Windows Audio Control

Control your Windows master, app-specific, and foreground process volumes with your own microcontroller and rotary encoders.

✨ Features

• Channel Mixing: Control Master, specific Apps, and the currently focused window.
• Mute Function: Push the encoder to toggle mute for the assigned channel.
• Intelligent Foreground Control: Automatically targets the active window's volume, but stays locked to the last audio-producing app until a new, unmapped sound source is detected.
• Volume Indicator: Shows the current audio level (volume meter) for the assigned channel.
• Auto-Reconnect: Automatically restores connection if the Arduino is unplugged.

🚀 Installation & Setup

⚠️ Important Python Note: If you run the project from source, you must use Python 3.13. Higher versions (like Python 3.14+) are currently not supported.

1. Hardware: Connect your rotary encoders to the microcontroller.

Current prototype setup on a breadboard

2. Firmware: Upload your version of the sketch_dec17b.ino from the /sketch_dec17b folder to the microcontroller. Ensure the pin assignments match your wiring.
3. Environment Setup: (If running from Python source) If you are not using the .exe, set up your virtual environment and install the required dependencies.
4. Configuration: Before running the .exe or audio-control.py make sure to edit the config.json:
   • Set the com_port (If left empty, the first device that uses a COM port will be used.).
   • Configure your channels using these options:

Channel Option	Description
master	Adjusts the global Windows system volume.
foreground	Adjusts the volume of the application currently in focus.
app.exe	Adjusts the volume of a specific app (e.g., spotify.exe).

5. Autostart (Optional): Create a shortcut of the .exe and place it in the Windows Startup folder (shell:startup) to launch it automatically on boot.
6. Run: Start audio-control.exe or run python audio-control.py.

Indicators example

Visual audio level meters for active channels: