Bug Report Audio Popping/Crackling

Marjask

New Member
Just like the title says, as soon as I turn on either the stream or the stream preview, I experience occasional cracklings or poppings, approximately every 15-20 seconds. Downloading the latest test build has seemed to only slightly help the problem, but I can still hear mild crackling in the background.

Edit: This problem has only occurred as of today. I was not experiencing it yesterday or the day before.

Log:
Code:
Open Broadcaster Software v0.472b - 32bit (´・ω・`)
-------------------------------
CPU Name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU         950  @ 3.07GHz
CPU Speed: 3073MHz
Physical Memory:  4095MB Total, 3383MB Free
stepping id: 5, model 10, family 6, type 0, extmodel 0, extfamily 0, HTT 1, logical cores 8, total cores 4
monitor 1: pos={1920, 0}, size={1680, 1050}
monitor 2: pos={0, 0}, size={1920, 1080}
Windows Version: 6.1 Build 7601 S
Aero is Disabled
------------------------------------------
Adapter 1
  Video Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465
  Video Adapter Dedicated Video Memory: 1025966080
  Video Adapter Shared System Memory: 2948132864
=====Stream Start=====================================================================
  Multithreaded optimizations: On
  Base resolution: 1920x1080
  Output resolution: 1920x1080
------------------------------------------
Loading up D3D10...
Playback device Default
------------------------------------------
Using desktop audio input: Speakers (2- High Definition Audio Device)
------------------------------------------
Using auxilary audio input: Microphone (USB audio CODEC)
------------------------------------------
Audio Encoding: AAC
    bitrate: 192
------------------------------------------
    device: Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920,
    device id \\?\usb#vid_046d&pid_082d&mi_00#6&20be73e7&0&0000#{65e8773d-8f56-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\{bbefb6c7-2fc4-4139-bb8b-a58bba724083},
    chosen type: RGB24, usingFourCC: false, res: 1920x1080 - 1920x1080, fps: 5-30, fourCC: 00000000

Using directshow input
Using graphics capture
Using Monitor Capture
x264: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 FastShuffle SSE4.2
x264: profile High, level 4.0
------------------------------------------
Video Encoding: x264
    fps: 30
    width: 1920, height: 1080
    preset: veryfast
    CBR: no
    CFR: no
    max bitrate: 3300
    buffer size: 3300
    quality: 7
------------------------------------------
Total frames rendered: 1309, number of frames that lagged: 1 (0.08%) (it's okay for some frames to lag)
x264: frame I:6     Avg QP:25.12  size:256666
x264: frame P:319   Avg QP:16.40  size:   376
x264: frame B:940   Avg QP:19.67  size:    68
x264: consecutive B-frames:  0.9%  0.0%  0.0% 99.1%
x264: mb I  I16..4:  5.4% 24.7% 69.9%
x264: mb P  I16..4:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  P16..4:  0.7%  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%    skip:99.3%
x264: mb B  I16..4:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  B16..8:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  direct: 0.0%  skip:100.0%  L0: 0.0% L1:100.0% BI: 0.0%
x264: 8x8 transform intra:24.7% inter:36.7%
x264: coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 93.1% 45.6% 15.9% inter: 0.1% 0.0% 0.0%
x264: i16 v,h,dc,p: 29% 27% 16% 27%
x264: i8 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 15% 32% 15%  3%  8%  5%  8%  4% 10%
x264: i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 14% 24% 10%  7% 10%  7% 11%  6% 12%
x264: i8c dc,h,v,p: 55% 26% 15%  4%
x264: Weighted P-Frames: Y:0.0% UV:0.0%
x264: kb/s:326.88
=====Stream End=======================================================================
=====Stream Start=====================================================================
  Multithreaded optimizations: On
  Base resolution: 1920x1080
  Output resolution: 1920x1080
------------------------------------------
Loading up D3D10...
Playback device {0.0.0.00000000}.{22be36ea-f340-4a47-ad40-f1895856fccd}
------------------------------------------
Using desktop audio input: Speakers (USB audio CODEC)
------------------------------------------
Using auxilary audio input: Microphone (USB audio CODEC)
------------------------------------------
Audio Encoding: AAC
    bitrate: 192
------------------------------------------
    device: Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920,
    device id \\?\usb#vid_046d&pid_082d&mi_00#6&20be73e7&0&0000#{65e8773d-8f56-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\{bbefb6c7-2fc4-4139-bb8b-a58bba724083},
    chosen type: RGB24, usingFourCC: false, res: 1920x1080 - 1920x1080, fps: 5-30, fourCC: 00000000

