OBS NDI Plugin Static in Audio issue

[BSwanson]

Rather than hack a solution, the problem should just be fixed.

The code fix for this problem was known 2022/08/30:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

I created a PR for this on 2022/08/30 for the official obs-ndi repo, Palakis/obs-ndi, `rewrite` branch and it was merged:

Fix #752, overflow, clang-format, update plugintemplate, buildspec, NDI headers, logging by paulpv · Pull Request #754 · DistroAV/DistroAV

github.com

I also created a PR for this fix on 2022/08/30 on the `master` branch but it has never been merged:

Fix #752 for master branch by paulpv · Pull Request #755 · DistroAV/DistroAV

github.com

Normally that would be enough to explain the situation, but then confusion happened.
Palakis/obs-ndi released 4.10.0 on 2022/10/28 that is tagged `dummy-tag-4.10.0` and commit `81a16120c704201d304f84d6793d686d8addc367`.

If you install that official 4.10.0 Release, despite that Release page says it is from commit `81a1612`, when you run that code you will see that that NDI Source properties page has a `NDI.NewTek.com` button on it.
View attachment 90730
The `rewrite` branch does not have this button.
View attachment 90732
Only the `master` branch has this button:

DistroAV/src/obs-ndi-source.cpp at master · DistroAV/DistroAV

DistroAV (formerly OBS-NDI): NewTek NDI integration for OBS Studio - DistroAV/DistroAV

github.com

View attachment 90729
So, the official Palakis/obs-ndi/ Releases 4.10.0 has to be from the `master` branch, which never had this audio patch merged.

The 2022/10/28 build action https://github.com/Palakis/obs-ndi/actions/runs/3349093529 that is tied to commit `81a1612` has its artifacts at the end of that page.
If you download that build job's obs-ndi-windows-x64-81a16120c-installer and unzip it you will see a `obs-ndi-5.0.0-windows-x64-Installer.exe` installer, that is obviously different from the Release page's obs-ndi-4.10.0-Qt6-Windows-Installer.exe installer.
That obs-ndi 5.0.0 **does** have the fix for this audio (since PR 754 was merged on 2022/09/01), but I doubt many people are running this hidden/buried obs-ndi 5.0.0.

My guess is that the official obs-ndi 4.10.0 Release was manually built from a private qt6 OBS28 compatible master and then uploaded as an official Release.

I am trying to find a way to work with tt2468 or Palakis or anyone else on the obs-project to fix this.
At a minimum, merge the `master` PR 755 fix to `master` and generate a 4.10.1 build.
In addition, create an publicly visible official Release of the 5.0.0 `rewrite` branch.

Pv (aka: NightVsKnight)

This is PERFECT! Exactly this! 4.10.0 release feels like a mistake, the 5.0.0 version works pretty much flawlessly for me. Not only is there stereo sound without crackling, but the audio levels are appropriate (the 4.10.1 release is 50% of the source with no way to increase it).

Thank you so very much Paul!

 

[Dick Dawson]

Sorry for the long wait here is the Files i used to fix the issue.
-Close out OBS-studio
-Extract the Files
-Open 2 file Explorers to make this easier one file will have the extracted obs Files the other one should be the Internal OBS Studio Files
-Now Find the same folders in both Files Data>OBS-Plugins>OBS-NDI. Now Copy the entire Locale Folder from the Extraction into your OBS-Studio Folder (make sure that if windows ask you want to replace the File).
-go to OBS-Plugin in Both Files
-Copy the 64bit Extracted file into your OBS-studio files (make sure that if windows ask you want to replace the File)
-now Open OBS-Studio. If done Correctly There will be an Error POP Up Stating you need to download NDI Runtime 5 Click on that and go through the Installer.
This should fix the Audio Issue.
if you have any problems the Fastest way to reach me is through Discord and i can walk you through these Steps on a screen share.

Thanks! Big thanks. I use VLC to send audio/video using NDI into OBS and this was the fix. For me, as I had just updated to newest NDI 5.5.3.0, I didn't receive an error from OBS prompting me to install NDI5, it just worked right away.

Thanks for saving my ass 3 hours before show time. I really needed it!

 

[Cyclic6]

Sorry for the long wait here is the Files i used to fix the issue.
-Close out OBS-studio
-Extract the Files
-Open 2 file Explorers to make this easier one file will have the extracted obs Files the other one should be the Internal OBS Studio Files
-Now Find the same folders in both Files Data>OBS-Plugins>OBS-NDI. Now Copy the entire Locale Folder from the Extraction into your OBS-Studio Folder (make sure that if windows ask you want to replace the File).
-go to OBS-Plugin in Both Files
-Copy the 64bit Extracted file into your OBS-studio files (make sure that if windows ask you want to replace the File)
-now Open OBS-Studio. If done Correctly There will be an Error POP Up Stating you need to download NDI Runtime 5 Click on that and go through the Installer.
This should fix the Audio Issue.
if you have any problems the Fastest way to reach me is through Discord and i can walk you through these Steps on a screen share.

i could use some help im pretty sure i did exactly what you said and it was still not working.

 

[pyrettablaze]

What about a fix for Mac users? This bug impacts us as well.

TYIA

 

[Cyclic6]

This is PERFECT! Exactly this! 4.10.0 release feels like a mistake, the 5.0.0 version works pretty much flawlessly for me. Not only is there stereo sound without crackling, but the audio levels are appropriate (the 4.10.1 release is 50% of the source with no way to increase it).

Thank you so very much Paul!

they patched this i think cause i cant download it.

