Is it possible to direct certain groups of sounds from my computer to multiple destinations?

December 8, 2003 8:47 PM

Is it possible to direct sound from my computer to multiple destinations? In other words, I'd like to listen to MP3s (Winamp) through speakers positioned various places in my home, but I also want users of the computer to be able to hear system sounds, game sounds, etc. (and have those sounds NOT output to the remote speakers). Can I use two sound cards for this, and assign various software to output to the appropriate card? I'm on XP pro and I like long walks on the beach.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders to Computers & Internet (10 answers total)

Get yourself a wireless media device, that let's you stream MP3s etc directly to your music system. Off the top of my head, I know Motorola, DLink, and I think Belkin make them. I think there's also Turtle Beach's Audiotron.
posted by riffola at 8:54 PM on December 8, 2003

If you have a series 2 TiVo, you can do this with the Home Media Option.
posted by riffola at 8:56 PM on December 8, 2003

I love my audiotron. Keep an eye out for their second generation product.
posted by machaus at 8:59 PM on December 8, 2003

Or maybe the Squeezebox.
posted by machaus at 9:00 PM on December 8, 2003

as for system sounds vs. mp3-type sounds, you might be able to find a plugin to send winamp sound to a different output that normal windows sounds might not use at the same time, but I can't tell you which might do that.
posted by Hackworth at 9:12 PM on December 8, 2003

Use a multichannel sound card. Route channels around the house at will. Configure channel mixer appropriately. I believe the old Gulliermot (or however them furriners spell it) cards had drivers which supported this, and possibly some of the Hercules cards. I vaguely remember having an Aureal-chipset based card which could do such a thing, although I suspect Windows XP driver model support for Aureal cards is abyssimal given that the company went defunct about the time XP was released.
posted by majick at 9:26 PM on December 8, 2003

If you had a Mac, you could do it with a USB audio output device (such as the iMic) and Rogue Amoeba's Detour software.
posted by kindall at 9:40 PM on December 8, 2003

ask.MeFi is worth it to me now just for machaus' Squeezebox link.

The SlimServer is cool.
posted by eyeballkid at 1:53 AM on December 9, 2003

Thanks for all the responses. I've kind of ruled out a squeezebox/HMO-type solution (where you stream to your home stereo) because that is often in use for the TV, and I don't have a home network.

I will look into the winamp plug-in and multi-channel soundcard suggestions, tho. Thanks all!
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 5:16 AM on December 9, 2003

Good idea StupidSexyFlanders. Although......

Creative Wireless Music. For $249.99, you get a 24bit audio player with RCA and Optical connectors, a built in wireless network system, and a remote that shows the entire titles of the songs that you can use without being in its line of sight. Backlit, too.

The issue that you mentioned before, not having a wireless network, would still be an issue. Just letting you know!
posted by Keyser Soze at 2:00 PM on December 9, 2003