Using directshow input
Using graphics capture
Using Monitor Capture
x264: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 FastShuffle SSE4.2
x264: profile High, level 4.0
------------------------------------------
Video Encoding: x264
    fps: 30
    width: 1920, height: 1080
    preset: veryfast
    CBR: no
    CFR: no
    max bitrate: 3300
    buffer size: 3300
    quality: 7
------------------------------------------
Total frames rendered: 496, number of frames that lagged: 1 (0.20%) (it's okay for some frames to lag)
x264: frame I:2     Avg QP:27.86  size:196135
x264: frame P:114   Avg QP:17.33  size:   851
x264: frame B:336   Avg QP:19.65  size:    68
x264: consecutive B-frames:  0.7%  0.0%  0.0% 99.3%
x264: mb I  I16..4:  7.3% 35.1% 57.6%
x264: mb P  I16..4:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  P16..4:  1.7%  0.1%  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%    skip:98.2%
x264: mb B  I16..4:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  B16..8:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  direct: 0.0%  skip:100.0%  L0: 0.0% L1:100.0% BI: 0.0%
x264: 8x8 transform intra:35.0% inter:37.0%
x264: coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 89.4% 34.4% 11.6% inter: 0.2% 0.1% 0.0%
x264: i16 v,h,dc,p: 29% 26% 17% 28%
x264: i8 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 15% 31% 15%  3%  8%  5%  8%  4% 10%
x264: i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 14% 25% 11%  7% 10%  7% 11%  5% 11%
x264: i8c dc,h,v,p: 61% 23% 13%  2%
x264: Weighted P-Frames: Y:0.0% UV:0.0%
x264: kb/s:271.59
=====Stream End=======================================================================
=====Stream Start=====================================================================
  Multithreaded optimizations: On
  Base resolution: 1920x1080
  Output resolution: 1920x1080
------------------------------------------
Loading up D3D10...
Playback device {0.0.0.00000000}.{cd2bba2b-7103-43fc-a4a1-7afb938a5ead}
------------------------------------------
Using desktop audio input: Speakers (2- High Definition Audio Device)
------------------------------------------
Using auxilary audio input: Microphone (USB audio CODEC)
------------------------------------------
Audio Encoding: AAC
    bitrate: 192
------------------------------------------
    device: Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920,
    device id \\?\usb#vid_046d&pid_082d&mi_00#6&20be73e7&0&0000#{65e8773d-8f56-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\{bbefb6c7-2fc4-4139-bb8b-a58bba724083},
    chosen type: RGB24, usingFourCC: false, res: 1920x1080 - 1920x1080, fps: 5-30, fourCC: 00000000

Using directshow input
Using graphics capture
Using Monitor Capture
x264: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 FastShuffle SSE4.2
x264: profile High, level 4.0
------------------------------------------
Video Encoding: x264
    fps: 30
    width: 1920, height: 1080
    preset: veryfast
    CBR: no
    CFR: no
    max bitrate: 3300
    buffer size: 3300
    quality: 7
------------------------------------------
Total frames rendered: 5017, number of frames that lagged: 1 (0.02%) (it's okay for some frames to lag)
x264: frame I:20    Avg QP:23.68  size:289417
x264: frame P:1256  Avg QP:16.20  size:   316
x264: frame B:3697  Avg QP:19.90  size:    71
x264: consecutive B-frames:  0.9%  0.0%  0.1% 99.0%
x264: mb I  I16..4:  5.6% 19.6% 74.8%
x264: mb P  I16..4:  0.1%  0.0%  0.0%  P16..4:  0.3%  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%    skip:99.6%
x264: mb B  I16..4:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  B16..8:  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  direct: 0.0%  skip:100.0%  L0:61.7% L1:37.8% BI: 0.6%
x264: 8x8 transform intra:18.9% inter:33.3%
x264: coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 87.7% 48.8% 18.3% inter: 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
x264: i16 v,h,dc,p: 58% 27%  5% 10%
x264: i8 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 15% 34% 15%  3%  8%  4%  8%  4% 10%
x264: i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 14% 24% 10%  7%  9%  7% 11%  6% 12%
x264: i8c dc,h,v,p: 53% 27% 16%  4%
x264: Weighted P-Frames: Y:0.0% UV:0.0%
x264: kb/s:311.11
=====Stream End=======================================================================

