Bug Report Volume slider in source properties is linked to OBS volume slider in Windows?

[flashkube]

I posted this in Help forum and received no response. Re-posted here in bug reports as I believe this was unintentional.

Setup:
Xbox One / AverMedia U3 capture device / Surface Pro 3 streaming PC / Headphones connected to streaming PC so I can hear game audio, music, alerts from Chatty, etc. simultaneously.

Goal:
To control game volume that I hear in my headphones independently from the game volume my viewers hear.

Problem:
Changing the game volume in the capture source properties also changes the OBS volume in Windows Volume Mixer. I created a demo video so this would be easier to visualize.

 

[dodgepong]

This is not a bug. This is just what happens if you're using the WaveOut audio renderer. Disable that to get your expected behavior.

 

[flashkube]

I have WaveOut selected because there were weird audio pops and other artifacts in my stream and someone posted that WaveOut would correct it. I tried it and I believe it did fix the problem, but that may have been with my Elgato HD60. Now I have the AverMedia U3 so I'll try streaming without WaveOut when I get home. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[flashkube]

When I turn WaveOut off I get weird popping crackling noises that make me feel like my brain is being electrocuted. :) Any way to prevent those noises without the WaveOut option?

 

[dodgepong]

Can you post a log?

 

[flashkube]

Log attached. Also note that with WaveOut disabled, the volume sliders do not affect each other in the GUI but the OBS volume slider in Windows Volume Mixer still affects the game volume my viewers hear. This means that I can't lower the game volume on my PC without lowering it on my stream.

 

[dodgepong]

There is no way to completely separate the volume between what is on your computer and what you hear, since OBS is capturing what you hear.

As for that log, try enabling "Use Buffering" in the capture card, and leave the buffer at 0. Also, for the sake of testing, can you use x264 as well at 720p30, in case it's due to QuickSync somehow?

 

[flashkube]

Sure, I'll try x264 and 720p30 for the benefit of the project and post results back here later. So far hearing no snap crackle pops with just your suggestion but all other settings same.

There is no way to completely separate the volume between what is on your computer and what you hear, since OBS is capturing what you hear.

As a seasoned IT pro I have a hard time understanding that. I would think the default playback device (what I hear) is a different output from the stream output (what viewers hear). Is OBS capturing and streaming other sounds that are flowing through my default playback device (such as alerts from Chatty, dings from new emails, etc) even though I haven't listed them as sources for the stream?

On a similar note, why are mics not sources like any other? What if I had 3 USB mics and wanted to add 2 as a source? (Similar to my 3 webcams.)

 

[Sapiens]

OBS records what your selected playback device outputs. Yes, that includes sounds from other programs, if those programs also use the playback device you selected in OBS. If the playback device has its audio cranked to 100% and is distorted, that's how OBS will record it. If it's at 5% and you can barely hear it, that's also how OBS will record it.

What dodgepong is saying is that you can't do something like mute your PC's audio playback and then expect OBS to record it - nothing is playing back at that point, it will just record silence. You're likening this to turning down the volume knob on a set of speakers, that's not how it works.

More robust audio device management is planned for OBS Studio.

 

[flashkube]

Thanks guys. Its projects like this one that make me want to go back and choose dev instead of IT ops! Keep up the great work.

 

[flashkube]

As for that log, try enabling "Use Buffering" in the capture card, and leave the buffer at 0. Also, for the sake of testing, can you use x264 as well at 720p30, in case it's due to QuickSync somehow?

Results:
QuickSync, 1020p30, WaveOut off, Use buffering/0 - crackles and pops present
QuickSync, 720p30, WaveOut off, Use buffering/0 - crackles and pops present
x264, 720p30, WaveOut off, Use buffering/0 - crackles and pops present

Only way to make the pops stop is WaveOut. As soon as I set that it goes away. Want me to try any other scenarios? Example of audio below.