mirror of
https://github.com/two-torial/two-torial.git
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229 lines
7.6 KiB
Markdown
229 lines
7.6 KiB
Markdown
!!! info "Synopsis"
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This guide explains the different audio modes commonly found in arcade games and their pros and cons, helping you choose the best option for your setup.
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!!! danger "Important notice"
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**Recordings and streams must only be shared privately:**
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- Through unlisted videos
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- In private streams with friends
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- Within trusted data communities
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Sharing content publicly puts you at serious risk of getting banned from arcade venues and communities. Please respect these guidelines.
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## Audio modes
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### TL;DR
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| Mode | DirectSound | WASAPI Shared | WASAPI Exclusive | ASIO |
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| ---------------------- | :----------------: | :----------------: | :---------------: | :--------------------------: |
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| Latency | Highest | Medium | Low | Lowest when setup correctly |
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| Compatibility | Highest | High | High | Low |
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| Multiple audio streams | :material-check: | :material-check: | :material-close: | with extra steps |
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| Audio capture | :material-check: | :material-check: | :material-close: | with extra steps |
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| Recommended for | Legacy games | Most users | Low latency needs | Lower latency needs |
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### DirectSound
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!!! tip ""
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The legacy Windows audio system, still used by older games.
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✔️ **Pros**:
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- Extremely high compatibility, especially with older games
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- Multiple audio sources can play simultaneously
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- Easy audio capture with OBS, Discord etc.
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- Simple to set up and use
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❌ **Cons**:
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- Highest latency of all modes
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- Being phased out in favor of WASAPI
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- Limited audio quality compared to modern modes
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💡 **Pro tip**: Use spice2x's `-lowlatencysharedaudio` setting to reduce latency.
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### WASAPI Shared
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!!! tip ""
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The modern Windows standard audio mode. Recommended for most users.
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✔️ **Pros**:
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- Works with most modern games and applications
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- Multiple audio sources can play simultaneously
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- Easy audio capture with OBS, Discord etc.
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- Good balance of latency and compatibility
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❌ **Cons**:
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- Higher latency than Exclusive mode
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- Some games may require patches/configuration for Shared mode
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💡 **Pro tip**: Use spice2x's `-lowlatencysharedaudio` setting to reduce latency.
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### WASAPI Exclusive
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??? warning "Hardware compatibility notice"
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Your audio device must explicitly support exclusive mode. Check your audio settings:
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<img src="/img/common/audio_exclusive.webp">
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!!! tip ""
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Gives one application complete control over the audio device.
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✔️ **Pros**:
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- Significantly lower latency than Shared mode
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- More consistent audio processing than Shared mode
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- Better for rhythm games if you don't mind the cons
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❌ **Cons**:
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- Only one application can output audio at a time
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- No audio capture without special hardware/software
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- Can cause system-wide audio interruptions
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### ASIO
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!!! warning "Hardware requirements"
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For optimal results, use a dedicated ASIO-compatible audio interface. Software solutions like [ASIO4ALL](https://asio4all.org/) or [FlexASIO](https://github.com/dechamps/FlexASIO) exist but have limitations:
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- Added processing overhead
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- May not improve latency over WASAPI Exclusive
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- Mostly useful when:
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- Games are incompatible with your audio device
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- ASIO is the only supported mode
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- You need specific ASIO features
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!!! tip ""
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Professional audio standard designed for audio interfaces and music production.
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✔️ **Pros**:
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- Lowest possible latency when properly configured
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- Direct hardware control
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- Precise buffer size adjustment
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- Professional-grade audio quality
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- Bypass Windows audio stack
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- Capture is possible when routed through Voicemeeter at the cost of very little added latency
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❌ **Cons**:
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- Requires specialized hardware for best results
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- Complex setup process
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- Usually limited to one application at a time
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- No direct audio capture support
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- System performance heavily impacts stability
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- May require significant tweaking
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## ASIO Recording/Streaming
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!!! info "This guide assumes your game already uses ASIO and you want to record/stream with audio"
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### Required software
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!!! tip ""
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ASIO bypasses the Windows audio system that recording/streaming applications use, so you'll need additional software to route the audio:
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- [Voicemeeter Banana](https://vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/banana.htm) - For audio routing
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- [OBS Studio](https://obsproject.com/) - For recording and streaming
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Install both applications before continuing.
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### Game configuration
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!!! tip ""
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Set your game's ASIO output device to `Voicemeeter Virtual ASIO`:
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- For spice2x games: Look for settings like `-iidxasio` or `-sdvxasio` at the top of spicecfg's `Options` tab
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- For other games: The location depends on your setup, but look for ASIO device selection
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### Voicemeeter configuration
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!!! tip ""
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First, configure recommended settings:
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1. Click `Menu` in the top right
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2. Enable settings shown below to ensure Voicemeeter:
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- Starts with Windows
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- Auto-recovers from audio issues
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<img src="/img/extras/audio/voicemeeter_menuopts.webp">
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Next, set up ASIO output:
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1. Click the `A1` button in the top right
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2. Select the `ASIO (Steinberg)` tab
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3. Choose your ASIO device
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Finally, configure audio routing:
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1. Locate the 4th column in the interface
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2. Enable only the `A1` and `B1` toggles as shown:
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<img src="/img/extras/audio/voicemeeter_outputs.webp">
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### OBS Studio Configuration
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!!! tip ""
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1. Run OBS Studio's initial configuration wizard if you haven't already
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2. Set up audio capture:
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- In the Sources panel, click `+` and select `Audio Input Capture`
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<img src="/img/extras/audio/obs_inputcapture.webp">
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- For the Device, select `VoiceMeeter Output (B1)`
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<img src="/img/extras/audio/obs_capturedevice.webp">
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3. Enable audio monitoring:
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- Click the gear icon in the Audio Mixer panel
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- Find your Audio Input Capture source
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- Change `Audio Monitoring` to `Monitor and Output`
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<img src="/img/extras/audio/obs_monitorandoutput.webp">
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4. Configure OBS audio settings:
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- Go to `File` > `Settings`
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<img src="/img/extras/audio/obs_settings.webp">
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- In the `Audio` tab:
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- Set `Sample Rate` to match your ASIO/game settings
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- For `Monitoring Device`, select any unused input such as a `VoiceMeeter In`
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<img src="/img/extras/audio/obs_audiosettings.webp">
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- Save changes with `Apply` and `OK`
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5. Add video capture:
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- In Sources, add either `Display Capture` or `Game Capture`
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- Adjust OBS video and output settings as needed
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### Using this setup
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!!! tip ""
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First, ensure Voicemeeter and OBS Studio are running.
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Next, configure your desired OBS output and video settings.
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- For streaming and recording, now use OBS as normal.
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- For Discord sharing:
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- Right-click the OBS preview window
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- Select `Fullscreen Projector (Preview)`
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- Choose which monitor to show the projector on
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- Press Alt+Tab to switch away from the projector window
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- In Discord, share the projector window
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### Further reading
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* [spice2x wiki](https://github.com/spice2x/spice2x.github.io/wiki/Audio-modes-demystified)
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