Profiler results:

==============================================================
frame - [100%] [avg time: 10.147 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1] [children: 94.4%] [unaccounted: 5.64%]
| scene->Preprocess - [61.6%] [avg time: 6.251 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
| video encoding and uploading - [32.8%] [avg time: 3.324 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1] [children: 32.6%] [unaccounted: 0.128%]
| | CopyResource - [0.138%] [avg time: 0.014 ms] [avg calls per frame: 0]
| | conversion to 4:2:0 - [0.591%] [avg time: 0.06 ms] [avg calls per frame: 0]
| | call to encoder - [31.9%] [avg time: 3.236 ms] [avg calls per frame: 0]
| | sending stuff out - [0.00986%] [avg time: 0.001 ms] [avg calls per frame: 0]
==============================================================
 

Marjask

New Member
I've figured out what was causing it: having my Logitech webcam enabled in OBS as a source was causing the crackling.
 

Mazzura

New Member
Holy shit you're right. Good job troubleshooting the problem. That said, how can I add my logi source without the crackling?
 

Mazzura

New Member
Thanks for the advice, I did load up the latest test version and am experiencing the same issue. I'll just keep my eyes peeled for a new build. I'd much rather use OBS than pay for the same features in Xsplit!
 

v4de

New Member
HEY so I was helping my friend and looked everywhere trying to fix this damn popping and crackling noise, and passed through here. Just wanted to post a couple of other possible solutions and our actual solution we found.

Things we tried:
disabling all other output devices
disabling all other input devices
disabling webcam mic in device manager
swapping usb ports, making sure was plugged in 2.0
playing with different settings in the logitech webcam software

What actually worked for us:
right click on the obs webcam source and go to properties > check custom resolution > lower the resolution until crackling subsides.
 

dodgepong

Administrator
Forum Admin
Crackly audio can be caused by an overworked CPU, so reducing the resolution can help. I have also heard people say that using a USB 3.0 port has helped them, too.
 

Lain

Forum Admin
Lain
Forum Moderator
Developer
I'm glad you relayed this information. I know of issues with crackling happen on some systems when webcams or other devices are on, and it's very unusual. I admit I don't understand entirely why that's related. I can only theorize that it has something to do with USB communication and interference with the audio somehow, but I don't understand why.

I really appreciate you relaying your fix though, that could help out others in the future possibly and it also helps me find clues.
 

dcover

New Member
I have had a similar problem that I managed to fix.

My issue was when I was capturing footage locally I kept hearing the crackling in game. I never noticed anything on the preview as far as I am aware. But the problem was also in the AVI files. Soon as I removed the video capture device the problem was gone. The camera I am using is the Logitech C920.

I did solve the problem for myself. I was running the camera at 1920x1080 I simply lowered it to 1280x720. I've test run a game again capturing local footage and listened to it. Seems completely fine now. If you haven't managed to fix the problem yet hopefully this will help you or anyone else.
 

terrybritton

New Member
dcover said:
I have had a similar problem that I managed to fix.

My issue was when I was capturing footage locally I kept hearing the crackling in game. I never noticed anything on the preview as far as I am aware. But the problem was also in the AVI files. Soon as I removed the video capture device the problem was gone. The camera I am using is the Logitech C920.

I did solve the problem for myself. I was running the camera at 1920x1080 I simply lowered it to 1280x720. I've test run a game again capturing local footage and listened to it. Seems completely fine now. If you haven't managed to fix the problem yet hopefully this will help you or anyone else.


I'm so glad I found this thread and another person who found the same settings for their Logitech C920 worked as I had found. This was driving me batty!

I had lowered the resolution to 720p for a different reason in early OBS experiments (I was experiencing webcam "stutter" at 1920x1080), and kept it there from then on, so I never had the audio problem crop up. But then I was making some how-to videos for OBS and stashed a copy and then deleted the scenes.xconfig file to allow OBS to generate a new one, and when I added the webcam during the demo forgot about lowering the resolution, and the clicking started right away as soon as I hit Preview. (I was actually recording the demo using CamStudio so I could show before and after Preview setup info.) That's when the problem began, due to the webcam being at 1080p and not the custom resolution anymore.

