Many times I've been bitten by this setting being wrong, usually because I added something and didn't check it, and so the thing that I added is silent:
The default is currently "Monitor Off", which is understandable with the assumption that the Monitor output goes to a set of live speakers and the main mic is also close by. You really don't want that to feed back! So for that workflow, the present default is right. Add camera, add mic, add monitor, go live.
But for what I usually do, my main output goes to another local app. Often a meeting of some kind, that I produce my feed to as if it were a live broadcast. In that case, OBS is not streaming; the other app is. The Virtual Camera works fine for this, but since OBS's only local audio output is the Monitor, I have to abuse that as my Main audio out. Send it to a loopback, and connect the other app to that loopback.
My immediate, tunnel vision, first thought was to make the default for the above setting configurable, so as not to break anyone's existing workflow, but so I could have new things default to "Monitor and Output". That would make my specific workflow work with minimal changes, but I don't think it's the best solution overall.
Instead, I think the best solution is to provide a for-real local audio output or even loopback device *in OBS itself*, kinda like the Virtual Camera is for video, so that a local app can connect to that and get the Main audio that would have been streamed or recorded from OBS. Another use for it could be in combination with a fullscreen projector to feed an overflow room. Send both to the same HDMI output... Either way, the Monitor output is then free again for its intended purpose.
Essentially, there would now be *two* audio outputs from OBS. One new for the Main audio, and the one for the Monitor stays as-is.
The default "Monitor Off" would also stay as-is, since I'm not using that output anymore as my Main out.
Thoughts?
The default is currently "Monitor Off", which is understandable with the assumption that the Monitor output goes to a set of live speakers and the main mic is also close by. You really don't want that to feed back! So for that workflow, the present default is right. Add camera, add mic, add monitor, go live.
But for what I usually do, my main output goes to another local app. Often a meeting of some kind, that I produce my feed to as if it were a live broadcast. In that case, OBS is not streaming; the other app is. The Virtual Camera works fine for this, but since OBS's only local audio output is the Monitor, I have to abuse that as my Main audio out. Send it to a loopback, and connect the other app to that loopback.
My immediate, tunnel vision, first thought was to make the default for the above setting configurable, so as not to break anyone's existing workflow, but so I could have new things default to "Monitor and Output". That would make my specific workflow work with minimal changes, but I don't think it's the best solution overall.
Instead, I think the best solution is to provide a for-real local audio output or even loopback device *in OBS itself*, kinda like the Virtual Camera is for video, so that a local app can connect to that and get the Main audio that would have been streamed or recorded from OBS. Another use for it could be in combination with a fullscreen projector to feed an overflow room. Send both to the same HDMI output... Either way, the Monitor output is then free again for its intended purpose.
Essentially, there would now be *two* audio outputs from OBS. One new for the Main audio, and the one for the Monitor stays as-is.
The default "Monitor Off" would also stay as-is, since I'm not using that output anymore as my Main out.
Thoughts?
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