Question / Help Mic starts echoing mid-stream + sync issues

[Fudgecake]

I've had issues with echo in the past but I managed to fix it by disabling the mic in the webcam properties. However, I've had complaints about the mic audio not being in sync with the webcam video. One solution I found was to set the mic as webcam audio device because that would automatically sync it, so I recorded a few minutes (on my stream profile, not the recording one) and everything was in sync and there was no echo.

Now, last night I was streaming and all of a sudden a few people said there was a pretty bad echo on the mic. I disabled the webcam audio device again and that got rid of the echo. Also, while watching the archived stream (link below), I noticed the mic and cam are still out of sync, so really I'm back to square one.

Hence my two questions:
-what could've prompted the echo mid-stream and how can I permanently get rid of it?
-how do I sync up the mic and webcam?

There are a few settings that look like they could fix everything but to be honest I don't really know what they do:
-webcam properties --> video - use buffering
-webcam properties --> audio device - audio sync offset
-audio settings --> mic offset
Since the test recording didn't correspond with the actual stream, it's a hassle to try and figure it out myself, so I'm hoping there's a guaranteed solution.

http://www.twitch.tv/fudgecakestream/b/675340490

Thanks in advance!

 

[Fudgecake]

Here is a log of one of yesterday's streams. I tweaked the settings a lot in between streams, so I can upload all the logs if needed.

https://gist.github.com/979f74a806a965b7613e

There's one thing that confuses me: I keep reading about setting the mic/headset as audio device for the webcam, but if I do that I have echo. If I disable the mic in the audio settings, there is no signal coming through at all, i.e. in the preview the mic meter is all greyed out.

I also think the desync gets worse the longer I stream. Is that because of my connection?

I would really appreciate any suggestions, I've been looking all over the place but I can't find a solution that works for me :(

 

[FerretBomb]

You may be getting echo if you're watching your stream unmuted on the same system you're casting from. OBS hears the sound from the video player, and takes it in on the system channel just like any other sound the computer sends to the speakers.

Set your webcam audio device to Disabled. That's mostly there for capture cards to pull in source audio. You do NOT want to set your standalone mic as the audio device in a webcam's Properties.

Synchronizing your mic offset and webcam takes some work, and more than a little trial and error. If you have video editing software you can figure out the delay using a 'clap test' (clap, count the frames between the video hit and audio hit, multiply by the framerate ms offset, and set your delay to that), but most people just spitball it and record a few takes until it gets close enough. You want your audio settings -> mic offset for this. Record locally for quickest results, and make sure to wait 10-20 seconds before testing so any startup delay can settle and normalize.

You set your mic in the Settings as the Microphone/Auxiliary Audio Device. If the mic is greyed out on the main screen, click on the mic icon. May just be muted, which greys it out.

 

[Fudgecake]

I always monitor my stream in OBS, never on Twitch.

I've tried messing with the webcam buffering. In my case the mic and game are in sync but the webcam is behind on the mic. I assume that means I have to turn the buffering up, right?

Using the clap test like you explained sounds pretty complicated, I'm not sure I understand how to do that. I have tried recording a small clip with a clap test and mic and webcam were (very close to) perfectly in sync. That's what makes me wonder if it's a connection/CPU issue.