Summary of Stuttering Sound Problem

[kehatch]

Like many of you, I have major audio stuttering. The game is unplayable. I have been reading the threads diligently, and playing around for hours. Here is a summary of what I have tried. Some of this may fix your problems. Also, if you have tried something I haven't, please post it here.

- Update of all drivers (no effect)
- Update of Direct X 10 (no effect)
- Full Windows Update, inlcuding all optional updates
- Roll back to Direct X 9.0c (no effect)
- Run in windows compatability mode for Windows 2000, 97, and XP service Pack 2 (No effect)
- Run as an administer (check mark under properties) (No effect)
- Run as an administer (right click on short cut and select run as administer to launch program) (No effect, except when also running as Windows 97 compatability mode. In that situation I received flawless sound during the into and plane crash, but no ingame sound at all.)
- Right click on shortcut in games folder and ran in DX9 mode
- Combinations of last 4
- Commented out the FMOD statements in default.ini (Flawless sound through plane crash, no in game sound at all)
- Replace FMOD with direct 3D statement in default.ini (Flawless sound through plane crash, no in game sound at all)
- Used realtek 97 on board audio (no effect)
- Upgraded to Xi Fi (no effect)
- New openAL dlls (no effect)
- New FMOD dlls (no effect)
- Combinations of all sound settings in game (EAX, reverb, mono, stereo, etc) (no effect)
- Installed then uninstalled gomplayer based on advice on 2kgames phone tech support (when GOM Player installed I recieved bioshock stopped working bug. When uninstalled, back to the way it was. Stuttering audio but it loaded. Note, there is a incompatibility with GOP Player and Bioshock. If you have GOM Player, uninstall it)
- deleted default.ini (no effect)
- disabled all but audio in msconfig (no effect)
- Spent an hour with phone support. Some language barriers with tech support, but he didn't seem to know what he was talking about. Told me to run in software mode vs hardware mode for sound via the in game settings (among other things). There is no such setting. (no effect)
- Registry scan for all problems. I haven't paid for a scanner, so I haven't been able to fix all detected issues. However, I haven't had any success with the freeware ones (no effect)

Using
Vista Home Premium
Athlon 3600+
Geforce 6800
Xi Fi (Also tried onboard realtek 97)
Asus motherboard
2 GB Ram

I have probably missed a few things, but I am tired.

[applehazelnut]

I have the exact same problem with sound stuttering. I don't know what could be causing this other than running it in Vista. I thought this game was Vista compatible. I can't get sound to stop stuttering on my soundcard or onboard sound. Could it be some sort of permission problem with securom?

[Gibbet]

- Update of all drivers (no effect)
- Update of Direct X 10 (no effect)
- Roll back to Direct X 9.0c (no effect)
- Run in windows compatability mode for Windows 2000, 97, and XP service Pack 2 (No effect)
- Run as an administer (check mark under properties) (No effect)
- Run as an administer (right click on short cut and select run as administer to launch program)
- Right click on shortcut in games folder and ran in DX9 mode
- Combinations of last 4
- Commented out the FMOD statements in default.ini
- Replace FMOD with direct 3D statement in default.ini (Flawless sound through plane crash, no in game sound at all)
- New openAL dlls (no effect)
- Combinations of all sound settings in game (EAX, reverb, mono, stereo, etc) (no effect)
- deleted default.ini (no effect)
- Registry scan for all problems.
- Defragmented the Hard drive with proffesional software too many times to count
-Ran Windows Vista memory checker on boot up (all tests retruned as fine)

Using:
Vista Home Premium
A64 Dual Core 4200+
ATI Radeon X1650 (512mb Memory)
Onboard Realtek AL660 High Definiation.
Asus motherboard
2 GB Ram

[PuceMoose]

Hey guys,

That's quite an exhaustive list of things you've tried. I've only had the sound stutter maybe three or four times in the game for about 1-2 seconds, but it's always happened when the system is very busy; lots of stuff loading, exploding, etc.

