Micspam Tutorial (Virtual Audio Cable) - Update Guide 2016

Description about the micspam

Have you ever wanted to micspam some good stuff (more relaxing) in some TRADE, IDLE, ETC server and you don't even know how to do it?. Fear not.. I have something to show you guys how to Properly Micspam in TF2 (Other source game might work)

Before we start with this tutorial.. I suggest you read this following notes.

==============================< ! >WARNING < ! >=======================================

SOME SERVER ARE NOT ALLOW TO MICSPAM OR EARAPE THE MICROPHONE.
IT MAY RESULT USER GETTING TEMPORARILY MUTE, PERMANENT MUTE OR PERMANENT BAN.
IF YOU WILLING TO PROCEED THIS. DO AT YOUR OWN RISK!

=============================================================================

Introduction of Micspam and Alternative HLDJ program

Hi, I bet some of you guys curious what is really a MICSPAM that people talk about in some server.
The Micspam is like a chat spam with lenny face etc but It audio spam that what I call, Micspam can be annoying, relaxing, fun, or mixing feeling. A good Micspam that people play the audio through HLDJ, most of them play either A joke stuff like fan fiction story or it can be a music that you like to hear or Background Music Game. On the other side, A micspam may contain a disturbing to the player that on the game server such as Porn stuff or even worst the Earape MLG DORITOS MEME JOHN CENA stuff. :)

Alright you read the main stuff from above right?
First, You guys need to check whether your computer has compatible sound card.
Some old sound card may not working.

You might heard HLDJ progam, yes? You probably has use it or may be not even work due bad setup or something like that. We have Alternative method for Micspam the audio.

All You need are the program such as the following;

• Winamp (Foobar2000 or anything related with it)
  
• Virtual Audio Cable (Not a Freeware, but You can find Full version via googling the title)
  
• Sound file (Duh! You can't micspam without sound!)
  
• Audacity (or any similar as this apps)

Got all of that? Now let's proceed to the next move.

Micspam setup (Virtual Audio Cable)

Now you have the program let's set it up.
It hard to explain with words so I'll put some image so it make the guide quite easier to understand
that what will you do with the program.

First you need install those progam normally once you done you may need restart your computer due new virtual audio device added.

Make sure your tab has this emulated device, You may check on them via Sound Properties.
The image was taken in D
UNDER THE (PLAYBACK) TAB

( ! ) Is the VAC Audio emulated device added, Don't set Line 1, Virtual Audio Device as default device, It will cause your sound to be muted.

UNDER THE (RECORDING) TAB

( ! ) Set the Line 1 VAC to default device

If you have same sound setting as the image, you can proceed next step.

Micspam Setup (Setting the Winamp)

Now you have the VAC driver ready. It time for Tweeking the Winamp.
All you have to do now is open the winamp.
Please note my winamp different than you due i'm using Winamp Modern skin

SETUP AND CHANGE THE DEFAULT AUDIO PATH TO VAC

Let me explain a bit how the image suppose to.
1. Once you open the WINAMP, the first thing you wanna do is to hit [CTRL + P] or
click Options and then PREFERENCE

2. Now you just click Preference from step 1, It pop up the configuration for Winamp
find the PLUG-INS on left panel and you will find some child menu below it and just click [Output] it will Open Output's configuration on right panel

3. Once you click Output on left side panel, it will show 3 of the drivers available. You may click the 1st driver or 3rd driver (on purple retangle). Double click the driver and it popup audio driver configuration (3rd picture)

4. On third picture where the Audio Driver configuration. You will see the [Device:] option available to change. By default it will select to [Device: Speaker (Insert Brand name here)]. If it not same as the 3rd picture above change it to [Device: Line 1 (Virtual Audio Cable)]. If you try play an audio file You will not hear anything, no need worry about that because the sound actually playing through your virtual audio driver instead your default audio hardware.

EXTRA NOTES:

All Microphone use Mono channel so that mean, you need Mono audio file. If you don't have
you need audio editor application such as Audacity.

Audio File Setup (Audacity)

Now you set those setup for Winamp and VAC now it time for Audio file setup.

First thing you do is to understand what the sound file contain. Most Musician or BGM use high quality sound file which is better sample file (44.1KHz ~ 48KHz).
Here the file sound file infomation for micspam.

