Enable audio on remote Windows computer through xfreerdp

Question

I'm using xfreerdp to login to a windows machine (runnning windos 7 64bit) on my desk next to my linux machine (running RHEL7).

Normally I use:

xfreerdp -k uk -g 1280x950 --no-nla --plugin cliprdr

Which leaves the audio disabled. I can forward the sound output from the windows machine to my linux box using:

xfreerdp --plugin drdynvc --plugin rdpsnd

I cannot use the linux microphone device to supply audio to the windows box. I tried:

--plugin audin_pulse 

and setting the registry entry:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp

fDisableAudioCapture

to 0. I'm not sure how to fix this problem, despite looking at similar questions here.

However, the windows box is on my desk so I would be perfectly happy to have use the headphone and mic sockets there instead. That is I don't want to forward the audio at all just leave it enabled on the remote machine. Remote desktop seems to disable it (on the windows side I think) by default .

Under the old rdesktop program I was able to run -r sound:remote or -r sound:local to do this. What is the equivalent on xfreerdp?

[Background: I am aiming to use skype for business on the windows box. It doesn't matter where I plug the headset in as long as I can get it to work. I do have pidgin+sipe working on the linux box but I'm not certain all the features will work]

Answer 1

My google-fu came back.

after digging some more, I found the answer, use /audio-mode:1 to leave audio on server. I just tested it, and my Windows VM sees the USB audio device I mapped through, a USB headset for VOIP.

xfreerdp /w:1904 /h:1120 /u:myusername /audio-mode:1 /v:192.168.1.2 +clipboard +fonts

https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/wiki/CommandLineInterface

values are 0 - redirect locally, 1 - leave on server, 2 - none

I find this alias useful:

alias rdp_ad="xfreerdp /w:1904 /h:1120 '/u:mydomain\myusername' +clipboard +fonts "

Answer 2

With FreeRDP version 2[1] and Windows 10, what you need is the following

xfreerdp /v:MyWindows /sound /microphone

It detects PulseAudio and says:

...
[INFO][com.freerdp.channels.rdpsnd.client] - Loaded pulse backend for rdpsnd
[INFO][com.freerdp.channels.audin.client] - Loaded pulse backend for audin
...

It's super easy.

[1]: The exact versions I've tested is 2.0.0~git20190204.1.2693389a+dfsg1-2 on Debian Sid with PulseAudio 13.0-5

Answer 3

It works now !!!

An example to get it working from a Linux machine to a Windows Server 2016 requires that you install the following Services and Roles in your Windows Server 2016.

(That image shows a lot of features, but those are added if you just look for 'Remote Desktop Services' in 'Server Roles' and a bit further in the installation steps in 'Role Services' just select 'Remote Desktop Session Host'). After that it will require a reboot ...

Then make your xfreerdp connection be like this:

xfreerdp /microphone:sys:alsa /sound:sys:alsa /clipboard /u:MyUser /v:MyServerIPorHostname

Only change 'MyUser' and 'MyServerIPorHostname' for your respective data.

It will use ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) and so redirect your default devices from your local Linux PC.

[That way you can have a full Skype experience over RDP with xfreerdp]

Answer 4

I use the following command line to connect to a virtual, RDP-enabled Windows virtual machine I have locally (to run work Windows, applications not compatible with Wine):

xfreerdp /d: /u:username /p:password /v:ip_address /size:100% /dynamic-resolution /drive:home,$HOME /audio-mode:0 /microphone:sys:pulse /sound:sys:pulse

This maps my home directory to be accessed under Windows, enables audio and microphone through pulse audio, sets window resizeble and to fit 100% of available screen area (leaving Mint/Cinnamon taskbar still visible). It runs smoothly on Linux Mint 20/20.1 Cinnamon Edition.

Hope it helps.