Just in case it's a situation where stuff is getting overloaded, have you tried to lower everthing to its minimum settings? As a test, run at 640x480, turn off all graphical advanced features, every detail to low instead of high, etc. It will make it ugly but it may be worth it just as an experiment to see if it makes any difference.

[Gibbet]

Hey guys,

That's quite an exhaustive list of things you've tried. I've only had the sound stutter maybe three or four times in the game for about 1-2 seconds, but it's always happened when the system is very busy; lots of stuff loading, exploding, etc.

Just in case it's a situation where stuff is getting overloaded, have you tried to lower everthing to its minimum settings? As a test, run at 640x480, turn off all graphical advanced features, every detail to low instead of high, etc. It will make it ugly but it may be worth it just as an experiment to see if it makes any difference.

Ive tested this myself for a while and it didnt solve the problem. Even if it did solve the issue it doesnt explain why a fresh install of Vista,Drivers and Bioshock leads to no ingame sound. Right now after the multitude of tweaks done and tested I have reformatted my HD once again and set up a lab clean rig to run Bioshock, the sound will not function. Something in the game needs to be patched as everything else Ive used as a stability test has pointed at that.

[Baby_Seal_Killer]

- Spent an hour with phone support. Some language barriers with tech support, but he didn't seem to know what he was talking about. Told me to run in software mode vs hardware mode for sound via the in game settings (among other things). There is no such setting.

In your DxDiag under your sound tab, slide your slider all the way to the left (no hardware acceleration). I guess this would be software mode.

[p4c_m4n]

Take it back and get a refund. When the patch comes out to resolve this (if) then go buy it again. I wasted five days pissing about and gave up, got my money back. Would probably go for pirate version (when) after all the hassle 2K have caused me with this unfinished and buggy piece of malformed crud

[Anei]

Take it back and get a refund. When the patch comes out to resolve this (if) then go buy it again. I wasted five days pissing about and gave up, got my money back. Would probably go for pirate version (when) after all the hassle 2K have caused me with this unfinished and buggy piece of malformed crud

what a stunning idea. Your 'technical support' would be 'take the game back'. jack

[spurs161281]

Take it back and get a refund. When the patch comes out to resolve this (if) then go buy it again. I wasted five days pissing about and gave up, got my money back. Would probably go for pirate version (when) after all the hassle 2K have caused me with this unfinished and buggy piece of malformed crud

I have exactly the same problem as the first poster and if like me you bought it through Steam, Im fecked they dont even respond to the 3 tickets i have sent to them.....


My system:
A64 3200+
2.00 GB RAM

GF 7800 GT 256MB
Driver Version: 7.15.11.6222
Driver Date: 06/07/2007

Vista Ultimate x64

Realtek AC97 Audio
Driver Version: 6.0.1.6243
Driver Date: 18/06/2007

I have updated my drivers for both my graphics card and sound card and they are now uptodate.
I have a feeling this is a Vista issue and due to the fact this was labelled as Vista compatible i should be due a refund.

I have done everything i can including reformatting and also reinstalling and the Bioshock files through steam twice.

I want a fuken refund

[MadZia]

Like many of you, I have major audio stuttering. The game is unplayable. I have been reading the threads diligently, and playing around for hours. Here is a summary of what I have tried. Some of this may fix your problems. Also, if you have tried something I haven't, please post it here.

