[REPORTED]Sometimes no sound when starting DCS 2.5.6

[c0ff]

2020-04-03 02:13:55.193 INFO SOUND: Opening default audio device.

2020-04-03 02:13:55.198 INFO SOUND: Using 0 channels at 48000 Hz

2020-04-03 02:13:55.198 INFO SOUND: Channel layout:

2020-04-03 02:13:55.198 ERROR SOUND: Failed to Initialize IAudioClient: 0x80070057

 

Looks like a bug in the driver. It reports 0 audio channels are available.

I won't be surprised if this is either a Realtek device or Logitech headset.

 

I'll take a look if it is feasible to add a workaround in the code.

[c0ff]

In the meantime you can work this around by forcing DCS to output Stereo:

Saved Games/DCS.openbeta/Config/autoexec.cfg:

sound.channel_mask = 3

[tango4]

FYI on my part, I once again reverted to stable, and I can confirm I have no audio issue at wall, it's working perfectly.

[c0ff]

FYI on my part, I once again reverted to stable, and I can confirm I have no audio issue at wall, it's working perfectly.

 

We changed the sound API used by DCS. From XAudio2 to WASAPI (Core Windows API).

This is a driver bug, which is most probably worked around in XAudio2 runtime.

[tango4]

So is there anything I can do about it ?

Beacause I am OK with running stable for the moment (this is the idea of Open Beta, after all, it is normal to encounter issues).

What scares me is that in the future I will lose all audio ?

[c0ff]

So is there anything I can do about it ?

Have you tried the workaround I posted?

 

Anyway, I added it to the code, so the next openbeta will try it automagically.

[tango4]

My apologies, I did not try it as I thought it was also an answer to wildwally.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I redownload openbeta, will try and report.

Thanks a lot for trying to help.

[tango4]

Just to be clear this is the workaround you are talking about ?

 

sound.channel_mask = 3

[c0ff]

Just to be clear this is the workaround you are talking about ?

 

sound.channel_mask = 3

 

yes.

[tango4]

Unfortunately it is not working.

As usual, I made some switching within the game to switch audio from default to other things, and forcing it to my main audio output (each time after I make a change, I quit DCS and start again).

Exactly as before, a couple of times, I had audio. But if I quit DCS and restart it without making ANY change, it's gone.

 

It's like once out of 50 it decides it is OK to initialize. The other times, no sound output at all. A complete mystery.

[c0ff]

Unfortunately it is not working.

As usual, I made some switching within the game to switch audio from default to other things, and forcing it to my main audio output (each time after I make a change, I quit DCS and start again).

Exactly as before, a couple of times, I had audio. But if I quit DCS and restart it without making ANY change, it's gone.

 

It's like once out of 50 it decides it is OK to initialize. The other times, no sound output at all. A complete mystery.

 

Sorry, only logs can tell the real story.

[tango4]

FYI, right now, I am trying something else just to make sure.

Up until now, I started from the release version. I made the switch to openbeta using the cmd line

dcs_updater.exe update @openbeta.

And @release for the other way round.

 

I just fully uninstalled what I had and deleted my DCS savegame folder, rebooted the PC.

 

I am in the process of re installing directly the openbeta from scratch.

I deleting Xplane 11 from my PC to save some space. If I can I will install stable alongside so that I have bioth versions installed.

 

Anyway, when I am up and running again with open beta, I will again try this : sound.channel_mask = 3

 

And I will report back with logs.

It might take me some hours because of the time needed to re download everything.

 

Charles

[c0ff]

And I will report back with logs.

It might take me some hours because of the time needed to re download everything.

That's ok. Thank you for your efforts! We'll nail it ;)

[tango4]

I just finished intalling openbeta.

Everything is default, I did not touch any setting (I did not even downloaded my owned modules yet).

I started the app. No sound.

I appied the autoexec fix, still no sound.

 

Here is a link to my latest log just after the second run:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l450b23yefs3947/dcs.log?dl=0

 

Sorry, this is a link to my dropbox because for some reason the forum rejects my upload as in invalid file.