I also was trying to use Voicemeeter as a better replacement for Stereo Mix and it drove that piece of software completely crazy with distorted sound.

Simply reducing the Logitech C920 webcam resolution to 1280x720 in OBS completely cured the problem in all cases.

This only happens with OBS, though. I do Google Hangouts-On-air and there is no issue, but then again, those are 720p, so likely it is reducing the resolution of the webcam on the fly similar to how OBS is doing it. Speculating there, but it seems logical.

FYI - I have a capture card that captures 1080p HDMI with no problems and introduces no crackling and popping of the audio at all. So, this might be only certain USB devices causing it.

Terry
 

prophetmatteo

New Member
I appear to have the same problem. It has never happened so far, and it may be linked to one of these:
1. Webcam - Microsoft Studio HD
2. A window capture of Breakaway's Equalizer graphics with Chroma Key.

So far it seems to be due to the webcam for all the testing I've done, but it might be somehow connected to my equalizer too for all I know. Is there any way I can test this to see what exactly might be causing it, since the noise persists after I shut down OBS, unless I reload my Breakaway or even restart my entire PC.

PS: I am running the latest version of OBS. I am ready to give any information or access to my system in order to get this fixed as it is keeping me from streaming.
 

Daemonfox

New Member
So I'm having some issue's with a game in particular, which makes it all the weirder. I bought a New Blue Snowball mic and it works great, no issues whatsoever however I got a new game "1001 spikes" specifically. Whenever I try to record the audio of my voice always seems to cause a crackling to it. I've fiddled about with different settings for the encoding and the audio and nothing seems to fix the Issue, what's more annoying is the fact that when I tried a test on a different game, I had no issues what so ever. I tried a test on Sound recorder (The built in one on windows) and no crackling, I tried it in audacity however and it was picking up the crackle again. Is it something specific about the game maybe that doesn't like OBS or maybe OBS doesn't like the game for some reason and it just makes a odd crackle affect? Any insight would be appreciated.
 

Lain

Forum Admin
Lain
Forum Moderator
Developer
daemonfox/prophetmatteo - Could you give us a recording of the issue?

Note also to everybody that the OBS audio encoder might be causing some issues on output, though it shouldn't be crackling. We're replacing the audio encoder with a better one in the rewrite but it's still not scheduled for public use on windows for a while due to the fact that I have to recode game capture.
 

Daemonfox

New Member
Sorry for the late reply!

This is the log for 1001 spikes -
https://gist.github.com/5aba2728301f5cf82daa

And this is a recording of that log -


This is a log of Pixel boy with exactly the same settings - https://gist.github.com/7bd00ce60ce90e1cdb0d

And this is a recording of that log -

As you can see even with identical settings something seems to be happening specifically with the first game and I've no idea why, Someone tweeted me saying they recorded 1001 Spikes with OBS and had no issues, so from what I can see it rules out fault for the most part on all possible parties (The software/ the mic/ the game/ my computer etc)

Any help would be appreciated.
 
Last edited:

Lain

Forum Admin
Lain
Forum Moderator
Developer
What on earth? Just when I thought I had seen everything, something new happens. I definitely don't know what's going on here, though I would be interested in knowing. I'm not entirely sure what to do though, I'm just totally bewildered at the moment. I wonder if testing this with the rewrite would produce different results, although it's still incomplete.
 

paibox

heros in an halfshel
Other people with Blue [Model] microphones have had the exact same issue with 1001 Spikes, it seems to be the game itself doing something weird that somehow interferes with the device. Perhaps it's repeatedly polling all USB devices or something, it's hard to say.
 

Daemonfox

New Member
Your guess is better then mine, well not to worry when you've released the rewrite I'll try it again.
Yeah my brother in law just messaged me saying it seems to be a common problem with the Microphone although it doesn't explain why it conflicts with that specific issue. That being said I tried a recording using my USB headset and even that produced the same crackling effect. I'm at a loss haha. As I said I'll try again when it's been rewritten I guess i'll just have to leave out recording it for the time being.
Thanks for looking into it though :)
 
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