Question / Help OBS as an audio input? (VirtualCam but for Audio)

chexbark

New Member
I've looked for an hour with every search term I could come up with along with excluding specific search results to get more accurately what I was going for. I have found NOTHING that gets exactly what I'm looking for.
I need this specifically to play videos through a camera device which I have working. The only issue is there's no audio. I've read article after article for virtual cables, reddit posts, obs forums, questions, youtube videos, and I have still been unable to find what I'm looking for.
I need to take my audio outputted from OBS and send it into my microphone or have a virtual microphone device. I don't want my desktop to my microphone since I can't have it picking up any audio from other people in group meet calls which only support cameras and microphone input.

Is this possible? If so, how would I go about doing this?
 

koala

Active Member
You cannot capture the audio OBS has mixed for output. It's only going out to the stream or to the recording, but not back to some audio device. You need an external mixer do do the mixing OBS would do, but external to OBS. To make this mixed audio go into some mic device, you need a virtual audio device that has 2 connected devices: one virtual output device (where you direct mixed audio from your external mixer) and the corresponding virtual mic device (where the audio appears magically you feed into the output device).

As external mixer, you can use Voicemeeter: https://www.vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/banana.htm and as virtual audio cables you can use the vb-cables also provided by the voicemeeter site.
 

TH3F3L0N

New Member
you CAN definitely catch the audio from OBS and set it as an input in Voicemeeter Potato or Banana, i know this can be done because i have done it.

The cable drivers that VB audio provide will not accomplish what it is that he is attempting, i bought the full version but...


this Virtual audio cable will do what it is that you said could not be done....
 

Jont

New Member
I had this issue too (whilst using OBS to feed content into StreamYard). StreamYard won't pick up the OBS-Audio, but will only recognise microphones (it is browser-based).

I have ended up using SparkoCam to fill the gap. It can pick up the OBS-Audio output and present it as 'SparkoCam Virtual Microphone', which I can then use as the audio source for StreamYard (along with the OBS Virtual Cam plugin for the video).

SparkoCam isn't the most robust software, but it works pretty well most of the time. Occasionally the audio goes out of sync, but switching off & on the virtual microphone in SparkoCam sorts it out.

I'd love to see a direct Virtual Microphone output feature for OBS.
 

bradtem

Member
I have noticed that even on a very fast machine, I am getting a lot of sync difference between the audio captured directly and video (captured via virtualcam) into tools like zoom. It would certainly be nice to have an audio virtual device built into virtualcam rather than having to pull in another one like voicemeeter. (I like to use voicemeeter for another purpose, to allow multiple headsets when you share an outgoing call.)
 

bradtem

Member
In followup to this, I calculated my audio as coming about 50ms before the video. I can install voicemeeter and I think it can do latency, or I can add latency in the OBS advanced audio settings (which one doesn't want to do because that's global and must be turned off if you want to do a recording etc.) But one nice advantage of a simple device that was part of virtualcam is that it could include an automatic synchronizer. To do automatic sync, you would provide a short video file to play as a source in OBS. That video file would contain a distinct video image and a distinct audio waveform, and play them together. The virtualcam/audio device could notice this magic video frame (some never real pattern in the first line) and then look in the sound buffer for the audio spike, and calculate the sync offset. You could repeat the pattern in the sample video file a few times, to let it calculate an average if the sync delay is varying. But in most cases it would do it once, and remember the number, and provide properly synced audio and video after you play the sample.
 

Idgitman

New Member
I had this issue too (whilst using OBS to feed content into StreamYard). StreamYard won't pick up the OBS-Audio, but will only recognise microphones (it is browser-based).

I have ended up using SparkoCam to fill the gap. It can pick up the OBS-Audio output and present it as 'SparkoCam Virtual Microphone', which I can then use as the audio source for StreamYard (along with the OBS Virtual Cam plugin for the video).

SparkoCam isn't the most robust software, but it works pretty well most of the time. Occasionally the audio goes out of sync, but switching off & on the virtual microphone in SparkoCam sorts it out.

