Audio settings with stereo headset (or speakers) - Send NVDA sounds on one side and the rest of Windows sounds on the other side

[CyrilleB79]

I have had this feature request in mind since many years. But I finally open this ticket thanks to another person asking it on a French mailing list.

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

When participating to audio-conferences on the computer, it's often confusing to have NVDA's vocal feedback mixed up with the audio stream of the conference.

Describe the solution you'd like

NVDA audio stream is produced by synthesizer output but also beeps (progress bars, indent reporting) as well as other sounds such as focus/browse mode and spelling mistakes detection.
With a stereo headset or stereo speakers, it would be handy to have an option allowing to split the audio stream in two parts:

• NVDA audio stream on one side, (e.g. left ear)
• the rest of the computer's audio stream on the other side (e.g. right ear). That includes Windows sounds and sounds of the applications, which may include:
  • the audio stream of an aundio conference (Skype, Zoom, Teams either withe desktop application or in the browser)
  • the audio stream of audio or video editing/processing software (e.g. mp3DirectCut)

Describe alternatives you've considered

• Maybe there is one or more applications that may already do this job; if yes, it would be good to reference it here.
• In this issue, we may also consider the opportunity to add this feature in an add-on.

But IMO it would be valuable to have this feature integrated in NVDA or in an add-on rather that an external application. It would allow many people to discover this feature even if they do not express the need clearly.
Also it would be a plus to have this feature available in a portable version of NVDA; I do not know if it is technically doable however.

Additional context

Jaws 2022 will provide this feature (and that's what convinced me that this feature could be embedded in a screen reader). Below is a quote of its release notes (What's new):

Sound Splitter
Earlier in JAWS and Fusion 2021, we introduced a way for users to lower the volume of JAWS speech independently of system audio to help make it easier to hear audio from other applications. Version 2022 takes this a step further by now allowing those using stereo headsets or speakers to route all JAWS or Fusion speech to one ear while routing audio from all other applications to the other ear. This helps make it easier to continue getting work done with JAWS while following along during a Zoom or Teams meeting, a Skype call, or a YouTube video.
To split audio:

1. Press INSERT+SPACEBAR followed by V to activate the Volume layer.
2. Press B for Balance, and then do one of the following:
   ◦ Press LEFT ARROW to route JAWS Speech to the left and audio from all other applications to the right.
   ◦ Press RIGHT ARROW to route JAWS speech to the right and audio from all other applications to the left.
   ◦ Press UP ARROW to restore both JAWS speech and application audio to both channels.
   Note: Before attempting to split your audio, make sure your headset or speakers are properly oriented. For instance, if you route JAWS speech to the left and instead hear it in your right ear, your headset is most likely reversed.
   Once you split your JAWS speech and application audio, it remains in effect until you restart JAWS, or use the command to restore the audio balance.

I do not advocate for copying all features of Jaws in NVDA. But I think in this case that having this feature integrated in NVDA is a real plus.

[cary-rowen]

This is what I have always wanted to say, not only in zoom and teams, sometimes when I am watching a movie, NVDA can read subtitles aloud, which is very good, but the sound of the NVDA and the sound of the movie will be mixed together. It feels bad. I really hope that NVDA can achieve this.

[msviolafangirl]

I think this would also be a cool feature to have. However I suspect it requires some significant interaction with the windows system or similar API or something like that. I'm not sure how JAWS got around the problem, but there's probably a way..

[mltony]

I've actually had this in my plans to implement this in one of my add-ons when time permits.
It appears this can be done via wasapi, there is IChannelAudioVolume interface that allows to control sound produced by other programs separately for left and right channels. But that would require calling some com interfaces, wihch I don't have much experience with. Another risk here is that I fear it might not work with Skype, since Skype might be using some fancy audio interfaces. And I would think that Skype and other VC apps must be the primary use case for this feature. Anyway, this requires some trial and error and some hacking. I'll update this thread if I manage to make it to work.

