Topic: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

Hi,

Can I use TotalMix FX to route my DAW audio to a video call app, and how?

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

If you google for: RME zoom
Then you get plenty of hits:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCivF5Ql9CY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyVdSTg7gII
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeaEMfFzmyk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_DMIwiy1ug

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

I had looked it up but for some reason only stumbled upon tutorials for OBS and livestreaming. Thanks for the links.

This one seems to be relevant for me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCivF5Q … O8oDZNViFz

However, I can't complete the final step (explained at 5:48 in the video above) because with my UFX II the AN 1/2 hardware output only shows in the control room section and doesn't have a loopback button. What should I do then?

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

Lophophora wrote:

[...] However, I can't complete the final step (explained at 5:48 in the video above)
because with my UFX II the AN 1/2 hardware output only shows in the control room section
and doesn't have a loopback button. What should I do then?

Using "assign" you placed the channel only to the control room so that control room operations like mute or dim are possible.

It's still possible to hit the "Tool / Wrench" symbol of the AN1/2 channel that you most likely assigned as "Main" channel in the control room.

Once you click to this wrench symbol then you will see further settings of the channel ... and ... "Loopback".
Manual ch 25.3.1 page 58.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

5 (edited by Lophophora 2021-01-02 17:55:50)

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

Ok thanks. I did activate loopback and I think I followed the video's instructions but for some reason it still doesn't work. The meters show the sound of the microphone alright in TotalMix FX but in the Windows sound settings or in the Zoom audio settings, there is nothing showing on the meters. Obviously I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what. Any idea? Here's a screenshot:

https://i.ibb.co/TP5ThjK/ttmixfx.jpg

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

I assume that the zoom application does not support ASIO.
So you might need to create a windows compatible WDM driver in the RME driver settings.
But if those Videos are for Windows, then this should also be explained.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

7 (edited by Lophophora 2021-01-03 09:35:39)

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

I found this on the Focusrite support site:

Important: On Windows, Zoom will only be able to receive audio from the first two inputs of an audio device. This is because it does not support multi-channel ASIO driver types. You will need to ensure that you connect your microphone or instrument to Input 1 or 2.

But my UFX II has the mic inputs 9-12, surely there must be a workaround? Any idea?

you might need to create a windows compatible WDM driver in the RME driver settings

How do I do this?

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

In this synthax audio video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCivF5Q … e=emb_logo
I got also the information, that the zoom application can only work with the first two channels.

In this video you get general information for the smaller interfaces for Apple.
Starting with 04:55 you see what needs to be done on the larger interfaces, where the Mic inputs are at AN9-12.
1. In Submixmode select the channel HW Output AN1/2 in the bottom row of TM FX.
2. Click to the wrench/tool symbol and enable loopback.
    By this you will "virtually" (by TM FX software) patch output AN1/2 to it's corresponding input AN 1/2
3. Raise the fader of HW Input AN9 in top row
    Click to the wrench/tool symbol to enable 48V for condenser mics and to set the gain for the mic.

Windows specfic part. As Zoom does not support ASIO we need to create Windows compatible WDM drivers.
This is being done in RME Driver Settings as soon as you enable a WDM driver you will see it as additional icon in
the Windows sound settings to be used for all applications that do not support ASIO drivers.
Steps:
4. In the Windows Notification area (bottom right of the desktop) you find the icon for the RME driver settings
5. In the Driver settings you see a section "WDM devices", click to the button configure
6. In the TAB "WDM Devices" select Analog (1/2), close this window and the driver settings.
    Now a WDM driver entry in the Windows Sound settings has been created.
7. Open Windows Sound and validate this.

Now you can select AN1+2 in Zoom for your input.
By the routing of AN9 (Mic in) to AN1+2 OUT and loopback enabled
you can listen now to your Mic through the windows/zoom compatible WDM driver Analog(1+2).

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

9 (edited by Lophophora 2021-01-03 19:46:42)

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

Yes I have watched that video extensively several times. I did everything as instructed.

Also, when I tried to create a WDM driver I realized that I already had that done. But it still doesn't work...

Also, I don't have any sound coming to AN 1/2 main outputs from my mic input unless I go to my DAW, set up a track with the mic input (currently input 10) and arm it for recording. Is this normal? I would think that TotalMix FX would be routing the audio from input 10 to output 1/2 without having to go through the DAW?... It is as if there were no direct monitoring. I wonder if I deactivated something by mistake?

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

Of course its possible to hear sound from the Mic Input directly on any output you want.

TM FX
1. check whether submix mode is still active (right side blue area)
2. select the output channel for which you want to customize your submix.
3. Raise the fader of HW input AN9

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

Well that works but Windows (and Zoom) still don't see any audio coming from outputs AN 1/2.

