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Shared audio through network...?

M

Matrox462

Gawd
Joined
Feb 25, 2004
Messages
926
Is it possible to share audio through a home LAN network? If so what software would allow me to do this?

I have multiple computers set up to share a mouse and keyboard with Synergy (A free software KM that shares your keyboard and mouse through a LAN network), and want to also share audio. The reason I would like to go through a network connection is because I don't have an audio switch, and plus the one computer is a laptop, and the less cables I have to plug and unplug when removing the laptop the better. Thanks :)

Edit: I just remembered VideoLAN... will this allow me to do what I need? I'm going to go read up and find out in the mean time :)
 
I dont quite get what you mean, you mean running it to several different hi-fis? or several different pcs? PCs is easy, windows file sharing, video lan, iTunes, all do what you want. If its to different hi-fis then you want to look into something like the little iTunes wallwart thing, or something really spendy
 
Sorry... guess I should have explained my setup better. I have my main desktop PC hooked up to a speaker system. I would like to be able to have my networked computer's send the audio through LAN to my main desktop PC to play audio through that computer's speaker system.

In other words, I want to be able to utilize my main computer's speaker system without having to physically connect an audio cable from each of the other computers.

I hope that makes sense!
 
He wants to broadcast audio from his main puter to his other puters speakers over his LAN.

Right?
 
This isn't just for music. I want to be able to stream all system audio to my main computer. I'm starting to think what I want to do will be impossible... I drew a simple picture to help illustrate what I want to achive.

Diagram.GIF


The arrows indicate the audio data flow to the main PC to be played on that system's speakers.
 
All of the system audio to your computer? I have no idea.

The only way I could think of you could do such a thing for MP3's and such would be:

Set up a folder on your Main PC with all of the music/video's whatever you are wanting to listen to. Share that folder on the LAN so that the other PC's can be used to transfer/copy the files you want to hear on your PC.

Have each of the other computers VNC into your main computer to open the files. That would make them play on your main PC.

That is all I can think of.
 
somethings like this
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/tonecast.html
but it is meant for one server and multiple clients. you want to listen to multiple servers you must find out if the client can be opened in multiple instances and each one tuned to a different server

and also see if you will have to pay for multiple licences because you want to run multiple servers.

maybe theres a winamp plugin that works like this, or maybe you can use shoutcast. it is free but probably harder to set up.
 
Im sorry, but that is ass backwards man...

Man just share the mp3 folders on each computer. Make a playlist for each networked computer. Play the playlist in WinAMP on your main puter.

I'm starting to think what I want to do will be impossible...
Click to expand...
You are making this FAR harder than it really is.
 
Rune75 said:
Im sorry, but that is ass backwards man...

Man just share the mp3 folders on each computer. Make a playlist for each networked computer. Play the playlist in WinAMP on your main puter.

You are making this FAR harder than it really is.
Click to expand...

I know that if I wanted to share music that's how I would do it, but it's NOT just for music. I wanted to be able to hear everything, from system audio (alerts) to video files on each computer. These computers are all directly in front of me, so I wanted them all to use the same speaker system. It has nothing to do with sharing music since I can easily just play the files on my main computer (which is where the files are stored). I wanted a solution that would allow less cabling, the need to purchase a audio switchbox, and allow me to connect and disconnect my laptop quicker.

DeFex's link with ToneCast looks exactly like what I need. But for $40.... :-\ I don't think so... it's a rather simple looking program (and at a 300k filesize).

I think I'll just forget about trying to do this. I just know that I'm extremely happy with how I was able to use Synergy to share my mouse and keyboard through LAN. It's now as if my desktop and laptop are the *same* computer (the laptop is hooked to an external monitor). I can easily just scroll the mouse between monitors, which are side by side, and use the same keyboard. very cool stuff.
 
The "Share Music" option in itunes seems to work pretty well, I have it running on my file server and the shared library just appears as another playlist in iTunes on my other computers.

Otherwise, the music files are just data files like anyother, the mechanism for playing them off a remote host is the same as opening a document.

I suspect that mapping the shared folder as a drive would circumvent most possible problems.
 
Matrox462 said:
I know that if I wanted to share music that's how I would do it, but it's NOT just for music. I wanted to be able to hear everything, from system audio (alerts) to video files on each computer. These computers are all directly in front of me, so I wanted them all to use the same speaker system. It has nothing to do with sharing music since I can easily just play the files on my main computer (which is where the files are stored). I wanted a solution that would allow less cabling, the need to purchase a audio switchbox, and allow me to connect and disconnect my laptop quicker.

DeFex's link with ToneCast looks exactly like what I need. But for $40.... :-\ I don't think so... it's a rather simple looking program (and at a 300k filesize).

I think I'll just forget about trying to do this. I just know that I'm extremely happy with how I was able to use Synergy to share my mouse and keyboard through LAN. It's now as if my desktop and laptop are the *same* computer (the laptop is hooked to an external monitor). I can easily just scroll the mouse between monitors, which are side by side, and use the same keyboard. very cool stuff.
Click to expand...

Oh right.

