Question / Help Audio Source for NDI Skype

[Tangential]

I'm trying to use the new NDI feature in Skype to make a Skype session a source for OBS. Skype is running on another box on the local network.

We've been bringing in skype sessions for quite a while using encoders to scrape the screens of each machine running skype and bring them in as a video and audio source.. We also put our program out fullscreen to a monitor and we scrape that and send it back (again audio and video) to the skypee at the other end. That way they see themselves in the program. This has been working but we are using a lot of encoders when we bring in 3-4 concurrent guests.

I just ffount out about the Skype NDI feature so I've statred exploring it. I'm starting small with 1 skype session. So far OBS 's NDI source receives the video and audio perfectly from the box running skype.. That, in theory cuts out half of the encoders I've been using. and at this stage that's a win....but...

The problem I have is that it seems that even though I tell skype to use the audio from the encoder (which always worked fine in our current setiup) it still works, but somehow the built mic becomes active when NDI is active.

Has anyone seen issues with audio and NDI/Skype

 

[Narcogen]

In this scenario is the built-in microphone coming in over the NDI source?

If so, then the problem is Skype is turning on the default microphone.

I guess I'm not understanding your setup. Skype with NDI on should give you audio and video from each participant-- you shouldn't need to do any screen capture at all, and the audio from each participant should be from whatever device they have selected for input.

 

[ArtK]

I've been using OBS on a PC for about 3-4 weeks with the objective of doing interviews with two Skype participants utilizing NDI. I only Record (mp4), no Live Streaming. In post production I add lower thirds, titles, opening and closing credits. The issues I have had are threefold:
1 - The latency of the audio and video components of the Skype participants (think I'm solving by setting 250 sync offsets for the Skype participants within the Advanced Audio Properties.
2 - Each Skype participant is recorded on every Skype mixer track (two of them) - I would like to have each one recorded separately on the MP4 tracks but as I said, they are combined - totally legible but combined.
3 - Each Skype participant is recorded at a much lower, almost phantom, level on the Mic/Aux track which is the mic on my Logitech USB headset (I participate via webcam). All other speaker (playback) options are disabled. This creates a faint echo. So far I have addressed this by bringing the volume of my track down to zero when I am not speaking and have acceptable results BUT would be better served if I had three clean audio tracks.
*****I just discovered the NDI Dedicated Output (audio only) filter but haven't had a chance to test it. Don't really know what it is designed to do.******
QUESTION - are there techniques within OBS to isolate each track of Skype and/or other sources so they don't appear on multiple audio tracks??? Thanks.

 

[ArtK]

In this scenario is the built-in microphone coming in over the NDI source?

If so, then the problem is Skype is turning on the default microphone.

I guess I'm not understanding your setup. Skype with NDI on should give you audio and video from each participant-- you shouldn't need to do any screen capture at all, and the audio from each participant should be from whatever device they have selected for input.

 

[ArtK]

Narcogen,
Thank you for your reply.
The primary issue is that the Skype participants record at proper volume on a channels that are created when I set up the source for each of them. PROBLEM is that their same input is found on my track (either Aux 1 when I set it up under audio settings OR webcam when I check off the custom audio device in the source set up). It is very low on that track but definitely out of sync due to IP latency. At this point I am recording MP4 and one track for each input source - then I lower the volume on my track in post when I don't speak, thus 'eliminating' the echo. I'm trying to prevent their audio from bleeding over to my mic during recording. Thanks.
Art

 

[Narcogen]

Dedicated filter provides an NDI *output* for sources or scenes in OBS-- don't think that's related to what you're trying to do.

No, OBS cannot isolate elements of multitrack NDI feeds. The best you could do is mute the audio on all but one, assuming that one sync adjustment corrects all tracks.

From this description it seems to me like Skype either hasn't fully figured out what it is doing with NDI, or is designing their NDI implementation around a different set of assumptions than most OBS users would be proceeding from-- perhaps this kind of thing works better when connecting to something like a TriCaster.