SAMPLE RATE

xxx.wav (Not Compressed)	11000Hz (11KHz)	Mono
xxx.mp3 (Compressed)	22050Hz (22KHz)	Mono
xxx.ogg (Compressed)	44100Hz (44.1KHz)	Mono

Please take note the higher sample file the larger the file size and ofcourse the larger sample file
the better sound quality but don't expect micspam will sound 100% same as the normally play with audio player.

AUDIO CHANNEL

There are 2 type common audio channel which is STEREO and MONO. Always remember that
If you want micspam don't use stereo audio file. You will hear how
horrible the sound quality is, if you play that channel regardless highest quality sample file.

You may want change the audio channel from your sound file.
Here the preview how to change Stereo Channel to Mono Channel


Open the Audacity, then load the file you want to convert. Keep the Project Rate (Hz) 44,100.



Now select/click the wavelength on editor (just click or you can't select the track to convert channel) and then click [TRACK] then select [STEREO TRACK TO MONO]
And your audio will play in mono channel.



Now if it turn to something like same in the picture. It mean you doing the correct conversion.
Now save the file as normally. I recommend save as .OGG format set higher quality as possible.
You could rename the file like this "[44KHz HLDJ] Filename" or "[Micspam] Filename"
You almost complete the tutorial. Time to mess around with Console command in source game.

Console Commands (Microphone Value and Settings)

Before we launch into the game.
You need change the microphone in Steam. Because most Source game use that mic input from steam settings.

CHANGING MIC DEVICES ON STEAM

Open the Steam, then click [STEAM] at top left corner, it will slide down more options. Click the [SETTINGS] then it will popup something like this picture.



You can also click [DETECT AUDIO DEVICES] It will automaticly pick default recording devices if you select Line 1 (VAC) as default record. Now we can jump into the game to mess
around with console commands

The mic in console commands is this (copy from my tf2 autoexec.cfg)

//================================================================================
// VOICE/MICSPAM Optimization  ||Voice chat setting and micspam setting (Optimize mic quality effect)
//================================================================================

voice_avggain 0
// ^ Voice average gain default (0) #Value can be in decimal (x.xx)
//   Increasing the value will give overall EQ Effect but not worth though.

voice_maxgain 3
// ^ Voice Max Gain default (10) #Value can be in decimal (x.xx)
//   You may set value around 3 ~ 6. If you set to high will cause human earrape.

voice_overdrive 1
// ^ Default value is (2)
//   if you set value 0 you are unable to hear ingame sound aka fire weapon, melee swing etc..

voice_debugfeedback 1
// ^ ???
//   Some sort of debug i think?

voice_fadeouttime 0
// ^ Set 0 might gives less mic stutter effect.
//   This will produce how well the fadeout effect. default value is 0.1

voice_loopback 1
// ^ Default is (0) #Value can be set by 0 or 1
//   When value is 1, The mic/voice you just sent will be looped back to you.

// ======== MICSPAM NOTES: ======================================================
// If you have HLDJ program please convert the song/music before you start micspam.
// Alternatively, You can use software like Audacity and change the sound format to 
// Frequency : 8000-44KHz | Output mode: MONO | Sound bit : 16-Bit PCM | File format: .wav (HLDJ only) | .ogg or .mp3
//===============================================================================

You can copy the code or write to the console commands and save to autoexec.cfg on tf2 config folder (steam/steamapps/common/team fortress 2/tf/cfg). One more thing, if you like to micspam without holding [V] key endlessly. Just type in console commands;

+voicerecord

To stop just press the V key again and it stop.
Now you finally done with the settings. Test the micspam and Good Luck, Have FUN.

If you kinda lost you can check my demostration here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfbOo3MtDEM

Optional (Game Settings and Equipment)

So you probably say "hey it work!" but remember on this section is an optional to have;

• Multimedia Keyboard
  The purpose of this is to allow you play a media player via hiting special key on the multimedia keyboard. Sometimes you have to bind the shortcut key of media player keyboard. (depend on kb types)
  
  
• Monitor (1600x900 or above)
  If you have monitor that can run higher resolution you can keep play the game in Window mode
  instead full screen so you can just press alt+tab to go media player to play a micspam material.
  But this equipment is optional. most laptop can't run on higher resolution (common reso: 1366x768)

null, null,

[KatieKillings]

is it possible to also have your mic working so you can talk as well

[Sяεтzø]

By the since new codec applied on TF2. You don't need to convert the sound since the quality is quite similar than media player sound.

[Zekion]

Holy shit. Thank you SO much. This is the first actual helpful guide that is very informative and not so nooby. I love you. Thank you! <3