Steam causes Netflix volume to be low

[Bart]

For some reason, if Steam is open in the background when Netflix is running, the volume from Netflix is really low. As soon as Steam is closed, the volume from Netflix jumps right back up. What in the world is Steam doing that's mucking with my sound?

[Hempest]

Are you in a voice chat, unless you changed the option windows will lower background volume when you start a voice chat.

[Bart]

No, those were the first things I checked. Voice volume was 100%, and the level of the default playback device (my built in speakers) was still tied to the volume, 100%. I tried opening up the properties of my speakers and checking Loudness Equalization under Enhancement, still nothing. I decided to reset the computer, and closed Steam. Immediately the sound jumped back up to where it would normally be.

[daninbusiness]

Seconding this one - I think this behavior (on Windows PCs) has been around for a while now (since ~February 2013, maybe); seems like having Steam running in the background affects the volume of other apps in Windows. This may not immediately manifest itself if you open up another app, but if you switch out from that app, the volume level will drop noticeably. If you exit Steam entirely, system volume returns to normal.

I'm running Windows 8.1, 64 bit. This happened to me on Windows 8 as well.

Seems to coincide with the availability of Big-screen mode on Steam. I think I read somewhere that Steam now has something that affects system audio, this is a known issue.

[ReBoot]

Open your sound settings from the control pannel, open the "Communications" tab and find the answer.

[the]

omg

[daninbusiness]

Holy crap, that was easy! Thanks!

[Bart]

The question then becomes, "Why does Steam make my Windows computer think that a voicecall is going on? Is Steam pulling sound from my laptop's microphone?"

[UFOboy]

Originally posted by Bart:

The question then becomes, "Why does Steam make my Windows computer think that a voicecall is going on? Is Steam pulling sound from my laptop's microphone?"

It could be on steam side which would more then likely be Steam connecting to the microphone for whne it DOES use it, reserving it in a way.
Or it could be on Windows' side and it thinks just because Steam can connect to the microphone it means it is going to.
Programs aren't smart, they are "If this, do this" which means that odd situations and relationships can cause odd outcomes.
Steam isn't using the microphone always, at least not from my experience. Could be wrong... or steam could be stalking you personally because you're a rad person who have similar intrests to it.

[Preach]

Had this happen to me right now with VLC. The volume went back to normal when I got a message in Steam chat and the window beeped.