[mltony]

Implemented in Tony's enhancements add-on. Sound splitting can be toggled by pressing NVDA+Alt+S.
https://github.com/mltony/nvda-tonys-enhancements/releases/download/v1.11/tonysEnhancements-1.11.nvda-addon

[nidza07]

Thanks so much @mltony for this.
Might be better to move to your repo and create a separate issue, but there is currently one case you are not handling.
If you enable sound split, and then quit NVDA, the rest of the audio remains on one side instead of being restored.
Now, if you start NVDA, NVDA goes to center obviously since sound split is no longer enabled, but the rest remains on one side.
Hope that is clear enough and that you can fix this in a future build.
Thanks once again for taking this up.

[cary-rowen]

Thanks to tony’s efforts, it seems that the sound can only be fixed to the right at the moment,Can the left and right sides be realized?
In addition, when I enabled sound splitting, the other side was not completely muted.

[nidza07]

@cary-rowen yes, if you go to NVDA's settings, under the Tony's enhancements panel, check the checkbox named Switch left and right during sound split. This will revert it, meaning that NVDA will be on the left and everything else on the right.

[cary-rowen]

Wow! Thank you for your reminder, it might be better if addon allow the shortcut keys to switch between the left, right and disabled modes.

[mltony]

In the next version I will make it restore sound before quitting NVDA.

…

On 11/13/2021 4:53 PM, nidza07 wrote: Thanks so much @mltony <https://github.com/mltony> for this. Might be better to move to your repo and create a separate issue, but there is currently one case you are not handling. If you enable sound split, and then quit NVDA, the rest of the audio remains on one side instead of being restored. Now, if you start NVDA, NVDA goes to center obviously since sound split is no longer enabled, but the rest remains on one side. Hope that is clear enough and that you can fix this in a future build. Thanks once again for taking this up. — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#12985 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AIJRDHFADDW6GAHCGBWREYLUL4CBXANCNFSM5GVCIK2Q>. Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>.

[josephsl]

Hi,

Partly resolved with add-ons from Tony and yours truly.

Thanks.

[cary-rowen]

Hi, @josephsl
Will it be a big challenge to bring 'sound spliter' into the NVDA core? Regarding the psutil module, is there any reason for NVAccess to reject it?
Also, I have to say that the sound separation in the 'NVDA Extensions Global Plugin' is more useful, It allows me to concentrate on the movie and subtitles, could you further enrich the functionality of the 'Sound Splitter'?

Thanks

[josephsl]

Hi, I have no plans to work further on Sound Splitter, nor plan to bring this to NVDA Core as I’m about to accelerate my transition away from NVDA Core contributions. Thanks.

[mltony]

Then what was the point of forking from Tony's enhancements? Initially you said that you'd fork specifically to prepare for merging into NVDA core PR.

…

On 5/2/2022 1:17 AM, Joseph Lee wrote: Hi, I have no plans to work further on Sound Splitter, nor plan to bring this to NVDA Core as I’m about to accelerate my transition away from NVDA Core contributions. Thanks. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#12985 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AIJRDHDNKCHPFAO2OPQTLFDVH6FQRANCNFSM5GVCIK2Q>. You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[josephsl]

Hi, indeed, the original intention was to test the feasibility of merging into Core if possible. But I realized that we can run into dependency issues (psutil, for instance), something we can work around by reminding ourselves to update dependencies annually if possible; a better solution is changing audio volume levels without use of additional dependencies. The bigger reason for not continuing with this work was due to life priorities – I’ve been letting go of add-ons to reduce workload. But the fundamentals of bringing sound splitting functionality to NVDA Core is present in our add-ons: app volume manipulation, nvwave changes, handling profile switches directly from nvwave module, and incorporating add-on settings to appropriate settings panel (likely speech panel). Thanks for your concerns (I’m sorry for bringing this news).