Software that will mute Music?

[hcsd35-32]

First, the Situation: I have my one main scanner patched into the sound card of my PC for Recording etc... I also like to listen to CD's & mp3's in my computer.

My Question is, Does anyone know of a program that will mute the CD or Wave Audio when the line in Audio is activated? Thanks in advance.

 

[Dubbin]

I never heard of anything like that but if you're using winamp you can check to see if they have a plugin for that. If you find one let us know.

 

[hcsd35-32]

I am not familiar with WinAmp. Could someone explain?

 

[Dubbin]

I am not familiar with WinAmp. Could someone explain?

Winamp is only the most popular mp3/cd player in the world.
http://www.winamp.com/ best of all its FREE

 

[hcsd35-32]

I searched WinAmp's Website and they have nothing that will do what I described. Anybody have any other ideas?

 

[Dubbin]

I searched WinAmp's Website and they have nothing that will do what I described. Anybody have any other ideas?

Well, I have no idea then but I find it hard to believe that you searched ALL of the plugins for winamp in that short of time. Try google and see what you come up with. I'll try asking in a couple other forums that I check.

 

[STiMULi]

Do you want to do it on the fly as each transmission is heard?

 

[JnglMassiv]

I don't know if hcsd is looking for on-the-fly muting and vox squelch but I am! This doesn't sound like a Winamp plugin to me. You'd be asking Winamp to play music while 'listening' to the mic/audio in and then muting the MP3s or CD or whatever.

 

[hcsd35-32]

Do you want to do it on the fly as each transmission is heard?

Yes. That is what I am looking for.

 

[STiMULi]

Do you want to do it on the fly as each transmission is heard?

Yes. That is what I am looking for.

I tell you what though, that is a darned good idea! Why hasn't someone thought of that before?

Alright you C++ guys get to work!!!

 

[leftystrat]

you're looking for something called a ducker in the audio world.

If you really wanted to go nuts, you could do this outside of the computer, but it would involve the ducker and an external mixer.

I'm guessing it would have to be implemented as part of the OS, as opposed to a plugin, because it would have to control two audio sources. Shouldn't be that difficult but there's not a lot of screaming for it to be written


Good luck.

 

[JnglMassiv]

So here's what it would involve:
1. Monitor audio in/mic. There would have to be a squelch, either some set value or something user-selectable (like on ScanRec or WinTone)
2. Don't interfere with normal audio functions when squelch is closed. This allows playing of mp3's, cd's, and all other normal computer audio functions.
3. When squelch is open, audio is switched from internal PC to external scanner.

Since the squelch has to be continually monitored by the pc, its always using the processor. The program never 'idles'. This tends to make programs crashy. Also, there's no telling how this program will play along with Winamp, AIM, or any of the countless other programs making sounds. This is far beyond my programming ability.

 

[swest90]

The input in has already been explained, check the audio level on that input, when it gets to the threshold you mute the wave/cd channels through windows mci controls. Ill try to play around with this tonight and see if I can get anything going. Im reading the MSDN articles now on the MCI if someone has the code to give me the current values of the input that would be handy and save me the searching. Should be pretty easy if I can get those values.

 

[STiMULi]

To reitterate the concept...

There is an audio file being played on the PC from some internal source. (MP3, CD, .wav, DVD, etc...)

There is a audio device (Scanner, Ham or Shortwave radios) connected to the input source on the sound card.

When the sound level delivered through the input source on the sound card is below X then the internal source is played back normally.

When the sound level delivered through the input source on the sound card is above X then the internal source is muted, paused, both or either.

When the sound level delivered through the input source on the sound card is below X again then internal source is once again played back normally and/or unmuted.

Because the control must be used on an internal soure for normal playback it would require soundcard (or cabling) modification to use an external device to recognize and control muting of an internal source.

If such a hardware or software device were devoloped for the computer I would call it an "Automuter". (I did a google search and there was nothing in english called the "Automuter". However there was a device listed on a french site called the Automuter associated with the medical field.)

 

[swest90]

Hello, Well i wouldnt know how to record the other audio since in the strereo mix it would include the line-in input also. Anyway I havent been able to find what ive been looking for, so im going to relax for the rest of the night. Ill try again later.

 

[STiMULi]

Sorry but I do not understand this statement.

Well i wouldnt know how to record the other audio since in the strereo mix it would include the line-in input also.

Could you explain?

Thanks

 

[Buckskinner33]

I think I have an answere for your prob..

I have found a Program that will record your scanner from the output of your radio to the input of your sound card and is voice activated. In other words it only records when someone talks or the squelch level is broke.

It will record in WAV format, then it is up to you to convert the file to MP3 or somthing other then WAV in order to cut down on hard drive space.

I dont remeber the web site off hand but the program is called Scanner Recorder.... ( No thrills was put in the name ) :lol: but the web ste is listed when you open the program.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.
JD

PS
I tried to upload a file I recorded but it was way to large to give out even when it was zipped. ( 10.8 M ) But the sound quality is good, easy to use and you can tweak your input.

 

[Buckskinner33]

Also since it is a sepate program and it is tapped it to the input of your sound card, You can listen to your music and record at the same time. With out interference from your other devices. Depending on your setup of your sound card!

It works this way on my laptop. I can record the scanner and play cds with no probs, but if i play MP3 off the same hard drive as i am recording too I tend to get some lag and lock up.

Hopefully that will help.

JD

 

[Dubbin]

This is not what he is looking for. He needs something to mute the music he is playing when the radio picks up a transmission.

 

[y10kiscoming]

ask and ye shall recieve

it may be 6am... but... i'm wondering if anyone is still interested in software like this? anyone willing to test my version?

i got bored tonight, was looking through the forums, and happened upon this thread.. so i gave it a whirl. it seems to work pretty well.

i'm always up for a challenge

-Mark