Audio Mixing

[Pocster]

I've had a few reasonable successes at various ways for a doorbell sound to pause or interrupt any audio playing on the whole house audio system.

But none work exactly how I wish.

 

SO!

Is this type of thing possible?

 

3 Raspberry pi's with amps provide the audio input - but just one set of speakers for output.

It would be nice that some of the input's can be 'mixed' and some are muted.

 

For example

If rasp1 is the doorbell audio that could be mixed and be audible with say rasp2 i.e. doorbell audio and music simultaneously .

But if rasp3 plays ( this is a voice announcement ) I would want it to silence rasp2 i.e. so just the announcement is made no audio from rasp2.

 

I can see various cheap ebay/amazon type mixers but not sure if I can 'configure' which inputs can be mixed/muted.

 

Anyone understand what I am asking???

 

[dpmiller]

Are all the amp outputs simultaneously connected to only one speaker? can each Pi output a DC signal saying it's active?

 

Some PA/ background music amps have a "priority" input for announcements/ alarm signals over the music.

[SteamyTea]

41 minutes ago, pocster said:

Anyone understand what I am asking

No.

 

IF/THEN

 

[Pocster]

3 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

No.

 

IF/THEN

 

Useless . Just need someone who understands audio mixers . 
As an ex software engineer I can manage an if/then but I’m trying to do this at a hardware level ( via the mixer , even if programmable ) as the audio software api isn’t going to work 

[Pocster]

6 minutes ago, dpmiller said:

Are all the amp outputs simultaneously connected to only one speaker? can each Pi output a DC signal saying it's active?

 

Some PA/ background music amps have a "priority" input for announcements/ alarm signals over the music.

Thanks 

Yes all raspberry pi amps all active at once . Don’t know of a way that the pi can pull a gpio line high on audio output ...

[elite]

It is commonly called "auto ducking" in the audio/DJ world - for when the DJ talks over those disco classics

 

Usually done with an audio compressor with a sidechain input - RP3 would go into the side chain, controlling the compression on the main audio feed

[Pocster]

8 minutes ago, elite said:

It is commonly called "auto ducking" in the audio/DJ world - for when the DJ talks over those disco classics

 

Usually done with an audio compressor with a sidechain input - RP3 would go into the side chain, controlling the compression on the main audio feed

Erm ! Sure you are right . Can you link to some cheap stuff on eBay please ? ?

I also believe ( correct me if wrong ) that a microphone input would mute all other channels ? ( so perfect for automated speech ) ....

[Bramco]

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PulseAudio and https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Audio/Alsamixer  seeing as you're a s/w person

 

I use these on a Pi that takes line input from a deck - having said that I haven't the faintest how to really get them working - I just followed some home brew instructions....

 

Simon

[elite]

9 minutes ago, pocster said:

Erm ! Sure you are right . Can you link to some cheap stuff on eBay please ? ?

I also believe ( correct me if wrong ) that a microphone input would mute all other channels ? ( so perfect for automated speech ) ....

 

Something like Alesis 3630 - not renowned for being a brilliant compressor, but should be more than good enough for the job 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194189465188

 

Manual here - has section on side chain and ducking

https://www.alesis.com/products/view/3630-compressor

 

You set the amount of gain reduction you want on the main audio signal - so mute or just turn it down, this kicks in when a certain threshold is reached on the side chain input from RP3

[Pocster]

9 minutes ago, Bramco said:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PulseAudio and https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Audio/Alsamixer  seeing as you're a s/w person

 

I use these on a Pi that takes line input from a deck - having said that I haven't the faintest how to really get them working - I just followed some home brew instructions....

 

Simon

Nah that’s all pants !

Tempted to go for a 20 quid ebay mixer and have announcements and doorbell just play at the same time as any music . Simpler solution .

