Visual Basic monitoring system audio output

[Jadi]

Hi, I have searched high and low for this and I can't seem to find a way to do it anywhere. I am wanting to be able to monitor the default system audio output device and get values such as peak rms or db or just something to monitor what is being outputted in order to create an audio visualiser.

Thanks for any input, its greatly appreciated!

[LlamaFamah]

In regard to decibels and other data, I know of none that do this. If you are simply looking for an audio visualizer, I would suggest downloading Rainmeter, then getting the "Fountain Of Colors" skin for it. It works great.

 

-Llama

[Jadi]

Just now, LlamaFamah said:

In regard to decibels and other data, I know of none that do this. If you are simply looking for an audio visualizer, I would suggest downloading Rainmeter, then getting the "Fountain Of Colors" skin for it. It works great.

 

-Llama

Im trying to make an equalizer that I can integrate into an app that I'm working on. Thanks for the suggestion though, il have a look at that skin for my rainmeter

[LlamaFamah]

Just now, Jadi said:

Im trying to make an equalizer that I can integrate into an app that I'm working on. Thanks for the suggestion though, il have a look at that skin for my rainmeter

Alright, NP

[straight_stewie]

53 minutes ago, Jadi said:

Im trying to make an equalizer that I can integrate into an app that I'm working on

An equalizer that equalizes audio output from your application, or an equalizer that works on every application currently outputting audio?

[Jadi]

17 hours ago, straight_stewie said:

An equalizer that equalizes audio output from your application, or an equalizer that works on every application currently outputting audio?

One that works on every application outputting audio. So monitoring the default system audio device

[Franck]

For decibel you need a specific decibel reader hooked to the computer and close to source depending on the sound type you are trying to read (lwa, etc). I do believe the one i used to have in the past had a serial port on it but i'm not 100% certain i never connected to it with code. We used it for db/dba readings on other instruments.

 

I do believe for speakers the typical rating are listed as Lwa5 db

[straight_stewie]

9 hours ago, Jadi said:

One that works on every application outputting audio. So monitoring the default system audio device

The only way to do that is to pretend that your application is, infact, the audio driver. Then applications will happily send you all of their sound data, requests, and other necessary information, for you to modify and operate on however you wish. You may or may not have to actually also *be* the audio driver, as I'm not sure that once you've registered your application as the system audio driver that you will be able to delegate to the standard one for actually producing sound.

In either case, you cannot do that from Visual Basic, although you can probably use the .NET stack as a user interface. You will need to be familiar with C, C++, and COM. If you want to use the .NET stack to make your GUI, you will have to learn how to make a system level application communicate with and be controlled by a user level application. If you want a GUI but don't want to use the .NET stack, you will have to learn Win32.

Here's some information from MSDN to get you started: Getting Started With Windows Drivers

 

In case you are successful, please openly distribute your app. There are soooooooooo many people who have been looking for a good, system wide graphic EQ for so long, myself included.

 

[Franck]

9 hours ago, straight_stewie said:

In case you are successful, please openly distribute your app. There are soooooooooo many people who have been looking for a good, system wide graphic EQ for so long, myself included.

Well capturing all audio from the computer that is VERY easy. But db that is not possible. That is a reading based on the speaker output not the signal. Naudio capture all sound IN and OUT of a computer in C# and you can use it to apply filters to everything. It's not complicated. Most tutorials make you record your voice and it spell it out as a frog or darth vader in a couple line of code. EQ overall the system is very easy to make. If there is no apps out there that does it already it mean not so many people want this.