Virtual Audio Cable (VAC)
20+ years of experience. Connects audio apps together since 1998.
Virtual Audio Cable (VAC)
20+ years of experience. Connects audio apps together since 1998.
Please make sure that you are going to install the proper version/build. All package file are versioned, named "vac460", "vac415full", and so on. Trial version packages have no suffix, free version packages have the "free" suffix, full version packages have the "full" one.
If you have downloaded a self-installing EXE file, you don't need to unpack it manually, just skip to the next chapter. But some Windows releases for ARM64 may not correctly support x86 emulation, so the self-installing EXE may not run. In such case, you need either to unpack it with 7-Zip archive manager or to download the distribution package in ZIP archive form.
If you have downloaded a ZIP archive, you need to unpack it before running the installer. You can do it using Windows internal ZIP pseudo-folder support, simply "entering into" the package, selecting all files and folders, and then copying them all to an empty folder. Don't try to run the installer right inside the ZIP pseudo-folder, it will not work properly.
Alternatively, you can unpack the package using 7-Zip, IZArc or similar archive managers that support ZIP format.
Please take care to preserve subfolder structure of the package. It is not recommended to unpack the package to an encrypted and/or network folder and/or disk, use a plain disk/folder.
Creating an empty folder to unpack the installation package, use a simply name so that the folder path does not contain unusual characters.
If you are installing VAC on ARM64 machine, some Windows releases may not correctly support x86 emulation, so the main installer module setup.exe may not run. In such case, run setup64a.exe instead.
If you have some previous major (2.xx or 3.xx) version of VAC installed, make sure you have chosen different installation folder and Start Menu folder. Different major versions of VAC can coexist on the same system but they need to be installed to different places.
If you are installing under Windows 5.x system and there is at least one WDM audio device in your system, VAC installer uses a lightweight installation mode that is silent and you will see no system warning messages. But if your system has no WDM audio devices or you are running Windows 6.x+, installer performs a compatible-mode installation. In such case, the system may warn you that the driver has no WHQL signature. The system may also warn that product publisher is Muzychenko Evgenii Viktorovich and ask whether you trust it. Let the system install the driver.
Windows 6.x+, kernel-mode drivers require a publisher's digital signature to be loaded. VAC driver is signed by a certificate issued to Muzychenko Evgenii Viktorovich.
After successful installation, you will receive a confirmation dialog. If there were no errors, Windows restart is not required. VAC becomes functional immediately after the installation completes. If Windows cannot safely replace system files during installation, a reboot is required to make VAC active.
Performing the installation, Setup application creates a log file in Administrator's temporary folder. This file reflects all operations performed by the installer. If the installation succeeds, log file is moved to the installation directory and renamed to "install.log". Saved log file may be needed if some problems will appear further. If the installation fails, the installer prompts you to keep the log file in a temporary folder. If you experience a problem with installation, please keep the file and attach it to your support request.
As a result of the successful installation, a new system-wide device named "Virtual Audio Cable" appears in the Sound/Multimedia device group of the Device Manager.
In Windows 6.x+, due to endpoint mechanism, Virtual Cable endpoints are named as "XXX N (Virtual Audio Cable)" where "XXX" stands for a source line name and "N" stands for a cable number. By default, only a single source line is exposed, named "Line" (an "analog line input"), so the full name of the appropriate recording endpoint is "Line 1 (Virtual Audio Cable)". At a cable playback end, VAC also exposes the "Line" playback endpoint (an "analog line output"), its full name is "Line 1 (Virtual Audio Cable)" too. So, by default, there will be a single input and a single output waveform audio pin for each Virtual Cable.
In Windows 5.x, the driver exposes a set of audio (waveform) endpoints named "Virtual Cable N" (N is cable number). Unlike previous VAC versions (1.x, 2.x and 3.x), In and Out endpoints have the same names, as usual in modern Windows versions. It is easy to distinct them because all applications place input/recording and output/playback endpoint names to different lists.
Totally, VAC can expose up to three source lines from each cable: Microphone input ("Mic"), line input ("Line") and S/PDIF input ("S/PDIF"). You can control them with VAC Control Panel.
If you don't see VAC endpoints in audio device/endpoint lists, run a KS application (for example, Audio Repeater KS) to check if there are "Virtual Cable N" input/output pins. If these pins are present, it means that VAC driver is loaded and exposes its KS pins as expected, but the system does not convert them to high-level endpoints for some reason. This may be related to a known issue (for example, an inappropriate remote connection or virtualized environment).
The setup process also creates the "Virtual Audio Cable" (unless you modified this name) folder in the Start Menu. It contain shortcuts to Audio Repeater, VAC Control Panel and other useful links. If the All Users menu (Start Menu folders for all users at this computer) is available, VAC folder is created here. Otherwise, the folder is created for the currently logged user.
Now you can begin using VAC.
Immediately after successful installation, check default device/endpoint settings because Windows may automatically change them upon new audio device installation. If Windows automatically sets Virtual Cable endpoint(s) as default playback one(s), all system sounds, sounds from the browsers and some other sounds will be routed to VAC, and you won't hear them until restore your preferred settings manually.
Setup utility works for an ordinary user by default. In this mode, any abnormal situation will abort the installation process. If you are an experienced user and can understand some abnormal situations (for example, when file being created is already present), you can select the "I am an advanced user" checkbox. In such case, you will be prompted if some files, devices and/or services already exists and may be overwritten. Use this feature with extreme care. In general, there are no need to overwrite anything during normal installation process. You need an advanced mode only if you have incorrectly uninstalled VAC or tried to install it over the already installed one.
When the general installation mode fails, you can try the advanced mode.
First, locate a file system folder and Start Menu folder where VAC files and shortcuts are installed, and delete them. Start the setup utility and check the "I am an advanced user" item. When prompted to overwrite existing files and replace service and/or device descriptors, answer Yes/Ok.
At first phase, the installer may be unable to replace all objects needed, and installation process may abort again. In such case, reboot the system and run the installation in advanced mode again. If prompted for overwriting some files, answer Yes. At this second phase, installation must succeed. If it aborts again, request a support.