What's wrong with RDC or VNC?
 
I agree with Defex, a hardware solution will be easier and probably cheaper (and lower latency ;) ) than a software solution.

If you had Linux systems, you might be able to play some fun tricks with scp and /dev/audio... Always fun :D
 
No. The best way to do this is to run a shoutcast server. Every computer that draws from the shoutcast stream will be in sync, one can tweak the playlist via network, and all sorts of other cool things. The latency is about a second or two, depending on buffer settings, but it's free. Do some google searching.
 
GodsMadClown said:
No. The best way to do this is to run a shoutcast server. Every computer that draws from the shoutcast stream will be in sync, one can tweak the playlist via network, and all sorts of other cool things. The latency is about a second or two, depending on buffer settings, but it's free. Do some google searching.
Click to expand...


then he would have to have a seperate instance of winamp running on the client for all of the other computers, and they would each have to have a shoutcast(or whatever) server running on them. then you have network traffic. just a big pain in the you know what.
 
DeFex said:
then he would have to have a seperate instance of winamp running on the client for all of the other computers, and they would each have to have a shoutcast(or whatever) server running on them. then you have network traffic. just a big pain in the you know what.
Click to expand...
Not to mention shoutcast wont send all the system sounds etc.

Hardware mixer all the way, hell if you wanna be ghetto head down to radio shack and get some jacks, make a lead up yourself.
 
Hardware mixer would probably be your best bet. another route would be to try this program:
http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/
it will not use the audio across the network, however it will use, say, your laptop's keybooard and mouse to control your other 2 computers. sadly though, you do only get the sound out of whichever computer you are using :( If you find a solution other than hardware that works for you, let us know!
 
Hmmm... I really appreciate all of your help, but few of you are actually listening to what I'm asking! I keep getting suggestions for music only solution, and I even stated *twice* that I use Synergy to already share my keyboard and mouse over LAN (why I wanted audio too over LAN), and I'm getting a suggestion for it... :(

I'm going to go the hardware route. I already have a nice mixer since I'm a guitarist/bassist and create music on the computer and synthesizers. But that mixer is way too advanced just to use for simple computer audio. It also tends to generate a lot of heat even when powered just for a short amount of time (maybe because it has built in mic pre-amps?). But I'll probably try and buy a cheap one for what I need.

Again, I still appreciate all of your suggestions. Thanks!
 
A few 2->1 adapters from RadioShack should do the trick. You can also whip out your handy dandy soldering gun and plug one together yourself.

Surprising to hear that the mixer heats up like that - I have a 16 channel analog mixer, and it can stay on for hours without any perceptible heat change. What brand, how many channels?
 
Doesn't Remote Desktop Connection have options for remote sound?

To configure connections to play audio
In the Remote Desktop Connection window, click Options.

On the Local Resources tab, in the Remote computer sound list, click the option you want.
To run sound files in your Remote Desktop session and hear them on your local computer, choose Bring to this computer.
To run sound files in your Remote Desktop session and play them only on the remote computer, choose Leave at remote computer.
To disable all sound in Remote Desktop sessions, choose Do not play.
Click Connect.
Notes

To open Remote Desktop Connection, click Start, point to Programs or All Programs, point to Accessories, point to Communications, and then click Remote Desktop Connection.
Depending on the policies of your network, audio redirection might be disabled for some or all remote connections. Additionally, audio redirection does not work when you connect to a server running Windows 2000 or earlier.
When you click Connect, the information you have entered in Options becomes the default setting for all Remote Desktop connections and is saved in a file called Default.rdp. To create connections with different or connection-specific options, see Save your connection settings to a file.
Click to expand...
 
Matrox462 said:
... I even stated *twice* that I use Synergy to already share my keyboard and mouse over LAN (why I wanted audio too over LAN), and I'm getting a suggestion for it... :( ...
Click to expand...

sorry for not fully reading, musta skimmed too quick. I suppose my input didn't help too much as it just restated the source of your problem ;)

Good luck with your hardware solution, sounds to be the best.
 
Hauppauge makes a device called the "MediaMVP" (on sale at pc-alchemy) that does this, QUITE cheaply (under $100)
 
unhappy_mage said:
A few 2->1 adapters from RadioShack should do the trick. You can also whip out your handy dandy soldering gun and plug one together yourself.

Surprising to hear that the mixer heats up like that - I have a 16 channel analog mixer, and it can stay on for hours without any perceptible heat change. What brand, how many channels?
Click to expand...

I have 2 of those 2>1 adapters, but unfortunately, when you use more than one of them in a series the audio starts to diminish (possibly due to impedance problems?). So I can use one of them temporarily for two computers.

This is the mixer that I have.

mm1002f.jpg


As you can see it's a Phonic 10 channel mixer. I'm leaving it turned on for a while to see how much heat it generates. Usually, the heat is in the back of the mixer.

The_Engineer said:
sorry for not fully reading, musta skimmed too quick. I suppose my input didn't help too much as it just restated the source of your problem ;)

Good luck with your hardware solution, sounds to be the best.
Click to expand...

No problem :) Thanks!
 
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