Playing Music Through Vent (I may have and answer)

[Shinchook]

I hope this wasn't posted anywhere already cause I like to think im original.

Ok So I've used Ventrilo while gaming online for some time now but never was an admin. Recently I purchased a server for my guild and have had the opportunity to mess around with some things. I definitely wanted to create a music channel but was having trouble figuring out how to get the music into the channel using OS X 10.5 without all of my computer sounds going through the channel as well. I also did not want to limit my ability to talk in Ventrilo. After searching and Googling it seemed the only answer i could find (short of having a second computer dedicated to pumping the music) was to allow everyone to hear my computer clicks and bleeps. I wasn't happy with this solution so I came up with my own and it works great.

1. I made a second copy of Ventrilo on my Mac. (Right click "Duplicate")
--- This allows me to have a dedicated Ventrilo user specifically for streaming --- the music
2. I found the Soundflower works really well with retransmitting audio from a specified program to another specified program.
3. I originally wanted to stream music from iTunes into Soundflower then from Soundflower into my music streaming Ventrilo Copy. This, of course didn't work because iTunes doesn't have an option of changing where the audio output goes other than default. (This will still work but users in that channel will still be able to hear anything you do on your computer as well)
In other words don't watch porn on your second screen while raiding with your friends.
4. All i did was change the program i was using to play my music to something that I could customize where the audio was being play through. My app of choice is and music player called "Vox". This program is pretty cool and fully customizable and allowed me to change the music output to Soundflower.
5. So in summary I have music playing from Vox into Soundflower then from Soundflower into my music dedicated Ventrilo account (ptt bound to Capslock or another button that i can keep toggled).

This setup allows my music to be directly output to the Ventrilo completely seperate from my system audio. It also allows me to use my second copy of Vent to communicate with everyone.

Now my music won't pump out my speakers but the easy fix for that is I either just listen with itunes to my own playlists or I put a phantom in the music channel.

Issues: The only issue i found is that I have to recreate the user on my music Ventrilo every time i close and reopen the app. It always default to my original Vent settings and user. I'm not sure if there is a way to fix this. No matter though I set it up in the morning and keep it up so no need for reseting up that often.

Let me know how this all works for everyone.

[Ugrentaur]

I use a second PC, a virtually unused laptop, to supply a music channel to my Ventrilo server.

1) Admin sets up a user for the radio to play through.
2) Sign in as the "radio" user on the second PC. No need to configure push-to-talk.
3) Adjust volumes (I have the iTunes volume at max, and the PC's output volume at 50%)
4) If desired, adjust EQ. I use the "Perfect" iTunes EQ setting that can be easily found via Google search.
5) Using a 1/8" patch cable, connect the speaker output to the mic input. Since Ventrilo only broadcasts in mono, I purchased a 1/8" stereo to 1/8" mono M/F adapter to plug into the input end.

I have iTunes set to "DJ shuffle" or whatever it's called. If someone requests a song, I can use the iPhone app "Remote" to request a song. One problem I ran into - I wanted the laptop to remain closed while playing music but PowerBooks sleep by default when the lid is shut. I found freeware called "InsomniaX" to prevent the laptop from going to sleep and stopping the music. Obviously, I completely dim the screen before I close the lid.

[Cyfaill]

Can you integrated Rhapsody in anyway like this?

[Imnukingfutz]

I am on Windows Vista and have learned to integrate WMP into vent, but others can not hear what I am listening to...they can read the song but not hear it...any suggestions?

[Prog-Rocker]

did you setup your audio and vent to broadcast music?

(Settings for onboard soundchip. Addin soundcards usually provide their own control-panel app)

configure vent to run multiple instances, one for music and one for regular talking.
rt-clik on the vent desktop icon / properties / add a -m to the end of the 'Target' line.

(ex: "C:\Program Files\Ventrilo\Ventrilo.exe" -m) the space before the -m is required

configure the music instance with a different login name so you can tell them apart when connected.
(note: if you ever need to make configuration changes, exit all copies, startup one, make the changes, then exit and restart all copies of vent)

goto Windows-control-panel / sound / Recording tab / rt-click in window / check ‘show disabled devices’ / rt-click on ‘Stereo Mix’ and select ‘properties’ / Levels tab / set volume level (50%) / Advanced tab / select ‘2 channel 44 Hz’ in pulldown window’ / click OK

select Playback tab / rt-click on ‘Speakers’ and select ‘properties’ / Levels tab / mute the microphone and any other jacks that are not in use (click on the little speaker icon next to each one)

reboot to make sure settings are in effect

in vent setup/voice tab, set both input/output devices to the device name of the soundcard (ex: Realtek…) and check the ‘Use Directsound’ boxes

in the hardware mixer section, set Mixer=Stereo Mix, mux=Master Volume, and line=Master Volume
(use the ‘line volume’ slider to adjust the microphone output volume)

set sensitivity=1 or 0 and uncheck PTT (setting sensitivity=1 will stop broadcasting during times of no outgoing signal, like in-between songs or if you pause/stop the music. It will also help flush the buffers)

In vent setup/events tab, set all events to “Nothing”

on the main screen, check the 'mute sound' box at the bottom

note: if you don’t want to listen to the music coming back thru vent then on your talking client select the music client > rt-click > user > mute

[Cyfaill]

AND YOU SO ROCK!!!
TY TY TY