VAServer Launcher

This holds prebuild VAServers for Windows which can be launched from Unreal using a python script. Additionally, this allows to specify all rendering settings for VA within the Unreal project, while costumizing the hardware and reproduction settings on the target machine running the VAServer.

Requiremirents

• Python version 3.X
• An Unreal project using the Unreal VA plugin

Quick guide for local usage

VAServer and Unreal project are running on same computer

VAServer Launcher:

• Checkout this repository to your computer, use the default folder name VAServer

Unreal project:

• Your project (e.g. this demo-project) should be placed next to the VAServer folder
• Make sure the Use VAServer Launcher option of your VAReceiverActor is enabled
• Run the project: The VAServer Launcher should be automatically started launching a VAServer instance. Unreal connets to this instance and an audio stream should be audible (default output should be headphones on channels 1 & 2).

Quick guide for remote usage

VAServer and Unreal project on different computers

Computer running VAServer:

• Checkout this repository
• Manually start the VAServer Launcher by running ./LaunchScripts/VirtualAcousticsStarterServer.py via python

Computer running Unreal:

• Make sure the Use VAServer Launcher option of your VAReceiverActor is enabled
• Run the project: The VAServer Launcher should start a VAServer instance. Unreal connets to this instance and an audio stream should be audible (default output should be headphones on channels 1 & 2).

Launcher configuration

The VAServer Launcher can be configured by adjusting the settings in ./LaunchScripts/VirtualAcousticStarterConfig.json.

If you want to use other VAServer versions than provided, you can extend the dVAServerDirectories dictionary.

VAServer configuration

A set of .ini files is provided in the ./conf directory. The VAServer launcher will automatically combine them before starting the VAServer. For this to work, you should not change those files with the following exceptions.

Audio hardware

The audio hardware settings are specific to each computer and typically have to be modified in the VASetup.Launcher.ini. Those include audio driver and output device settings including the respective channels (e.g. headphones on channels 1 & 2).

Audio reproduction

The audio reproduction settings can to be modified in the VAReproduction.Prototype.ini. VA uses reproduction modules to specify how the audio stream is processed before being sent to the output devices. For examples binaural signals can be reproduced using a direct routing to headphones or using cross-talk cancellation (CTC) and loudspeakers.

Per default the following reproduction modules are defined

• TalkthroughHP
• Headphones
• CTC
• TalkthroughLS
• AmbisonicsLS
• AmbisonicsBinauralMixdown

You can add additional modules, if you want. However, you should not rename the existing ones. Furthermore, all modules must be disbaled [Enabled = false]. The VAServer Launcher will automatically enable the reproduction modules specified in the VirtualAcousticStarterConfig.json (see Launcher configuration) when starting the VAServer.

In any case, especially for the loudspeaker-based modules, you will have to update the Outputs setting according to what you defined in the VASetup.Launcher.ini.

Audio rendering

The rendering settings specify, how audio is rendered based on the virtual sources and the receiver in your scene. Typically, this should live in your Unreal project (see Unreal project configuration). However, the file VARendering.Default.ini is provided in case the Unreal project does not provide such a file.

Unreal project configuration

When working with the Unreal VA plugin, all settings regarding the VAServer Launcher can be found in the VAReceiverActor under the VAServer Launcher category.