5.1 garbled sound on client

[gorman42]

ISSUE
Selecting 5.1 sound on my client, connected through HDMI to an AV Receiver (which works perfectly when playing locally installed games) produces garbled/flanged/echoing sound. Sound is outputted, recognizably coming from the game. But it's all messed up.

OS
Windows 8.1 for both server and client. Server uses onboard audio from ASRock Z87 Extreme6 motherboard, with normal Microsoft drivers for it. I'm now trying to install native Realtek drivers and will report back if it makes a difference.

STEPS
I select 5.1 in my client's advanced streaming options. Both manual 5.1 selection and automatic (5.1) selection produce the same result.

These are a couple of extracts from my streaming_log, where it seems to cover audio being streamed. The results are similar whichever game I try to stream (I tried several).

[2016-02-04 14:27:52] Game: Life Is Strange™ (319630)
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] Recording system audio
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] Changing record window: 001805DA
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] Recording on device: Speakers (2- High Definition Audio Device)
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] Audio client mix format:
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] format: 65534
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] channels: 6
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] samples/sec: 44100
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] bytes/sec: 1058400
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] alignment: 24
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] bits/sample: 32
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] channel mask: 0x60f
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] data format: {00000003-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] Initializing audio with 6 channels and 44100 samples/sec
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] Audio mix: start=169839857569, returned=0
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] Audio source [System Windows]: init=0, through=0, last_start=0, mixed=0, drop_before=0, drop_after=0
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] Changing record audio process: 001805DA
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] Recording process audio: 12912
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] CLIENT: Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetQoS
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] CLIENT: Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetTargetBitrate
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] CLIENT: Starting audio stream: frequency=48000, channels=6
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] CLIENT: Opened audio device: format=2, channels=6, frequency=48000
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] CLIENT: Initialized audio decoder: codec=3, sample rate=48000, channels=6
[2016-02-04 14:27:52] CLIENT: Got control packet k_EStreamControlStartAudioData

and then

[2016-02-04 14:28:52] Audio mix: start=169839857569, returned=2876640
[2016-02-04 14:28:52] Audio source [System Windows]: init=169839884199, through=2882122, last_start=2881634, mixed=2880844, drop_before=0, drop_after=0
[2016-02-04 14:28:52] Audio source [Process]: init=169846660349, through=0, last_start=2881584, mixed=5110542, drop_before=0, drop_after=0
[2016-02-04 14:28:53] Changing record window: 00000000
[2016-02-04 14:28:53] Changing record audio process: 00000000
[2016-02-04 14:28:53] Stopping current audio recording
[2016-02-04 14:28:54] CLIENT: Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetCursor


RESULTS
Sound is outputted but it's garbled, messed up, echoing, flanging... it's hard to describe it. If interesting I could record it and place the audio file somewhere to be retrieved.

EXPECTED
Normal 5.1 output, as I get when I run stuff locally. The client doubles up as an HTPC and plays fine 5.1 content, as well as natively installed 5.1 games.

[dqtl74]

Look in the streaming log on your client for a line saying something like "xaudio 2 could not be found: 5.1 may not be supported".

If this line exists for you, download and install DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010) from Microsoft on the client. This fixed it for me.

[gorman42]

Client is using HDMI sound ouput from Nvidia GTX660 driver (version 1.3.34.4, dated 09-21-2015)

Here's streaming_client.exe.log. Line number two appears both with 5.1 and stereo selected in the client. The machine (client) plays back 5.1 material with no problem through HDMI with Kodi media center.

Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Initializing player
Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Failed to initialize xaudio2, 5.1 audio may not be supported. Error: XAudio2: XAudio2Create() failed at initialization
Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Refresh rate: 59.94
Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Effective rate: 59.69
Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Video size: 1920x1080, output size: 1920x1080
Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Initialized player
Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Server available at address: 192.168.1.100:27031
Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Connecting to server at address: 192.168.1.100:27031
Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Session state Idle -> Connecting
Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Session state Connecting -> Authenticating
Fri Feb 05 09:07:32 2016 UTC - Video size: 1920x1080, output size: 1920x1080
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Session state Authenticating -> Negotiating
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlAuthenticationResponse
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlNegotiationInit
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Session state Negotiating -> StreamStarting
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlNegotiationSetConfig
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Session state StreamStarting -> Streaming
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Attaching controller XInput Controller with ID 0
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetQoS
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetTargetBitrate
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Starting audio stream: frequency=48000, channels=6
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Opened audio device: format=2, channels=6, frequency=48000
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Initialized audio decoder: codec=3, sample rate=48000, channels=6
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlStartAudioData
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetTitle
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetIcon
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetCursor
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetCursorImage
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetTitle
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetIcon
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetActivity
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Video size: 1920x1080, output size: 1920x1080
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - DXVA init resetting SDL renderer
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - DXVA: Using device NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - DXVA: H.264 variable-length decoder, no film grain technology
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlStartVideoData
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlVideoEncoderInfo
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Video size: 1920x1080, output size: 1920x1080
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Marking frame 3 complete with status k_EStreamFrameResultDroppedLate
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Marking frame 4 complete with status k_EStreamFrameResultDroppedLate
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Marking frame 5 complete with status k_EStreamFrameResultDroppedLate
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Had to wait 11 ms to get available buffer
Fri Feb 05 09:07:33 2016 UTC - Marking frame 7 complete with status k_EStreamFrameResultDroppedLate
Fri Feb 05 09:07:34 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetCursor
Fri Feb 05 09:07:34 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetCursorImage
Fri Feb 05 09:07:34 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlHideCursor
Fri Feb 05 09:07:34 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetCursor
Fri Feb 05 09:07:36 2016 UTC - Targeting 59.69 FPS
Fri Feb 05 09:07:36 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetTargetFramerate
Fri Feb 05 09:07:36 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlVideoEncoderInfo
Fri Feb 05 09:07:36 2016 UTC - libav info: Reinit context to 1920x1088, pix_fmt: 61
Fri Feb 05 09:07:36 2016 UTC - Marking frame 183 complete with status k_EStreamFrameResultDroppedLate
Fri Feb 05 09:07:36 2016 UTC - Marking frame 189 complete with status k_EStreamFrameResultDroppedLate
Fri Feb 05 09:07:37 2016 UTC - Targeting 59.69 FPS
Fri Feb 05 09:07:37 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetTargetFramerate
Fri Feb 05 09:08:35 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetCursor
Fri Feb 05 09:08:36 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetCursor
Fri Feb 05 09:08:36 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetTitle
Fri Feb 05 09:08:36 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetIcon
Fri Feb 05 09:08:36 2016 UTC - Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetActivity
Fri Feb 05 09:08:37 2016 UTC - Session state Streaming -> StreamStopping
Fri Feb 05 09:08:37 2016 UTC - Stopped audio decoder
Fri Feb 05 09:08:37 2016 UTC - Detaching controller XInput Controller with ID 0
Fri Feb 05 09:08:37 2016 UTC - Session state StreamStopping -> Idle

[gorman42]

dqtl74 even on Windows 8.1???

[gorman42]

Originally posted by dqtl74:

Look in the streaming log on your client for a line saying something like "xaudio 2 could not be found: 5.1 may not be supported".

If this line exists for you, download and install DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010) from Microsoft on the client. This fixed it for me.

YESSS!!! Even on Win8.1!

dqtl74 you are a STAR! Thanks so much! :)

I really wonder what Microsoft is thinking when leaving DirectX stuff out of updates when it's needed by applications.

[gorman42]

Also, while this clearly is not a bug, per se, I think the relevant information should be posted in the instructions for 5.1 streaming.

In my host system I was playing all the games I tried with no problem at all, hence I would never have thought that I was missing something DirectX related.

[dqtl74]

Glad it helped. I think Microsoft didn't bother to include files related to DirectX 9.0c in newer Windows (8.1, 10, possibly 7) but it seems Steam uses them.

[henryg]

Thanks for the investigation - I've passed this on to the developers, and we'll fix it up so that it doesn't require the old DirectX 9 runtime.