I don't see how the phantom audio would be bleeding into the default system audio *as an input* unless something is reproducing that loudly enough for your mic to pick it up, or if a source is set to monitor when it shouldn't and the monitoring device is the system default (which it probably shouldn't be) or if Skype itself is somehow creating a crosstalk problem... sort of.

 

[ArtK]

Dedicated filter provides an NDI *output* for sources or scenes in OBS-- don't think that's related to what you're trying to do.

No, OBS cannot isolate elements of multitrack NDI feeds. The best you could do is mute the audio on all but one, assuming that one sync adjustment corrects all tracks.

From this description it seems to me like Skype either hasn't fully figured out what it is doing with NDI, or is designing their NDI implementation around a different set of assumptions than most OBS users would be proceeding from-- perhaps this kind of thing works better when connecting to something like a TriCaster.

I don't see how the phantom audio would be bleeding into the default system audio *as an input* unless something is reproducing that loudly enough for your mic to pick it up, or if a source is set to monitor when it shouldn't and the monitoring device is the system default (which it probably shouldn't be) or if Skype itself is somehow creating a crosstalk problem... sort of.

 

[ArtK]

Thank you for your follow up. As a note ALL playback devices except for my headset are disabled so no feedback from that source. I even muted my headset mic and tried a dynamic mic to eliminate headset issues. I even tried to mute my headset and capture my audio with Audio capture but the result was maximum audio on every track. Right now I think it is essentially a Skype issue but I can't understand why OBS won't let me create an audio track that does not include the Skype audio. If I figure out a workaround I'll let you know. Thanks again for your insights.

 

[Narcogen]

OBS can't remove sources from Windows audio that includes those sources. If you want to isolate Windows applications from each other in a manner different from how the Windows mixer does, look at Voicemeeter Banana.

Voicemeeter Banana - Audio Management for 1 and 2 PC Streaming ...https://obsproject.com › Resources › Guides (General)

I'm concerned when you say "I even tried to mute my headset and capture my audio with Audio capture but the result was maximum audio on every track". What exactly did you do there? That sounds to me like you have a bunch of things all going to your default windows device, perhaps including your headset.

 

[ArtK]

OBS can't remove sources from Windows audio that includes those sources. If you want to isolate Windows applications from each other in a manner different from how the Windows mixer does, look at Voicemeeter Banana.

Voicemeeter Banana - Audio Management for 1 and 2 PC Streaming ...https://obsproject.com › Resources › Guides (General)

I'm concerned when you say "I even tried to mute my headset and capture my audio with Audio capture but the result was maximum audio on every track". What exactly did you do there? That sounds to me like you have a bunch of things all going to your default windows device, perhaps including your headset.

OBS can't remove sources from Windows audio that includes those sources. If you want to isolate Windows applications from each other in a manner different from how the Windows mixer does, look at Voicemeeter Banana.

Voicemeeter Banana - Audio Management for 1 and 2 PC Streaming ...https://obsproject.com › Resources › Guides (General)

I'm concerned when you say "I even tried to mute my headset and capture my audio with Audio capture but the result was maximum audio on every track". What exactly did you do there? That sounds to me like you have a bunch of things all going to your default windows device, perhaps including your headset.

Narcogen,
Thank you. I actually acquired VoiceMeeter Banana and VB Audio Virtual Cable (just the one cable version) several days ago, reviewed about 5 tutorials and have started playing with it. At this point, no matter what I do, I still get a faint recording of the other Skype participants on my audio track. When I RECORD the session I hear that faint recording as an echo of the other participants. I also see my audio mixer move when they speak. I've used a noise gate filter on my audio source without success. I suspect that some combination of VoiceMeeter will solve this problem as I am almost certain that it is caused by something internal to OBS that I don't yet understand. If I find a solution I will let you know. ALSO, thank you for the link, I will read it tonight. Have a great day.
Art