 

I will now proceed to download my modules and if I can the stable release alongside.

[c0ff]

No sound.

 

A couple of questions on your log:

1)

SOUND:   0: ID: "{0.0.0.00000000}.{03434be1-80c2-400f-9124-43cf3567a817}", Name: "Audio numérique (SPDIF) (High Definition Audio Device)"
...
SOUND: Opening default audio device

 

Isn't SPDIF your default audio device by any chance?

 

2)

ERROR   SOUND: source_add(host:WorldFX, proto:SonicBoom, alt_proto:): can't find proto

 

Do you happen to have Sounds/ folder along with Sounds.edc/ one?

[c0ff]

Your log is missing the line

SOUND: Added sound path: Sounds

Right after the audio device list.

 

Something is wrong with your install.

[tango4]

Sorry for my delayed answer, I was having lunch. I tried to convince my wife that debugging DCS was more important but she did not really agree...:music_whistling:

 

1)Currently my default audio device is not SPDIF, it is a USB Plantronic in which I have speakers plugged in instead of the headset.

 

2)Within my main DCS World folder there is a Sounds.edc folder but no Sounds folder.

 

Presently I am downloading the "content" of my modules.

 

If there is something wrong with my install, I do not know what I am doing wrong as I am installing again from scratch. If anything comes to your mind I could be doing wrong let me know.

[tango4]

But just to clarify, after intalling the "core" dcs world without any modules, I am supposed to have sound immediately in the interface. If I understand correctly, the base install includes Caucasus and a couple of free modules (TF51...) so it should be "self sufficient" ?

[Pikey]

But just to clarify, after intalling the "core" dcs world without any modules, I am supposed to have sound immediately in the interface. If I understand correctly, the base install includes Caucasus and a couple of free modules (TF51...) so it should be "self sufficient" ?

 

 

Yep, but your settings might be saved so some sound may be turned off. You can turn the music slider up and that would be a good first indication if something went wrong if you dont hear anything.

[tango4]

Actually, I deleted the DCS folder from the Saved games folder so my settings have been reset to default (which was confirmed by the fact that the main window opened in windowed mode an small size (I guess 1080p as I am on a 4K screen).

 

All my tests consist of just starting DCS World, get to the main menu and listen if there is music or not.

I am almost certain I did check that music potentiometer was at 100%.

I am still downloading content right now so I have to wait completion to make another test.

[tango4]

And just another clarification regarding the autoexec fix:

 

I had NO autoexec.cfg file in my config folder so I created one with a text editor with just the line you gave me.

I then saved it and edited the file extension as .cfg (I can confirm it is recognised by windows as a config file).

 

I think I did OK, I just wanted to be sure that is exactly what I was supposed to do.

[c0ff]

But just to clarify, after intalling the "core" dcs world without any modules, I am supposed to have sound immediately in the interface. If I understand correctly, the base install includes Caucasus and a couple of free modules (TF51...) so it should be "self sufficient" ?

 

Sure!

[c0ff]

I think I did OK, I just wanted to be sure that is exactly what I was supposed to do.

 

Yes looks correct. You are supposed to create the file if it does not exist.

[c0ff]

Still, this is a dcs.log from my openbeta install:

INFO    SOUND:   0: ID: "{0.0.0.00000000}.{26b17728-2f99-4d1f-a95f-c797ec7fcfc2}", Name: "DELL U2415 (NVIDIA High Definition Audio)"
INFO    SOUND:   1: ID: "{0.0.0.00000000}.{a3908766-7b5e-48e5-bc83-a348b916e89b}", Name: "Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)"
INFO    SOUND: Added sound path: Sounds
INFO    SOUNDER: Loaded 207 packed sounders.

Note the last 2 lines.

They are missing from your log, meaning that main sounds are not loaded by the engine.

Now the question is why...?

[tango4]

Okay, I just finished downloading all my content.

I started again, with the autoexec fix in place. NO SOUND.

I made sure all volume sliders in the audio menu were up.