Steam Dock audio cuts out occassionally when docked

[Sarge the Comfy Gaming Doggo]

Why are you doing this to me TOSHIBA. PLAY THE SOUND.

[thetargos]

I am unsure why this is the case, seems to be pipewire's buffer fault. It happened to me on Linux desktop when using HDMI audio on my monitor or TV. Make sure to have the latest OS installed and Dock firmware.

[Sarge the Comfy Gaming Doggo]

Originally posted by thetargos:

I am unsure why this is the case, seems to be pipewire's buffer fault. It happened to me on Linux desktop when using HDMI audio on my monitor or TV. Make sure to have the latest OS installed and Dock firmware.

Dock auto updates its firmware as soon as you launch it and my steamOS and my linux desktop are all up to date on updates.

[Sarge the Comfy Gaming Doggo]

I just swapped out the brand new HDMI cable I had bought for the dock with the ancient one I use to use for my xbox one.

Now the sound is crisp and clear and no breaks in the audio. Which now that I posted this I'm sure they will come back T.T

Everything is just made so terribly now. Very sad. Good thing I like to keep all my wires tho.

[Degenerate]

having the same problem.

official dock in desktop mode to LG 27GL850 monitor (via displayport), rerouting audio via aux to logitech speakers

[Degenerate]

reddit thread: https://old.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/xv0tas/sound_randomly_cuts_out_when_docked/

[LevelLord]

I have the same issue patched HDMI into a Yamaha receiver then to a SONY TV. Sound cuts out on the home menu at times are during games totally random. I suspect a dock update will be needed.

[kraai]

I have had this issue for more then a year now as well. BUT finally I have found the culprit.... After having the same issue on other linux distros and devices.
The issue is that on linux audio devices seem to have a 'power saving' mode. This causes the audio device to go to sleep (usually default is after 5 seconds). Some TV's might not have an issue with this. For example my LG TV doesnt have an issue with this, however my sony bravia TV constantly shows the notification as if the channel has changed AND the sound cuts out for a few seconds as it 'reinitializes'

The solution I found was here:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-disable-power-savings-in-linux.40511/

On my linux pc (nobara, fedora) I was able to use option 2 as a fix. However this doesnt seem to work on the steam deck, as there is no /etc/wireplumber folder.

What did seem to work on steam deck however is an adjusted form of option 1 (thanks ChatGPT), the original solution 1 doesn't seem to work because of missing folders again, this might be because of SteamOS handling things differently, not sure.
The solution that DID work for me:

Disable power saving in Pulseaudio

In Desktop mode open Konsole/Terminal:

nano ~/.config/pulse/default.pa

This creates a config file for pulseaudio name default.pa and opens the editor. Now all you have to put in this file is this line:

# load-module module-suspend-on-idle

Use ctrl+x to save and type Y (or language equivalent) to confirm.

After that you can restart the device or try a restart of the audio service

 systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-pulse

It might thrown an error that a service doesnt exist, don't remember which one. But one of those is correct pipewire/pipewire-pulse, anyway it will restart the audio service either way.

This should be it.

At first I thought It might not work in game mode or after restarts, considering we put the file in usr/config. But I have had no more problems in either. It might be that after a steam update it has to be done again, I'm not sure yet.