 

[Sikosis]

+1 waiting for patch

 

[JBalzer]

I am having the same audio issue. The link for the obs-NDI 5.0.0 doesn't open, it loads a 404 error. Is this available still? Need this fix for my customer using OBS.

 

[epiphanyeden]

I had same problem - sounded great in OBS, lots of static on FB and YT. Using NDI camera as input. In Source properties for the camera I changed the Sync to Network. Not sure if I changed that trying to fix stuff or some update had it set to Source Timing

 

[Pixaul]

I managed to get this working by replacing the obs plugin within ".\obs-studio\obs-plugins\64bit\" on both machines with obs-ndi/releases 4.9.2 . I hope this helps anyone else that couldn't see the link for obs-NDI 5.0.0

 

[rockbottom]

The NDI plugin was just updated a week ago, latest is v4.11.0. Don't need it anymore so I haven't bothered to test but it just might be ready for prime time...

Release obs-ndi 4.11.0 · DistroAV/DistroAV

Requirements: OBS >=28 NDI 5 Runtime (optionally installed via NDI Tools) Install Download and install the below Linux, MacOS, or Windows version. Linux: sudo dpkg -i obs-ndi-4.11.0-linux-x86_6...

github.com

 

[eriklanden]

I had problem with robotic / stuttering audio, solved this by setting the "Sync" option under NDI Source to Network instead of Source Timing.

 

[wallyers]

I had problem with robotic / stuttering audio, solved this by setting the "Sync" option under NDI Source to Network instead of Source Timing.

Did this fix the issue when you switched the sync option?

 

[eriklanden]

Did this fix the issue when you switched the sync option?

Yes the sound immediately sounded great after switch.

 

[unstence]

I had problem with robotic / stuttering audio, solved this by setting the "Sync" option under NDI Source to Network instead of Source Timing.

This worked for me after trying several other thing. Simple!

 

[peerhauser]

This distortion is still present in OBS29.1.1 and obs-ndi 4.11.1 as of 07.08.23. Only it is just in the recording, not in the live monitoring. If you listen to the NDI Source, it's clear even on middle balance but if you record, and playback the recording, it is in there.

I was a technician in the event industry and this distortion is the typical sound of a sample rate mismatch. For example, if you set your sound card to 44.1 kHz but your recording software to 48 kHz, it will produce this crackled sound. Normally a Software should detect what sample rate you have running on your sound card and adapt to it, but sometimes the software let's you set it. In OBS you can also set it manually but the plugin seems to be missing what the actual settings are. At least they fixed it in the live monitoring, but the files it records are still broken.

My sound card is set to 48 kHz, my windows is set to 48 kHz, OBS ist set to 48 kHz, the web interface of my NDI Encoder states it is encoding in 48 kHz and even the file OBS creates has 48 kHz as the stated sample rate, yet the plugin seems to push 44,1 kHz into the file, thus making this crackling sound.

If I open NDI's Studio Monitor and record the same Source, the resulting file has clear audio so I am pretty sure it is the handling of the NDI data into a file tha is not properly handling the sample frequency.

What I tried and did not work:
- Changing my sound card and OBS to 44,1. Unfortunately my encoder is fixed to 48.
- setting the NDI source to another timing (source / network)
- starting with a new scene nd new source from scratch
- playing around with OBS's recording formats (mp4/mov)
- recording to different audio tracks (that you can choose in vlc)
- changing the audio bitrate on track 1 in OBS
- changing to different audio encoder in OBS's recording settings
- trying another playback Software (not vlc)

My setup:
audio interface Focusrite scarlett 3rd gen
HDMI Camera with embedded audio
NDI Encoder Kiloview N6 HDMI to NDI
NDI Tools 5.5.4.0

 

[t0lkien]

Sorry for the long wait here is the Files i used to fix the issue.
-Close out OBS-studio
-Extract the Files
-Open 2 file Explorers to make this easier one file will have the extracted obs Files the other one should be the Internal OBS Studio Files
-Now Find the same folders in both Files Data>OBS-Plugins>OBS-NDI. Now Copy the entire Locale Folder from the Extraction into your OBS-Studio Folder (make sure that if windows ask you want to replace the File).
-go to OBS-Plugin in Both Files
-Copy the 64bit Extracted file into your OBS-studio files (make sure that if windows ask you want to replace the File)
-now Open OBS-Studio. If done Correctly There will be an Error POP Up Stating you need to download NDI Runtime 5 Click on that and go through the Installer.
This should fix the Audio Issue.
if you have any problems the Fastest way to reach me is through Discord and i can walk you through these Steps on a screen share.

Just FYI, I did this after updated to the new version of the NDI plugin. It seemed to "work" in that it changed the name of the NDI option in the drop down, but I still get the same distortion and badly scratchy audio. This issue is forcing me to avoid NDI until it's fixed - which is a bummer, because I want to use a 2 PC setup. If it's not addressed soon, I guess I can just go the capture card route (unfortunately).

 

[iLeech]

Just FYI, I did this after updated to the new version of the NDI plugin. It seemed to "work" in that it changed the name of the NDI option in the drop down, but I still get the same distortion and badly scratchy audio. This issue is forcing me to avoid NDI until it's fixed - which is a bummer, because I want to use a 2 PC setup. If it's not addressed soon, I guess I can just go the capture card route (unfortunately).

I confirm the issue in OBS 30.0.2 Release NDI 5.0+ runtime and 4.13 NDI-OBS Plugin.
The sound from NDI Source is perfect at audio monitoring stage, but it is cracking badly in a recording. So i stiil did not find the solution for this.
Win10
OBS 30.0.2
NDI5 Runtime latest version for now (9-th of january 2024)
NDI OBS plugin 4.13