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A
Anonymous
June 4, 2012
Question

Computer audio output to Encoder

  • June 4, 2012
  • 1 reply
  • 2950 views

We are setting up to stream audio at our church and we are trying to figure out a solution to our problem. I want to route the audio from pro tools back into the Flash Media Live Encoder to stream it to the web. I can't figure out how. I want to do this so i can mix and eq the audio in pro tools then send it out to the encoder while listening through headphones via headphone jack on the IMac. All this will be done on the same computer. There will be someone running FOH and then someone mixing the recording and live stream via pro tools virtual mixer on the IMac.

I have 32 channels coming from the mixer, through the dante cards, then into the IMac to pro tools 10. The output is routed back to the Dante cards and my IMac's internal speakers/headphone jack. I am not using the dante output for anything. I don't have a need to send audio back to my mixer.

I tried using the mac programs soundflower and LineIN to see if i could output the audio to the encoder that way, but the only time I got it to work, i couldn't get the audio from pro tools, it was just coming from Itunes. It lets me play my computer audio in the encoder, but not the audio from pro tools.  The problem is, Pro tools will recognize the dante virtual sound card as my input and output, but If i change my output, it will also change my input, so I'm out of luck. I had to use the aggregate device setup in the mac to link my Mac's output (speakers) to the dante sound card output so pro tools would be happy. This worked, I can hear through my speakers like i wanted, but I still need to route the mixed audio out of pro tools to my encoder. How do I do this?

Here is my setup:

Yamaha LS9-32

Dante MY16 AUD Interface cards X2

IMac 27" 3.4GHz Quad core intel i7, 8GB RAM, 2TB 7200RPM HDD

Glyph 2TB 7200 RPM Firewire External HDD

Pro Tools 10

Flash Media Live Encoder (for streaming audio to web)

This is how I want everything routed:

LS9 > Audio (pre controls, eq, fader) > Dante Cards > IMac  > Pro Tools 10 > Mixed Audio (Post EQ, fader, controls)  > FMLE > Audio output to headphones/computer speakers

If someone could help me solve my problem I would very much appreciate it. I feel like i'm so close to a solution but i can't quite figure it out.

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

W
walkerpaulie
Participant
September 1, 2012

Hi did you ever solve this? If so how?

I made a feature request for a virtual protools output here:

http://protools.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Virtual-protools-output-for-live-streaming-or-live-playing/98730-3779

The feedback was that protools already has this ability - you need to use Rewire (from Propellerhead Software). Rewire is like a plugin that lets different apps communicate and gives the ability to stream audio between the apps.

The feedback also states that it would be up to Adobe to support rewire. I just posted a similar question here have made a request here although I am not sure if this is the place to do it:

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4665876

I think its an important feature and would be popular with musicians.

A
Anonymous
September 1, 2012

Hi!

Thank you for a response! It seems like no one else had any input on this inquiry (anywhere on the web for that matter).

I did not find a solution. Well, I did, but not the one I wanted. I wanted to use pro tools to mix the livestream and record it at the same time. All of the advice I recieved suggested against doing this. If pro tools goes down, my stream goes down and my radio feed is from the stream so you can see how this would present problems.

I did solve the problem though. I did some research and found it best to purchase another mixer, a yamaha dm1000. This mixer has two expansion slots where I will be putting two Dante Interface cards. The cards will pull audio from our F.O.H. mixer upstairs in the balcony and send it to a media room below the balcony. I'll have a mac pro and an imac set up in the media room, one for streaming and one for pro tools/video editing. We will be monitoring using KRK VXT6's.

I looked at rewire and jack and soundflower and couldn't find a way to use pro tools to record and stream. I can set up an aggregate device through the mac, but using the interface we have (Dante) it wasn't stable because pro tools doesn't like to share. This is Avid's way of making sure pro tools is foolproof I assume. Even with two computers this didn't work. Another mixer seemed like the only solution. 

Bottom line is, this would be a great feature to use, but when you look at all the angles, it could be dangerous. I see that now. It might be different for you depending on how you are using it.

W
walkerpaulie
Participant
September 1, 2012

Ah I see. Your issue is somewhat more complex than mine. Recording is not something I need to do really.

Presumably recording the stream with FMLE to an flv or mp4 doesn't suit your requirements (which would require rewire in FMLE anyway)

I just want to use protools to add some basic effects. At the moment I am using an old zoom fx processor which doesn't have balenced inputs and is pretty horrible sounding compared with my protools plugins.

Well there are quite a few things to think about here in terms of our situations (I am limited on mics and inputs so I would much rather have a simple all software setup).

I am surprised though that it seems this isn't a common problem - live streaming is well established after all. Hopefully its something Adobe would consider but these things take months or years to get round to even if they think its worth implementing. And I still don't think it will solve your issue anyway unfortunately,

Regards,

Paul

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