Question / Help How to route VLC audio into separate OBS audio track on Linux?

Fabian

Member
I'm currently using a "VLC video source" source (what a redundant name) to play music in streams and record them into a separate audio track. But that way I cannot hear the music, unless I mirror it to desktop audio, which would ruin the separation.
I have found some really complicated guides using ALSA configuration files and various very specific commands to create virtual audio devices, etc. VLC has an advanced settings option "Audio output device", which (sometimes?) allows free text. But apparently VLC doesn't like using ALSA at all when the system has PulseAudio selected. If I got it to work, I could probably use an "audio capture device" source in OBS, which also allows a free text for the device selection. But I'm pretty sure it would not play on my headphones anymore then.
Another idea I had would be to just play VLC on an actually different audio device, which is pretty easy with the program "pavucontrol", but then I would need to put on two pairs of headphones at once (BlueTooth and cable), which is pretty ridiculous. (Or it would be recorded with the microphone, if I play it on the speakers.)

So, in short, I want to have VLC and other desktop audio in separate OBS sources, but output to the same audio device. Can I do that without major changes to my system's audio management? If major changes are needed, does someone have an understandable explanation? I'm sure there is one already, I just haven't found it. I was only able to find people having problems with even more complicated setups.
 
Top