I'd love to see a direct Virtual Microphone output feature for OBS.
Not sure if this is a 100% fix, but I was able to get audio coming from an NDI source on a remote computer running Serato into a Zoom meeting. It sounds like I was having a similar issue, just getting the Visual from my NDI source but not the audio.

I ended up using VoiceMeeter Banana as my default sound control. I followed the instructions to install and initial config from the following :
- https://howto.streamlabs.com/streamlabs-obs-19/split-audio-using-voicemeeter-banana-7223

That still didn't solve my issue. I don't know why but it works... I ended up, in OBS changing my Monitor source to the VM Banana input and changed the advanced properties on the audio source I wanted to get into Zoom to 'Monitor only' , since, no matter what I did, I can never seem to get the 'Output' to direct to any external or Virtual sources. So the workaround seems to be to use the 'Monitor' as your 'Output may not be practical for every instance but it works to get an OBS presentation with audio from with in OBS into Zoom.

In Zoom I set the Mic to the VM Banana and the video to 'OBS-Camera' using 'OBS Virtual Camera'.

Hope this helps
 

Slunk

New Member
I had this issue too (whilst using OBS to feed content into StreamYard). StreamYard won't pick up the OBS-Audio, but will only recognise microphones (it is browser-based).

I have ended up using SparkoCam to fill the gap. It can pick up the OBS-Audio output and present it as 'SparkoCam Virtual Microphone', which I can then use as the audio source for StreamYard (along with the OBS Virtual Cam plugin for the video).

SparkoCam isn't the most robust software, but it works pretty well most of the time. Occasionally the audio goes out of sync, but switching off & on the virtual microphone in SparkoCam sorts it out.

I'd love to see a direct Virtual Microphone output feature for OBS.
I started using sparko cam in lieu of getting a capture card for my camera. I was wondering if you had any issues getting "OBS-Audio" to work. All settings default on OBS I can't seem to figure out how to get the OBS audio to SparkoCam.
 

lutol

New Member
I have problem with sound offeset/delay it only works when streaming or recording. The virtual audio cable doesn't catch that, so I agree and wish they would create something like virtualaudio output with all the settings (like for streaming).
 

GeoCollaborate

New Member
I am trying to follow this thready but am getting so lost :(

I can't for the life of me figure out how to get audio from OBS (be it from NDI stream from my phone, or GoProToOBS) OUT to zoom or any other video conferencing app.
Trying to do the same. I am experimenting with Adobe Connect and can't get audio out of OBS into it. I am planning on some webinars that I want to use OBS for and one of my last challenges is having the audio pipe right through the screen sharing program.
 

CoryS1972

New Member
Trying to do the same. I am experimenting with Adobe Connect and can't get audio out of OBS into it. I am planning on some webinars that I want to use OBS for and one of my last challenges is having the audio pipe right through the screen sharing program.
Please update the thread if you find a solution!
 

obsforummember

New Member
I think I have figured this out... I made an account just to post a reply to maybe help others. I am using OBS and the virtualcam plugin to bring video into Microsoft teams. I wanted to use the OBS audio output as a input for microsoft teams so that I could take advantage of filters that I have on the mic in OBS rather than running the Mic directly into Teams. Here is what worked for me.

Step 1: In OBS in the Audio Mixer panel at the bottom, click the settings icon next to your microphone, go to Advanced Audio Properties, and turn on Monitoring for your microphone. I have it set to "Monitor and Output" because I like to use the record function of OBS to test things, if you select "Monitor Only" the mic will not work with the record or stream functions of OBS but can still be used in other applications.

Step 2: Find and download a Virtual Audio Cable program (google). I'm using the VB-Audio Virtual Audio Device. Follow the instructions to install, in the cast of VB-Audio application I downloaded, unzipped, and ran the .exe setup file.

Step 3: In OBS at the top of the screen, go to File -> Settings -> Audio (tab). Under the Advanced panel look for "Monitoring Device". Set this to the input for the virtual cable application "Cable Input (VB-Audio Virtual Cable)" in my case. If you do not see this you may need to close and reopen OBS, restart your computer, or double check your install of the Virtual Audio Cable application.