- Update of all drivers (no effect)
- Update of Direct X 10 (no effect)
- Full Windows Update, inlcuding all optional updates
- Roll back to Direct X 9.0c (no effect)
- Run in windows compatability mode for Windows 2000, 97, and XP service Pack 2 (No effect)
- Run as an administer (check mark under properties) (No effect)
- Run as an administer (right click on short cut and select run as administer to launch program) (No effect, except when also running as Windows 97 compatability mode. In that situation I received flawless sound during the into and plane crash, but no ingame sound at all.)
- Right click on shortcut in games folder and ran in DX9 mode
- Combinations of last 4
- Commented out the FMOD statements in default.ini (Flawless sound through plane crash, no in game sound at all)
- Replace FMOD with direct 3D statement in default.ini (Flawless sound through plane crash, no in game sound at all)
- Used realtek 97 on board audio (no effect)
- Upgraded to Xi Fi (no effect)
- New openAL dlls (no effect)
- New FMOD dlls (no effect)
- Combinations of all sound settings in game (EAX, reverb, mono, stereo, etc) (no effect)
- Installed then uninstalled gomplayer based on advice on 2kgames phone tech support (when GOM Player installed I recieved bioshock stopped working bug. When uninstalled, back to the way it was. Stuttering audio but it loaded. Note, there is a incompatibility with GOP Player and Bioshock. If you have GOM Player, uninstall it)
- deleted default.ini (no effect)
- disabled all but audio in msconfig (no effect)
- Spent an hour with phone support. Some language barriers with tech support, but he didn't seem to know what he was talking about. Told me to run in software mode vs hardware mode for sound via the in game settings (among other things). There is no such setting. (no effect)
- Registry scan for all problems. I haven't paid for a scanner, so I haven't been able to fix all detected issues. However, I haven't had any success with the freeware ones (no effect)

Using
Vista Home Premium
Athlon 3600+
Geforce 6800
Xi Fi (Also tried onboard realtek 97)
Asus motherboard
2 GB Ram

I have probably missed a few things, but I am tired.

I´ve tried all of these too, I also played around with the settings in bioshock.ini in the sections [ALAudio.ALAudioSubsystem] and [FMODAudio.FMODAudioSubsystem].

Nothing helped...

My specs:
AMD 3500+
2 GB RAM
Geforce 7800 GS
Xi Fi (Also tried onboard realtek 97)
Vista 32 Bit Ultimate

[spurs161281]

so many of us are having this problem its crazy!

[Joga]

Yup, I've already tried most of the things you listed, including playing around with the .ini settings, all to no avail.

32-bit Vista and Realtek HD Audio here.

This is really annoying. It doesn't happen all the time, but it seems particularly bad in Neptune's Bounty and a little bit in Fort Frolic. The latter half of the game didn't really have much sound popping/stuttering, except the...

well, I won't spoil it - but the part right before the final boss. In that part there was a ton of crackling and stuttering sound too.

Is there anyone having this problem with XP? All of us seem to have Vista...

[MadZia]

bump
bump
bump

[72ide The Lightning]

im beggining to think that the whole sound issue is just poor scripting

[SliderFury]

I only seem to get it during loading screens, and everyone once in a while it my speakers do a little snap-crackle-pop. But then again, my sound card is ancient (not crappy, just old, which I guess makes it kinda crappy lol). Are you guys having this problem all the time?

[MadZia]

im beggining to think that the whole sound issue is just poor scripting

And really, really bad QA...

[72ide The Lightning]

sliderfury i get the same prob with a good audio card x-fi extreme audio

and this better be fixed soon iwant to see the alternet ending with good sound quality with my 7.1 surround sound speakers its all i ask right now

[Musedmark]

I had a slightly different sound issue, in that a faulty driver was causing CTD's, re-installing openal worked for me get it here

its at least worth a try.

[MadZia]

I had a slightly different sound issue, in that a faulty driver was causing CTD's, re-installing openal worked for me get it here

its at least worth a try.

Didn´t help...

[Enzed]

The only thing that worked for me was to install it under XP. No sound issues experienced once I did this.

[applehazelnut]

Have we figured out what is exactly causing the stuttering sound problem yet? I have the exact same problem.

[applehazelnut]

http://www.steampowered.com/v/index....ea=news&id=356

Before you go out and buy a brand new sound card thinking that it'll fix your sound stuttering problem in bioshock, don't.

It may not be your sound card at all.

I remember having problems with Sin Episode 1 with stuttering sound. Since Sin Episode 1 used the Half-Life 2 engine, it stands to reason that this texture thrashing thing might be the cause.

The sound card may not be what is causing the stuttering sound.

I know. Imagine that huh.

[Sleepy Ben]

2 things you should check that I havent seen mentioned so far - IRQ sharing and PCI Latency.