Any idea why?...

https://i.ibb.co/0cf654M/TM01.jpg https://i.ibb.co/2sRXb9k/WIN01.jpg https://i.ibb.co/dPnSs04/ZOOM01.jpg

12 (edited by ramses 2021-01-04 08:05:56)

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

Strange, no idea.
I would reset the mixer and retry.
1st a simple routing from Mic to Monitors as you say even this is not working.
This has nothing to do with ASIO or WDM driver.
This is simple routing on the device which should even work in standalone-mode without PC connected.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

I reset the mixer. Everything looks fine inside of TotalMix FX, but Windows and Zoom still don't receive any signal from the microphone via AN 1/2. Should I contact support about this?

14

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

Did you allow the 'Microphone' for the UFX II / TotalMix?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/win … 8ca45f577a

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

15 (edited by Lophophora 2021-01-04 08:33:27)

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

No, the permissions were not on! Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

Ok so now it works in Zoom. However, one last thing I need to sort out: if I mute or decrease the volume on AN 1/2 (main output to my main monitors) the audio going to Zoom is muted or decreased as well. Is there a more convenient way to avoid feedback than to switch the monitors off each time?

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

Best would be to use phones to build up something compareable to a headset
to decouple audio from speaker to the mic to avoid a feeback loop.

Or you need to play a little with
- selection of mic (dynamic mic, stage mic)
- mic positioning
- use of low volume on monitors

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

ramses wrote:

Best would be to use phones to build up something compareable to a headset

Sorry I'm not getting that. Are you suggesting to use actual phones? How?

Or you need to play a little with
- selection of mic (dynamic mic, stage mic)
- mic positioning
- use of low volume on monitors

Well that's the thing: if my volume isn't loud, there is not enough audio going to Zoom so I have to keep it loud, which makes the use of the microphone impossible.

Isn't there a way to mute the hardware outputs 1&2 without muting the audio going to Windows?

18 (edited by ramses 2021-01-04 10:12:25)

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

BTW .. I do not use this application, was just best guess based on the information that I saw in the video,
simply trying to help.

You are right, if the output is restricted for AN1/2 then you have it on the main monitors. Maybe one experiment: it might also help to make your phones output to the windows default sound device by creating an WDM device for phones in the RME driver settings and to make this device the default windows speaker device. Not sure, but try.

> Well that's the thing: if my volume isn't loud, there is not enough audio going to Zoom so I have
> to keep it loud, which makes the use of the microphone impossible.

Hmm. You use the Mic Gain to make the input signal louder.
In the Windows Mixer you could try to turn down the volume for zoom application towards the default sound device (=AN1/2 where your speakers are connected to). If I remember right in the Windows Mixer there is also a volume control per active application.

It might also help to contact zoom support and ask them for making the application more flexible / configurable in terms of the selection of input and output and maybe even to add ASIO support. Maybe they do it, if there are more requests for that.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

Hi Lophophora
It is only restricted to channels 1&2 on Mac, You should be able to choose whichever WDM stereo channel you like on Windows. Provided it's enabled in the RME settings window. (using the WDM Devices - 'Configure' Button)

This way, you can setup, route and use a different output channel on your TotalmixFX as the "loopback/Zoom" channel, keeping your Main output 1&2 to your monitors unaffected.
Then simply select your new chosen channel as the Mic input on Zoom settings.

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

mark.cull wrote:

Hi Lophophora
It is only restricted to channels 1&2 on Mac, You should be able to choose whichever WDM stereo channel you like on Windows. Provided it's enabled in the RME settings window. (using the WDM Devices - 'Configure' Button)

This way, you can setup, route and use a different output channel on your TotalmixFX as the "loopback/Zoom" channel, keeping your Main output 1&2 to your monitors unaffected.
Then simply select your new chosen channel as the Mic input on Zoom settings.

Indeed, I had realized that in the meantime, but thanks for mentioning!

I am still struggling to get the audio from my DAW routed to Zoom though, any tips on how to achieve this?

21 (edited by ramses 2021-01-07 08:39:55)

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

> I am still struggling to get the audio from my DAW routed to Zoom though, any tips on how to achieve this?

Which HW Input port is Zoom using  ? I would route audio to the corresponding HW output and use loopback.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Routing audio to video call apps (Zoom etc.)

I have no problem w Zoom. Going backwards from the Zoom app, here are my settings:
1. In Zoom, Mic and Speakers are "Same as System"
2. In Windows, System sounds are
Playback: Analog 11+12 RME UFX+ Default Device;
Recording: Analog 11+12 RME UFX+ Default Device
3. In RME MADIface Settings: WDM Devices Analog 11+12 as #1 device.  The Speaker is set to AES only, no other Device
4. In TotalMix, Mic is in Mic 11 with +48v on for the condenser mic I have plugged into 11/12. The top row volume slider is at 0.0. The mic input rotary control is at 24.
5. The Phones 2 (bottom row of TM) volume slider is up about 1/3 way at -24.
5. There is no loopback. It works without loopback.
6. I can listen to the AN1/2 and 3/4 output from my audio system at the same time as on a Zoom call. The input for the audio is AES from an external input to the RME AES digital input connector. I use AcourateConvolver to process the input and route it to the analog outputs. Maybe this is similar to a DAW? (I do not use a DAW)

UFX+; MADIfaceUSB; Startech active USB3 cable; Sonnet Allegro Pro adapter; Win11x64