Controlling Multiple PC/Win audio levels with hotkeys? Really reaching for solution.

Steve Kubay

Freshman
Sep 18, 2017
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Not sure that this is the correct sub-forum, but its audio related, and I think I may have more luck coming up with a solution from ProAudio circles. It could just as well have been filed in the DiY section of this site since there is a lot of that going on here.

This is a computer/ windows based problem, and likely looking for a computer based solution. Currently using a retired MOTU 828MKII as my interface.

I have a specific requirement to fulfill regarding the default Windows (7, ultimate, 64bit) volume control, or, its replacement.

I am running a racing simulator.
I have 1 sound card ( the MOTU 828MKII mentioned, external via Firewire)

There are several programs that generate audio for the simulator experience:
- the in game sounds
- Teamspeak
- Dash/pit control s/w
- Crew Chief/race engineer s/w

The 4 sources are consistent, and they are opened in the same order for every session (this is important, at least for the default for Windows sound mixer as it creates an audio channel, sequentially, I guess as they attach to the audio buss, and if scripting requires "focus", then having Teamspeak on say ch2 consitently might be important)

I need to control the volume of these 4 elements with hot keys ( that I can bind at my discretion, since I have many keys re-mapped for other in-car controls). For Example: I would like to control Team Speak volume by assigning Increase Volume to the "K" key, and the Decrease Volume to the "L" key. I don't require visibility in game (although an overlay pop-up would be fine, and a permanent display overlaying the in-game would be ok too. As long as I can control a specific output with the keys I set, really that's all I need.

I know I can write a script to bind two keys to the global windows Master Volume control (and that works fine if I had to do it that way), but I cannot make the script select any other channel, since I have no way to write in the script to "focus" on a different slider. I can control a different channel with UP/DOWN arrow keys, but first have to Focus Windows on that slider (but not with the script). Something I cant do in the middle of a race. Thus why binding a key is important.

Recording S/W would probably address everything here, but the system resources demand to run DAW software for a just a few sliders is a performance hit i don't want to take. SO, I was just curious if anyone has come across something that maybe would replace the default windows s/w mixer, give me the flexibility I'm looking at for control, and ideally have light resource usage.

Thanks for your time this morning.
Steve
 
Steve, I use "Key2Mouse Universal" to enable this kind of thing in my flight simulator.
In my case, it is pushing a button, or turning a knob on my controls that acts as a mouse click on a particular spot on the screens.
As long as you have something you could click on with a mouse, this utility will let you assign it to a button or knob (or a keystroke)
This is on a W7-pro 64 bit O/S, with 3 screens running.
Chris.
 
Chris:

That sound interesting and I'm going to give it a look. I think its going to be "close but no cigar" though. What I really need is piece of hardware - like a cheap Midi controller with sliders and a light weight program that would allow me to assign those sliders - to the streams mentioned. It would be easy if I was running DAW software, but I can't run that and the game sim environment at the same time. Well, maybe I could, but shouldn't have to. ;-)

Thank for the suggestion

S~