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USB Audio Issues...Confused - Anyone using Analog audio instead of USB? What about SDI?
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MarkNF82  
#1 Posted : Sunday, March 14, 2021 2:57:14 AM(UTC)
MarkNF82

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Hi Everyone,

Ever since I started using vMix, I have had numerous issues with audio over USB and in one case firewire. These are the devices I have tried so far:

Mackie ProFX8 - 1st Generation (electronic noise from computer, low volume but noticeable during speeches) - Analog worked fine
Mackie ProFX12- 2nd Generation (same as above) - analog worked fine
Yamaha MG12XU - Stuttering, pops and clicks - analog worked fine
Behringer UMC404HD - pop/clicks, dropouts at least once every minute. Recommended by many people even vMix.
Presonus Firebox - buffer issues, glitches, audio speeds up to keep in sync.

I have tried adjusting all power management and USB power management settings with no help. Also, different cables have been used.

Systems I have tried this on have been

HP Z640 Workstation (Intel)
Gigabyte Z77 UD5H (Intel)
Gigabyte X99 Chipset (Intel)
HP Zbook (intel)

During my last tests it was proven that the UMC404HD was recording audio fine in Audacity, but the vMix recording had a half-second drop out at least every minute. I have tried adjusting the audio buffer for ASIO in the UMC Control Panel, but vMix takes control and changes it. If I change it after vMix loads, I lose audio and have to reset the audio input.

Is USB audio THAT temperamental? I can't understand it being more unreliable than analog and be in some many audio devices. Is it the USB controller I'm using? BUS? USB 2 vs USB 3? Bios Settings? Could someone recommend a USB controller card that would guarantee it working flawlessly? As dante is out of budget, I switched back to analog line in and line out. Since then I have had no issues. As satisfied as I am with the clean sound, I hate using 3.5mm / 1'8" connectors. Has anyone experienced similar issues using embedded SDI for audio?

Is anybody using analog line-in? I find it very strange that all these devices have USB, but I have never had one work well enough to use long term. The convenience is nice, but there just seems to be too many factors to get it working as good as analog all the time.
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SportsNetUSA.net  
#2 Posted : Monday, March 15, 2021 4:28:28 AM(UTC)
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Mark

In the past there have been issues with X99 motherboards. Below is an Admin post from vMix.

https://forums.vmix.com/posts/t8...et-Issues-and-Discussion

Quote:
So what's the problem?

When building our own studio PC based around the X99, we encountered the following challenges:

* Audio crackling and latency, both from USB audio interfaces, and from the audio output
from the NVIDIA GeForce HDMi ports

* Running into PCI Express bandwidth limits much sooner than expected leading to high GPU render times
when using more than approximately 12 HD or 3 4K cameras

Does this only affect vMix?

No. The audio crackling issue in particular appears to be a common issue on various online forums affecting
everything from professional audio recording software to games.

In fact, we have seen the issue crop up by merely playing a high quality MP4 video in Windows Media Player with no other software running.

Is there a solution? (Updated 2018)

The first step is always to make sure Windows and all drivers are up to date. (In particular NVIDIA, Network, WiFi and Sound drivers).
If you have a X99 system and everything is working well for you then there is no need for you to take any action!

Unfortunately, for others there isn't a clear solution or fix so far. Some forums users have reported success with updating the BIOS and various drivers (particularly for sound and network devices)
and disabling any onboard motherboard devices that are not being used (such as onboard sound) has worked well for them.

Some have had success using LatencyMon to identify problem drivers and search for replacements.
http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon

One possible solution is to try the new High Input Performance Mode in the latest version of vMix. This can be enabled in Settings -> Performance.

What alternatives are there?

We recommend the new X299 chipset from Intel.


If updating drivers or BIOS doesn't work on the X99, stick with analog. If you can upgrade to a different motherboard, then you should be good with USB. I have a ZBook laptop that's been used for vMix for a couple of seasons of basketball and football and have no USB sound issues. Have you tried disabling the built-in sound on any of your systems?
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MarkNF82  
#3 Posted : Monday, March 15, 2021 6:22:10 AM(UTC)
MarkNF82

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Posts: 67
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We have since stopped using the x99 chipset boards a few years ago. It was just a reference as to what systems I had the issues with. I did not disable the built in audio on the Zbook, Z77x-UD5H or the HP Z640's. I did not realize it would make a difference. I have an HP Z640 at home as a backup for the church system that the issue happens on. I will disable the onboard audio and give the Behringer another try. Again I find it very strange that the UMC404HD works fine in other programs, but causes drop outs and clicks in vMix only. This is on the recording as well as the live webcast and doesn't seem to be happening on the input, just the output only so far. I'll give latencymon a shot too.

I have attached a waveform of the "drop-out" that vMix produces. tone.jpg (43kb) downloaded 0 time(s).

Thanks
Mark


Originally Posted by: SportsNetUSA.net Go to Quoted Post
Mark

In the past there have been issues with X99 motherboards. Below is an Admin post from vMix.

https://forums.vmix.com/posts/t8...et-Issues-and-Discussion

Quote:
So what's the problem?

When building our own studio PC based around the X99, we encountered the following challenges:

* Audio crackling and latency, both from USB audio interfaces, and from the audio output
from the NVIDIA GeForce HDMi ports

* Running into PCI Express bandwidth limits much sooner than expected leading to high GPU render times
when using more than approximately 12 HD or 3 4K cameras

Does this only affect vMix?

No. The audio crackling issue in particular appears to be a common issue on various online forums affecting
everything from professional audio recording software to games.

In fact, we have seen the issue crop up by merely playing a high quality MP4 video in Windows Media Player with no other software running.

Is there a solution? (Updated 2018)

The first step is always to make sure Windows and all drivers are up to date. (In particular NVIDIA, Network, WiFi and Sound drivers).
If you have a X99 system and everything is working well for you then there is no need for you to take any action!

Unfortunately, for others there isn't a clear solution or fix so far. Some forums users have reported success with updating the BIOS and various drivers (particularly for sound and network devices)
and disabling any onboard motherboard devices that are not being used (such as onboard sound) has worked well for them.

Some have had success using LatencyMon to identify problem drivers and search for replacements.
http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon

One possible solution is to try the new High Input Performance Mode in the latest version of vMix. This can be enabled in Settings -> Performance.

What alternatives are there?

We recommend the new X299 chipset from Intel.


If updating drivers or BIOS doesn't work on the X99, stick with analog. If you can upgrade to a different motherboard, then you should be good with USB. I have a ZBook laptop that's been used for vMix for a couple of seasons of basketball and football and have no USB sound issues. Have you tried disabling the built-in sound on any of your systems?
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richardgatarski  
#4 Posted : Monday, March 15, 2021 6:35:16 AM(UTC)
richardgatarski

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Posts: 1,837
Location: Stockholm

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Make sure the sample rate (44.1 or 48 kHz) from the mixer matched what vMix is set to (default is 48 kHz). Click the Input in vMix's Audio mixer to see what you get from the mixer.

Also, check that you have installed the latest USB driver from the mixer's manufacturer.

I have had some issues with Mackie's USB driver, so in that case I reverted to analog (forced by the "studio" built by the customer).
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