Question / Help How can I make it so the stream can only hear sound from ONE program?

[DrunkenJedi]

I'm going to be acting as a streamer/cameraguy for a DOTA 2 tournament and I'll be required to play music between/after games. How can I make it so the stream only hears my itunes but not other programs such as Mumble or TS? I'll need to be switching between the stream hearing everything and the stream only hearing itunes.

Thanks.

Edit: Okay so I've figured out that I need to set up a VAC line with just itunes on and switch OBS's audio to that line. How can I set up a keybinding to do this on the fly as opposed to having to manually change this every time I want to switch between the stream hearing me/mumble and the stream hearing just music?

 

[Cryonic]

The best way is to use an external mixer with multiple outputs. One of them is connected to your line in that is used in OBS, the second one is connected to your speaker/headphones.
If you dont have any idea what a mixer is or where you can get one, there is a software option too but this requires a bit more work (and a second soundcard or an audio interface with multiple outputs!).

There is no way to switch the audio source in OBS on the fly without disconnecting the stream.

If you want to know how to do it, i can help you - but be ready to get some additional hardware like a cheap second soundcard).

 

[flavored]

Try Virtual Audion Cable, this allows you to route audio input/output in almost any way you want.

 

[Cryonic]

Yeah its probably worth a try to set a virtual output in OBS as a desktop audio source and route anything that should be on stream over VAC (and then disable anything that should not be on stream).

I would do this with a DAW (because its flexible and offers way more ways to change the audio source) or an external mixer (to have a physical feedback and dont mess around with software, its still the best way to handle multiple channels while doing stuff live).

 

[DrunkenJedi]

Hey guys,

I've set up a VAC line with just itunes so that's sorted.

But is there a more elegant way of changing the settings than manually doing it each time? Or do I have to open settings and change what line OBS is reading from each time? Surely I must be able to set up a hotkey or something?

 

[Cryonic]

OBS can use only one desktop audio input and one mic/line input at the same time. To change it you have to restart the stream. So forget OBS and work with VAC right now if you want to use it.
You should be able to set up VAC to switch sources, but you have to do it each time. I was using VAC long time ago and i still hate it. Its far away from being good compared to professional solutions.

 

[DrunkenJedi]

> To change it you have to restart the stream.

Really? I've changed from push to talk to open mic mid-stream before - surely I can switch what audio line I'm using on the fly as well?

 

[Cryonic]

Try to change the audio input like your mic while doing a preview :-)

It will work only if you restart the stream in OBS. This is why you should do your audio stuff outside of OBS - its easier, you can do more and it will sound better.

 

[DrunkenJedi]

Okay so I just tried and up - it did nothing. You win :P

So how can I set up VAC to do this? Here's what might work in my mind:

Set up a VAC line which has only DOTA 2 and itunes and then set OBS to just detect that? I can mute the game when the match ends and then play the music?

How do I set this up? I have VAC but no idea what to do with it.

 

[Cryonic]

Nope, you add all your stuff to VAC and turn them off when you dont need it. Select the VAC output as line in in OBS and route the sound to your headphones/headset etc. Dont forget to mute the desktop audio in OBS, because you dont need it - anything will be routed over VAC.
This is pretty much what i do while DJing, i just use an external mixer and not virtual audio cable, but its the same idea behind it - control your sound outside of OBS.
I prefer the external hardware for this just because i`m a DJ and i simply have more than enough gear collecting dust here^^
But software will do just fine.

 

[DrunkenJedi]

Ok so dogepong (wow) helped me set this up via IRC.

Couldn't use VAC as I was just using trial version, used this instead: http://vb-audio.pagesperso-orange.fr/Cable/VirtualCables.htm

Essentially, I set it so OBS will take Cable A as my speakers. This is basically everything on my computer.
OBS takes Cable B as my mic, Cable B is just VLC (fuck apple) which I can use to play music.

So post-match when I wanna use my computer but stream music to make the overlays less boring I just mute the speakers in OBS.

Thanks for all the help, guys!

 

[Cryonic]

Yeah that will work, its just a different way/different software to do it. Later when you are into casting tournaments or multiplayer games you may want to change it and/or invest some money into the audio gear, feel free to message me. The new OBS rewrite will have more options for audio routing, that will help too.

 

[DrunkenJedi]

Thanks!

I'm actually going to be doing camera work for some pro games in DOTA. Thing is I won't always get paid for it. If it becomes something more common/paid/whatever I'll definitely consider investing into it. Will PM you should this happen :)

 

[Cryonic]

Yeah just think about it. A simple hardware mixer with 3 channels (1 for mic with 48V Phantom Power and 2 for line in) - you can get it for like 80-100$. Second hand - maybe 50$. For me - it was worth it. If you feel like you gonna get paid for that or you need to improve your audio gear to actually get the job and get paid - get some gear. If not - ask a friend who has a mixer to test it and see - is it worth it to do this as a hobby and should you get one just because you can?

The beginning of my DJ career was like this. I tested it, liked it and spend a lot of money. But now i get the money back and have some nice time DJing :-)

 

[FerretBomb]

I'd actually recommend spending a bit more while you're already laying out the cash, and get something you can reasonably grow into. I picked up the Behringer 1204USB even though I only am using one mic channel; it provides four preamped (meaning the option for individual-mic'd local multiplayer gaming) plus four more line input channels, loopback, stuff like that which I don't know how to use... yet. But spending $120 now (hooray for sales!) kept me from spending $50 now and then $120 down the road when I DO need some of the functions it offers, but a smaller desk might not.

 

[Jack0r]

Why would you spend so much money for a task he just completed with a free software?
From the looks of this thread, that is to be honest a bit of a mess, unless he wants to do something completely different from his current setup, external hardware would just make everything more complicated now :D Its one of the most simple vac/vb cable setups.

 

[Cryonic]

Yeah and hardware is the way to keep it simple. Just a small mixer with enough cables can do any audio setup that is needed for streaming :-)

 

[Jack0r]

Sorry but why is that simple? You do exactly the same.
2 sound cards to send out dota and the music, then mix it and send it back into the pc over the line-in.

The only difference: you either mix with obs or with the mixer?! Honestly not sure why anyone would choose to buy a mixer for this setup :)

 

[Cryonic]

Because a mixer will give the full control over each channel - mic, game sound, music etc. I was casting some tournaments and its just so easy to handle multiple inputs/outputs without touching the mouse. And a good 3-Band-EQ + filter is just great to control the sound, not only the volume. Its the same while i`m DJing - i can control the software with my mouse, but its not even close to the dedicated DJ gear like a clubmixer. Thats why we spend so much money and carry all the heavy stuff around ^^

 

[Jack0r]

So its more a personal preference. Again, I am not saying mixers are bad, just that its not easier to do :)
I myself use a mixer for the microphone but prefer to use a different setup for the sounds, as it just works better for me, though its probably really more complicated to setup.
My point just was, both setups more or less do exactly the same, while one can cost you several hundreds of dollars and the other he has already running for free :D