14 DAY TRIAL // One of the many reasons we buy computers is also to play our favorite movies and music. This is the case for both our home PCs and our travel mates - the notebooks. There are dozens of multimedia players out there and, naturally, everyone has a preference in this respect. Most of them have common commands so it's not too difficult to learn how to use them, but one thing all of them share, without exception, is the volume controls that help you adjust the sound level to the desired values. The key combinations may differ, but the main purpose remains the same. To use the mouse in order to actually move the volume bar up or down can sometimes be annoying, especially if you're working on something and you need to tone down the music without too much interruption.
What if you could control the volume with a simple key press or with a single click of the mouse? With Volumouse it gets even better. This freeware application will enable you to adjust the sound level, easier and faster than you could imagine. So what's its weapon of choice, you may wonder. The simple scroll wheel on your mouse. With a nice, clean roll, you take control of the volume, and select the audio level. The configuration options it offers are quite extensive and very easy to customize, as this utility is aimed at both experienced and novice users.
The installation procedure couldn't be more facile, since all you need to do is unzip the files and run the executable. When you run it for the first time, Volumouse opens the Options panel that will allow you to customize the running settings of the application. Once you've settled on the mouse rules you want to use, the utility can be found in system tray for later modifications, or if you need to open the Volume Control and adjust its features some more.
The wheel mouse rules used by this tool allow you to choose the conditions for using the scroll as a volume controller, the component to which that rule applies, the channels that will be controlled, as well as the stepping. The last functionality refers specifically to the number of steps that will be added to the volume level each time you move the mouse wheel – so, if you set a higher value, the audio will increase or decrease faster (meaning, by a larger factor). Volumouse can be utilized in managing several components such as speakers, headphones, SPDIF devices and microphone. However, the list does not end here. There are two more functions that you can control, namely the window transparency and the screen brightness.
Depending on the device you use, the application enables you to handle up to eight individual channels, while the steps values range between -8000 and +8000. For each rule you create, there are also some advanced options you can customize, in order to get the best out of the application. All you have to do is press the “More” button and you'll have instant access to the advanced settings panel. Here you'll find a variety of options that help you better personalize each rule so that it fits your exact preferences.
Volumouse lets you choose the activation trigger for a rule depending on the number of wheel moves – you can set it as high as four. There is also the audio Balance that can be managed depending on your listening habits. Another helpful feature that can be activated in the advanced panel is the automatic increase of steps value for high volume. This can come in handy if you need to turn the volume down or up very quickly when it is already set at a high level. You also get to choose between several types of indicators, that is to say, a vertical or a horizontal TrackBar and OSD (On-Screen Display). But by no means do the configurations end here: you can select the desired indicator size and position, the transparency (available only for Windows 2000 / XP), and the hot keys for increasing or decreasing the volume level.
Once you've finished setting up the application, you can save the personalized configuration file, which is very convenient if more users will access the application and need to modify the settings according to their own preferences. Once you start using it, you'll immediately notice that Volumouse is quite easy to set up and operate, while also using little system resources.
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