through the microphone.

The issue is with DVK and Digital modes. To transfer the audio between computers is it necessary to buy a Virtual Soundcard program (like Dante) and use VAC to send the audio to N1MM, do people have a way to transfer via VAC streams directly or do people connect physical audio cables between the computers?

I would also like to run FT8, FT4 and RTTY so the audio will be necessary for those as well.

I apologize if this has been covered before, I looked through the forum and couldn’t find an answer.

Thanks,

George / W7GES
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w-u-2-o
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Re: Virtual Soundcard over Network

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Sep 12, 2021 1:45 am

To move audio between computers, and to fulfill the virtual audio cable role on both computers, I strongly recommend Voicemeeter. It comes in three flavors, but you might as well just run the "Potato" version, which is the most capable. The "VBAN" facility of Voicemeeter will allow you to move audio between two instances of Voicemeeter on two different computers on your LAN (this is not a WAN type of solution).

Voicemeeter is a bit of a learning curve, particularly if you are not familiar with audio mixing consoles. But if you are familiar with professional audio mixing boards it should not take long to learn..
W7GES
Posts: 76
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2021 6:56 pm
Location: Phoenix AZ

Re: Virtual Soundcard over Network

Postby W7GES » Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:17 am

Thank You!

I will check it out. I thought Voicemeeter was just a fancy mixer. I had no idea it could work through my LAN.

73,

George / W7GES
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DL2XY
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Re: Virtual Soundcard over Network

Postby DL2XY » Sun Sep 12, 2021 7:53 pm

w-u-2-o wrote:...(this is not a WAN type of solution)...


Though it is possible.
It's just a matter of UDP portforwarding. The trick is to specify the public IP of the remote router for target and the private ip of the local router as source.

73 Walter
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w-u-2-o
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Re: Virtual Soundcard over Network

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:49 pm

DL2XY wrote:
w-u-2-o wrote:...(this is not a WAN type of solution)...


Though it is possible.
It's just a matter of UDP portforwarding. The trick is to specify the public IP of the remote router for target and the private ip of the local router as source.

73 Walter

Walter,

Unfortunately it's not that simple. The networking part is. In fact, rather than port forwarding which is horribly insecure, it would be better to merely stand up a VPN (a router based VPN would be best), VPN attach to your LAN, and then everything is straightforward.

BUT...the VBAN stream is not optimized for transmission over a medium with high latency, and highly variable latency, like the internet. So results may not be to your liking.

It can, and has, been done, but not always with good results.

At any rate, the OP's requirement was for audio transfer over his LAN, and for that it should work quite well.

73,

Scott
W7GES
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Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2021 6:56 pm
Location: Phoenix AZ

Re: Virtual Soundcard over Network

Postby W7GES » Wed Sep 15, 2021 12:40 am

Thanks for the suggestions.

I downloaded Voicemeeter Potato 64 bit, installed it and have an audio stream working across my network.

I can get the Anan 7000 audio to and from MMTTY so I think I have Voicemeeter configured OK.

I’m having issues with N1MM+ and the audio for DVK but that is most likely a N1MM configuration problem and not for this thread.

Thanks again,

George / W7GES
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w-u-2-o
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Re: Virtual Soundcard over Network

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Sep 15, 2021 10:44 am

Great news, George!

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