Step 4: Open the application that you want to use with OBS audio. In my case Microsoft teams. Change the microphone input device to the output of your virtual audio cable application, in my case ""Cable Output (VB-Audio Virtual Cable)". Again if this doesn't appear, try restarting the application or your PC.

Step 5: That's it, it worked for me, I hope it works for others too.
 

CoryS1972

New Member
I think I have figured this out... I made an account just to post a reply to maybe help others. I am using OBS and the virtualcam plugin to bring video into Microsoft teams. I wanted to use the OBS audio output as a input for microsoft teams so that I could take advantage of filters that I have on the mic in OBS rather than running the Mic directly into Teams. Here is what worked for me.

Step 1: In OBS in the Audio Mixer panel at the bottom, click the settings icon next to your microphone, go to Advanced Audio Properties, and turn on Monitoring for your microphone. I have it set to "Monitor and Output" because I like to use the record function of OBS to test things, if you select "Monitor Only" the mic will not work with the record or stream functions of OBS but can still be used in other applications.

Step 2: Find and download a Virtual Audio Cable program (google). I'm using the VB-Audio Virtual Audio Device. Follow the instructions to install, in the cast of VB-Audio application I downloaded, unzipped, and ran the .exe setup file.

Step 3: In OBS at the top of the screen, go to File -> Settings -> Audio (tab). Under the Advanced panel look for "Monitoring Device". Set this to the input for the virtual cable application "Cable Input (VB-Audio Virtual Cable)" in my case. If you do not see this you may need to close and reopen OBS, restart your computer, or double check your install of the Virtual Audio Cable application.

Step 4: Open the application that you want to use with OBS audio. In my case Microsoft teams. Change the microphone input device to the output of your virtual audio cable application, in my case ""Cable Output (VB-Audio Virtual Cable)". Again if this doesn't appear, try restarting the application or your PC.

Step 5: That's it, it worked for me, I hope it works for others too.

Thank you so much! I followed your directions exactly and it works!
 

Entelecheia

New Member
Unfortunately the method from OBSForumMember still isn't working for me. It absolutely looked as though it should ..the method makes so much sense and I was dissapointed when it didn't work for me.
@obsforummember - could you post more details of your set-up please?
Has anybody else got any other ideas / methods?
Is there some place we can post a request to get an update to OBS to enable easy connection to the various teleconferencing tools (Zoom, GotoMeeting, MS Teams) .. this would be a super-useful facility with a large up-take I think.
 

Entelecheia

New Member
@obsforummember .. may I just confirm that you have tested that method and it works for you? On another thread I was told that the monitor output is taken before any synch delay is added in OBS ( see here ) . Maybe there was something else different on your setup which fixed this?

The method is not working for me and I am pretty desperate at this point .. so if anybody has any clues in this area please do share
 

Way Don

New Member
Clear your mind. Start all over again.

From my understanding, there is only 1 software able to help you >>> https://www.vb-audio.com/Cable/ (free for cable A only, paid for cable A & B)

In your mind, do not mix system audio with OBS audio control, even-though they're related.

Case Study 1: OBS to Skype
For camera: OBS Camera set as camera in Skype setting.
For audio: OBS output to skype with VB Cable A (VB-Audio Virtual Cable in this case), then whole system sound will output via VB cable into your skype as microphone. What ever audio OBS stream will be sent in Skype. VB cable is the BRIDGE.

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Entelecheia

New Member
@Way Don Thank you ... I have set this up exactly as you have shown. But what makes OBS output its audio stream to skype? If I hit 'start streaming' it wants me to connect to a streaming service (which I don't want to do). What makes OBS 'pipe' the sound it is receiving from the MIC out to skype?
 

Way Don

New Member
You don't need hit start streaming, OBS already streaming video output to Skype via OBS camera. The audio inside OBS will be constant output to Mic in Skype via VB Cable (this is the "pipe"). You need to understand the concept behind it.
 
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Entelecheia

New Member
@Way Don thank you for your continuing explanation .. Is there a setting in OBS which sends the output audio to vb cable?

Maybe I am missing a setting somewhere ..but having done all of the steps you show above, no audio is coming out of OBS. Nothing is being sent to the teleconference software (I have tried, Skype, GotoMeeting and MS Teams).
 
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