Not specifically Sonar related folks but a problem I've come up against. 
 
I have a Tascam US-4x4 interface and want to run simultaneous applications through it. For example play my guitar through Sonar/TH3 and switch to YouTube to hear a video when I'm learning a song for example. I don't have a guitar amp so can only play my guitar through a DAW.
 
I understand this is a limitation of ASIO, but is there a way around it? Bought a guitar tuition course last week through Udemy and I want to be able to play the videos in the course, hear them, and play my guitar along with the tuition. Can't do it. Real pain. 
 
Thanks 
 
Dave 

Most programs do not use ASIO so the driver is not a problem. If you want to run everything though the Tascam interface make sure the sample rate in Windows and SONAR are set the same. This should enable all the programs to use the interface at the same time.

Thanks. You can set the sample rate in Windows? Couldn’t see that option when I looked.

Still not sure your suggestion works. Simultaneous use of ASIO drivers seems to be a limitation of ASIO itself. It’s a known issue. Steinberg apparently released a ‘wrapper’ that enables it but that’s outdated now. Yes I do want to run everything through my Tascam interface.

But nevertheless, thanks for your suggestion!

Dave

Not a limitation of ASIO at all.
you tube is using PC speakers and Sonar is using Studio speakers.
Should work no problem.
 
 
 

My 'PC speakers and 'Studio' speakers are one and the same thing. When I try and run two things simultaneously I get a message saying something like 'your resources are being used by another application'. Or words to that effect.
 
And it definitely is an issue that some ASIO drivers allow only one application at a time to access the audio interface. 

ASIO is, at least on Windows, something of an incomplete standard, or perhaps there is something in the audio layer of Windows that prevents it from providing features which really are necessary?

In either case, a multi-client implementation would be awesome, but I can also imagine a case where it is an annoyance, or even a problem. Still, the ability to make that choice one's self would be nice!

The feature I'd really like to see is the ability to aggregate multiple ASIO devices. That would make life so much easier!

yellowcake64
Thanks. You can set the sample rate in Windows? Couldn’t see that option when I looked.

The sample rate in Windows is set from the Windows Control Panel Sound setup screen. In the playback tab click on the default device to enable the properties button. Click properties. The sample rate setting in on the Advanced tab in properties.
 

yellowcake64
Still not sure your suggestion works. Simultaneous use of ASIO drivers seems to be a limitation of ASIO itself. It’s a known issue.

Works for me and has on several machines with different external audio interfaces. The only programs that can use ASIO on my PC are DAWs, stand alone synths, VST hosts, video  and audio editors. Since latency is only an issue with DAWs, stand alone synths and VST hosts, they are the only programs I configure to use ASIO. I have never needed more than one of them running at a time. Programs like browsers and media players do not use ASIO. The regular windows drivers work just fine for everything and I have no trouble using my DAW and other programs at the same time with all the audio playing through my external interface.
 
Of course, the interface can only play at one sample rate at a time. This is why it is important that all the programs using ASIO and Windows have the same sample rate.

Hmm. My set-up isn't like that I don't think. The only drivers visible on my Windows set-up are the Tascam ones. It's the only soundcard connected to the computer. Nothing else is plugged in. Thought I'd sussed it - under the 'Advanced' tab you mentioned, there's a tickbox, 'allow applications to take exclusive control of this device'. This was ticked. But even with it unticked, nothing changes. 
 
It seems on my set-up, everything is using the ASIO drivers. It has no choice - the only thing connected to the PC that offers sound is the Tascam. 
 
I've read there are some interfaces whose ASIO drivers allow simultaneous playback - RME is one - but it seems the Tascam doesn't. 
 
But thanks for your help anyway. Seems I'm screwed on this. 
 
Dave 

Windows can be a bit flaky on how it lets applications allocate the audio drivers, which is why I use a second speaker system on the Realtek chip and set that as the "default device" in Windows.
 
Barring the above option (if not feasible), you may want to try ASIO4ALL, which is actually a WDM wrapper that looks like "ASIO" to Windows applications. That may be the "wrapper" you were referring to in your second post.
 

yellowcake64
I've read there are some interfaces whose ASIO drivers allow simultaneous playback - RME is one - but it seems the Tascam doesn't.

Yes, RME is... RME
 
It is a property of particular drivers what is allowed to work simultaneously. I do not have Tascam. In general:
* all interfaces allow multiple programs when Windows internal mixer is used to glue all streams together (MME, WDM)
* many interfaces allow simultaneously use ASIO (one program) and MME/WDM (all other programs), as long as the sample rate is the same
* rare interfaces allow simultaneous  ASIO access from many programs
 
Finally, since you have 4x4, you can connect the output of your internal interface to the input of 4x4 and set internal interface as Windows audio output. That is what many people do to avoid problems (the fact some device support something does not mean it support that good or without extra limits).