Capture the soundcard's output?

Question

I\'m trying to get the data that the soundcard is outputting. Unfortunately, from my understanding of the Java Sound API, SourceDataLine does not support the read method, an

Answer 1

I've researched this a while, and determined any implementation using only java sound will not work with any reliability on multiple audio cards.

There are a few solutions though. Hopefully one of these helps you.

1. Bite the bullet, write some C++ code to allow this functionality on different operating systems.
2. Use Java Sound to capture audio from a virtual audio recorder adapter which loops back the system audio output.
3. Create a loopback yourself using cables to feed a sound output port into a sound input port.

I recommend option 1 if you're developing this for a professional application as installation will be cleaner.

Go with option 2 if you've a short amount of time, and you expect to spend more time with your users, or your users are tech savvy.

Use option 3 if this is just a hobby, or some one-off project for a client.