Installing a fake microphone on Windows Server

Question

My application, that is running on Windows Server (which is an instance on Amazon EC2) requires Skype to be able to make phone calls. The server, of course, does not have a microphone installed and I don't need it to have one, because my application changes the input source to a wav file when the call is established. However, Skype has a strict rule that a microphone must be installed for a call to be made.

Thus I want to install a fake microphone that will trick Skype's configuration.

So far, I was able to start and run the Windows Sound service, which enabled all of the sound settings.

Any ideas are very welcome!

Answer 1

Virtual Audio Cable should do what you need, including redirecting the playback of your wav file from a virtual speaker to your virtual microphone if desired: http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.html

Microsoft publishes the source code for a Virtual Audio Driver as part of the Windows Driver Development Kit. If you have access to Visual Studio, or if you know a programmer who does, compiling this virtual driver and installing it on your EC2 instance may accomplish what you need.

Answer 2

Just try to install a random driver for any microphone. There should be a standard microsoft driver implemented in Windows. I don't know if Skype checks for a real physical microphone but I guess it's just searching for an installed driver.

Answer 3

Try this one. It has it's limitations like : "Local session only (not available from Remote Desktop)" "The trial is 100% functional, but you get an annoying message every few seconds saying it's a trial."

http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.html

Answer 4

Can you install a microphone and then either not use it or disable it? Since you're changing the input to a .wav, it won't really matter.

I know it seems wasteful, put it might be the easiest solution.