[Pocster]

Just now, elite said:

 

Something like Alesis 3630 - not renowned for being a brilliant compressor, but should be more than good enough for the job 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194189465188

 

Manual here - has section on side chain and ducking

https://www.alesis.com/products/view/3630-compressor

 

You set the amount of gain reduction you want on the main audio signal - so mute or just turn it down, this kicks in when a certain threshold is reached on the side chain input from RP3

Bit of a chunky monkey for 70 quid . Was looking at things like 

https://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=152411240874&category=19699&pm=1&ds=0&t=1623075843000&ver=0&cspheader=1

 

( no idea if that does what I want )

 

[elite]

9 minutes ago, pocster said:

Bit of a chunky monkey for 70 quid . Was looking at things like 

https://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=152411240874&category=19699&pm=1&ds=0&t=1623075843000&ver=0&cspheader=1

 

( no idea if that does what I want )

 

 

Not sure it does - think you have to press the talkover button?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274822256367?hash=item3ffcaed6ef:g:oQkAAOSwgJ5gujfD
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184875737701?hash=item2b0b73e265:g:iDgAAOSw0~pgvkoT

 

You would also some kind of audio mixer (with inserts), which would push the price up too, but you might have this already to combine the 3 pis?

[Pocster]

4 minutes ago, elite said:

 

Not sure it does - think you have to press the talkover button?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274822256367?hash=item3ffcaed6ef:g:oQkAAOSwgJ5gujfD
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184875737701?hash=item2b0b73e265:g:iDgAAOSw0~pgvkoT

 

You would also some kind of audio mixer (with inserts), which would push the price up too, but you might have this already to combine the 3 pis?

Lot of big gear just to have a voice say “ @onoff at the door - F off “ 

[Pocster]

Tempted by this 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264499270875?hash=item3d956294db:g:Dx4AAOSwob5fD-tR

 

passive and simple , oh and small and cheap ?

[Pocster]

9 minutes ago, pocster said:

Tempted by this 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264499270875?hash=item3d956294db:g:Dx4AAOSwob5fD-tR

 

passive and simple , oh and small and 

Edited June 7, 2021 by pocster
Twat

[Temp]

I understand what you want to do but i think more info is needed on the whole house audio system. Is there a point in the system where you can insert an analogue mixer or is it all digital these days?

 

 

 

[Pocster]

12 minutes ago, Temp said:

I understand what you want to do but i think more info is needed on the whole house audio system. Is there a point in the system where you can insert an analogue mixer or is it all digital these days?

 

 

 

All digital 

Basically a raspi pi per room .

So on the rooms where I want the doorbell heard or speech insert one of these .

In reality probably only want doorbell on ground level hallway speaker and below ground kitchen speaker . Speech announcements probably just underground also .

So doorbird button push will do a http request which HA picks up triggering mp3 play via squeezebox onto relevant raspberry pi .

Why make it complicated ??

[Temp]

Ah so I guess that rules out something  like this..

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/217365-REG/Rolls_DU30B_DU30b_Audio_Ducker_with.html/overview?gclid=Cj0KCQjwh_eFBhDZARIsALHjIKepwrHczjJzEZGgfoXvjjoFBPRjfYtov8-nXU3FERocpOcd98_Dzb0aAu5sEALw_wcB

 

Its an auto ducking mixer.

Edited June 7, 2021 by Temp

[elite]

Or can you track where you are in the playlist, inject your audio for the door, then resume where the playlist was up to?

[Onoff]

Gotta love a posho with too much money, over complicating things! 

 

Here's one I made earlier...like 40 years earlier. Based round a CA3140E op amp. 

 

 

Looks like I added a little amp at some time...

 

 

What's a little hum between friends? ?

 

[Pocster]

18 minutes ago, elite said:

Or can you track where you are in the playlist, inject your audio for the door, then resume where the playlist was up to?

Yeah I looked into that . The squeezebox server software is well ropey - that just didn’t work in any reliable way hence the ‘ hardware ‘ method 

[dpmiller]

@pocster are you talking about line level or speaker level here? Mixers are low-level/high impedance, and you've already said your Rasps have inbuilt amps?

[SteamyTea]

I have a cheap fitness tracker watch somewhere.  That can take a signal from the phone.

Can't you make up something like that, a band that vibrates when someone rings your bell, or at least vibrates your ring if you are worried about snagging your strap.

Edited June 8, 2021 by SteamyTea

[Pocster]

13 hours ago, dpmiller said:

@pocster are you talking about line level or speaker level here? Mixers are low-level/high impedance, and you've already said your Rasps have inbuilt amps?

Speaker level I guess 

[Onoff]

Any use?

 

https://github.com/nooploop/piejam