Distorted audio when streaming to Deck while using official dock.

[CFSixString]

This is oddly specific and used to not be an issue but if I try to use remote play with my Steam Deck while docked to my TV, the audio is completely distorted. No issues if I disconnect the dock. I've tested the stable beta and preview branches but no luck. Any ideas?

EDIT: Switching to Preview did trigger a dock firmware update but that didn't help.

EDIT 2: The most recent client beta fixed the problem. Thank you Valve!

[Bad Boy Bubby]

Try jiggling the usb c cable to dock or from c cable to deck, issue with mine is hdmi messes up until I check usb c is firm fitted

[CFSixString]

Originally posted by Paint It Redder:

Try jiggling the usb c cable to dock or from c cable to deck, issue with mine is hdmi messes up until I check usb c is firm fitted

Good idea but no luck. To be clear, regular audio from the deck through the dock sounds fine. The issue is specific to remote play.

[DasNull]

Having the same issue, tried messing around with audio channel settings and the sample rate on the PC side but it’s all distorted.

[CFSixString]

Originally posted by DasNull:

Having the same issue, tried messing around with audio channel settings and the sample rate on the PC side but it’s all distorted.

Yeah I tried this too, but I can stream to other devices (as well as the Steam deck when not docked) without any audio issues. Hope it's something Valve can fix in an update.

[Ricochet Saw]

I have the same, host/desktop beta, deck os beta downgraded to stable, deck steam beta, firmware 118.

If i switch back to deck client stable the problem disappears.

It has nothing to do with the host machine at all, audio devices and device settings don't matter.

really goofy workaround: change your audio device on the deck to the 'speakers', launch your remote play session. From your actual deck speakers you should hear the toast from the desktop notifying that you're connected. Hit the steam button and switch your audio device back to "external audio" and it should no longer be distorted. You will have to do this each time you launch a remote play session.

edit: OP, when you swap channels are you doing the restarts and checking for updates to make sure you've fully downpatched to stable?

[deaddoof]

You can try and talk to the pipewire maintainer and learn how to debug your issues.

https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/pipewire/pipewire

After the issue is found, a fix can be released.

[CFSixString]

Originally posted by Ricochet Saw:

I have the same, host/desktop beta, deck os beta downgraded to stable, deck steam beta, firmware 118.

If i switch back to deck client stable the problem disappears.

It has nothing to do with the host machine at all, audio devices and device settings don't matter.

really goofy workaround: change your audio device on the deck to the 'speakers', launch your remote play session. From your actual deck speakers you should hear the toast from the desktop notifying that you're connected. Hit the steam button and switch your audio device back to "external audio" and it should no longer be distorted. You will have to do this each time you launch a remote play session.

edit: OP, when you swap channels are you doing the restarts and checking for updates to make sure you've fully downpatched to stable?

Hmm I thought I did because it made me reinstall all the client updates when I went back to preview but I'll try the workaround next time I want to stream since I'm getting attached to 3.5 haha

[Ricochet Saw]

Originally posted by CFSixString:

Hmm I thought I did because it made me reinstall all the client updates when I went back to preview but I'll try the workaround next time I want to stream since I'm getting attached to 3.5 haha

It's not 3.5 it's the steam deck client beta update.

[CFSixString]

Originally posted by Ricochet Saw:

Originally posted by CFSixString:

Hmm I thought I did because it made me reinstall all the client updates when I went back to preview but I'll try the workaround next time I want to stream since I'm getting attached to 3.5 haha

It's not 3.5 it's the steam deck client beta update.

Right but can I roll back the client while keeping the system on preview? I didn't think I could.

[Ricochet Saw]

Originally posted by CFSixString:

Originally posted by Ricochet Saw:

It's not 3.5 it's the steam deck client beta update.

Right but can I roll back the client while keeping the system on preview? I didn't think I could.

I mean you can, turn on 'show advanced update channels' and switch to stable client and keep os on 'beta'. It's not supported though, but does fix the audio distortion.

Valve should rethink the naming convention for 'preview' honestly, it was really confusion for me seeing "update to preview to see the 3.5.1 update" and me seeing being on beta and beta and being on 3.5.1...


edit: might have been fixed in today's update to beta client.

edit2: official dock on the previous dock firmware, deck on 'preview', host on beta client, audio no longer distorted for me... that was a pretty fast fix, I wonder if they had someone in-house run into it as well?

[CFSixString]

Yup the beta client update fixed the issue for me as well. I updated my original post. Thanks for your help!