Assigning speakers to multiple PSX instances

[Britjet]

Hi all,

I have a multi-monitor setup with 2 PCs running a total of 5 instances of PSX. I have 2 of the PSX instances producing different sound streams (eg Capt intercom for one, and aircraft and environment sounds on the other set).

I would like to get more speakers going so that I can increase the sound sources more - eg Capt, panels, air noise, engines etc but I find that I am limited by PSX to just using PC default sound output. I don't really want to run another PC to get another sound source..

Now, in FSX and P3D you can assign different sound outputs to different sound cards, and I was wondering if there is a way to achieve this in PSX?

- Grateful for any suggestions,

Brit

[Hardy Heinlin]

Hi Brit,

I'm sorry, there is no way to achieve this.

If you use 2 PCs in a PSX network, you can assign 4 different audio outputs. In this case I would set up a "quadro" system using a front stereo group (ram air, MAWEA etc.) and a powerful rear stereo group (engines, air con etc.).


Regards,

|-|ardy

[Britjet]

Thanks Hardy.

Brit

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

Although there is no official way to have PSX instances on the same PC talk to different audio hardware, would running a thin layer of virtual machine with another mini-OS in there allow this indirection?

Another potential option is to look in your Windows mixer and see whether you can set from there which applications see which device as default.

[Hardy Heinlin]

PSX uses OpenAL (via Java).

[Phil Bunch]

The center channel of my 7.2 (7 speakers, 2 subwoofers) home theater receiver just quit, so I've been researching options for replacing it.  Some of the newest home theater receivers will power 11 primary speakers and two subwoofer outputs, creating an 11.2 system.

The 11.2 systems use 2 speakers placed somewhere in or near the ceiling of one's room, two at each side of the listener, four rear speakers, two in the standard stereo location, and one center channel.  Up to two subwoofer channels are provided, and AFAIK the subwoofers simply receive all the low-frequency audio from all the channels - very low frequencies cannot be localized by human listeners very well.  

Dolby Atmos is the brand name for Dolby's recommended format and system configuration.  Little if any source material is available at this time with Dolby 11.2 encoding.  The argument in favor of having so many speakers and 11-channel audio recordings is that one would then be able to hear a bumblebee flying all around one's listening space, not just moving from left to right.  Another example might be a helicopter flying around all over the sky at low altitudes.

See links below for more info and a sketch of recommended speaker placement.

PSX 11.2 anyone?!
--------------------------------------------------

http://hometheaterreview.com/images/futureworks-dolby-atmos-mixing-studio.jpg

http://hometheaterreview.com/dolby-atmos-at-home-the-known-knowns-and-the-known-unknowns/

Speaker placement is discussed at the link below:

http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/home-theater-speaker-placement.html#Web-page-index:

Excerpts from the above page:

Both Dolby Pro Logic IIz and Audyssey DSX introduce the concept of 'Height' speakers, (LH and RH speakers) to produce the vertical placement of sounds such as rain, by creating a more vertical spacious soundfield. To what extent this will enhance the overall sound field depends on the source material.

Height speakers should be placed above the main fronts at an elevation of 45o with respect to the main seat and at a ±45o angle relative to the center speaker. This means 'Height' speakers reside outside the main fronts; as further detailed above, the latter should form an angle of 22o to 30o relative to the center speaker.

Audyssey DSX supports two additional front 'Wide' or LW and RW speakers in addition to the LH and RH speakers. These are placed on the same level as the main fronts but at an angle of ±60° relative to the front center speaker. Research shows that the presence of the two Wide fronts leads to a more enveloping sound than the addition of the two Back Surround speakers used in a standard 7.1-channel speaker setup.

A sketch showing speaker placement with a drawing is here:

http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/image-files/audyssey-dsx-7.1.gif

(Audyssey provides software built into a receiver that will automatically adjust speaker levels and the each speaker's audio output temporal delay, optimizing one's listening experience.  If the temporal delays are not optimized, disturbing echo patterns will be heard, along with speech distortion.  I think it also adjusts subwoofer outputs to minimize low-frequency room resonances.)

[kevmac86]

You could consider using a USB audio recording/playback hardware that gives multiple inputs/outputs.

I have an M-Audio fast track ultra, this ties in to windows to give 6 individual or 3 stereo outputs, this is controlled by the software that comes with the unit.  At the moment I can't test to see if it would work, as my main machine is in UK and I'm in Tokyo.  

It may be worth checking it out to see if that solution would work, there are various manufacturers that make this type of unit for live audio recording and playback.

Kev

[Phil Bunch]

Thanks for the information - that does sound interesting.  

In addition to simulating a bee or wasp flying around inside the cockpit (grins), there may be some other ways to use complex multichannel audio in PSX.  For example one would use a high-fidelity recording of what a crash sounds like from inside the cockpit?  I gather that the cockpit recorders are a basic voice-quality only, and probably only have a few monaural microphones at best.  

Another candidate for dramatic(!) multichannel cockpit audio might be an uncontained engine explosion, but it's not so clear to me that such an event would create much sound in the cockpit.   Hmmm...maybe if it occurred on the ground while taxying?  Perhaps there is the possibility of a check pilot or an instructor pilot sitting in a jump seat behind the pilots, commenting on each and every thing the pilots do.

If you have a brand name and model number that your would recommend for this audio USB hardware, please post it here if it's not too much trouble.

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

... adaptive background music ...

[Phil Bunch]

I think this is the device that was suggested by kevmac86 for doing unusual things with PSX sound, and then sending it to a multi-channel home theater receiver:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may08/articles/fasttrackultra.htm

Perhaps some of the cockpit builders could use this device to coordinate or creatively distribute PSX-triggered audio?  Just an interesting line of thought, so far, for me.

[GodAtum]

This is my audio plan using Virtual Audio Cable



http://www.gliffy.com/go/publish/5670456