Check in Device Manager and view 'Resources by connection' - look under interrupt(IRQ) - that'll show any devices sharing IRQs - ideally you want your graphics card and sound cards on their own ... NOT sharing with any other device. If the sound card is sharing an IRQ try moving it to a differant PCI slot may help - also make sure unused hardware is disabled in BIOS (parallel port and serial port) to free up IRQs.

Also if any device is forcing a High PCI Latency (eg a graphics card with 255) it can rob other devices of getting necessary CPU time. Google for PCI Latency Tool and use it to force all devices to use a latency of 32 and share equally. It wont degrade the graphics card performance either.

[Tech JT]

Also despite what has been mentioned previously ensure that the Hardware acceleration is set to Full (Start>Run>DXDIAG>Sound).

[Ainmer]

In your Default.ini,
in the [FMODAudio.FMODAudioSubsystem] section, set MaxChannels to 32 or even 16. Also, be sure to turn off EAX.

Maxchannels will eliminate the issue, although I wasn't successful at getting it to behave using EAX no matter what I put in there.

[Baby_Seal_Killer]

http://www.steampowered.com/v/index....ea=news&id=356
It may not be your sound card at all.
The sound card may not be what is causing the stuttering sound.
I know. Imagine that huh.

Funny, your link works but the link to fix the problem (in your link) does not work.

[MadZia]

In your Default.ini,
in the [FMODAudio.FMODAudioSubsystem] section, set MaxChannels to 32 or even 16. Also, be sure to turn off EAX.

Maxchannels will eliminate the issue, although I wasn't successful at getting it to behave using EAX no matter what I put in there.

Didn´t help

[Theos]

I figured I'd chime in as just another unhappy customer of 2K. I as everyone else her int his thread experience stuttering and crackling. Game is unplayable this way.

I have
Vista Ultime
X-FI Fatality
P4 3.2Ghz
2GB RAM
BFG 7800 GS OC
Raptor X HDD

Clean install of Vista....all drivers are up to date. Only software installed is NERO and WoW, LOTRO, Halo 2. All play buttery smooth both audio and video.

Have tried all tweaks and trips from this thread. Nothing changes. Framerate in Boshock is great on my system but audio makes game unplayable. This needs a patch for sure!

[Grav]

Tried everything mentioned in this thread so far to no effect - tried a clean install of xp mce and no sound issues at all! Then ran a fresh install of vista and the sound problem was there straight away. I thought the idea behind the "games for windows" was full compatibility for vista. BTW in xp i was running at 1440x900 with all settings maxed, no aa or af, no hitches in framerate during action.

Athlon 64 3500+ (AM2)
2GB DDR2-533
Nvidia 8800GTS 640 MB
X-Fi Xmod USB soundcard

[DeadMG]

I saw the sound stutter during the plane crash and intro (but not once the game was loaded) on my brothers 8800. I run a 9800 SE. When booting up the demo and (attempting) to play it, it stuttered. After applying the SM 2.0 fix, I no longer have stuttered sound. Suggests that this is a graphics/shader related issue?

[brunomlopes]

I've had this stuttering and crackling issue on my pc.There was cracking in the loading screens and in the menu, and the game itself wasn't bearable.

After making sure all drivers are updated, and reducing the maxchannels on
FMODAudio.FMODAudioSubsystem the game was still unplayable. I also followed one sugestion mencioning IRQ sharing, and managed to get both the sound board and the graphics board on different IRQs than everything else.

After applying the Shader Model 2 - Asankel Fix loading times got sky high, but there as almost no noticeable stutter or crackling during the bathysphere.

DeadMG might be on to something here.

Windows Vista Business
Athlon 64 3700+ (939)
Asus A8N-SLI SE
2Gb DDR 333
NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT (XFX model)
Realtek AC'97 Audio (onboard)

[Quark999]

I've been through most of the suggestions here, nothing worked.

Pentium Mobile 2.13 Ghz
nvidia Geforce 6800 Ultra mobile
2 GB Ram
Sigmatel onboard sound
Windows Vista

Having a laptop is the worst possible system for testing, but then again at least I'm not tempted to swap cards in PCI slots.

My feeling has all along been that it has something to with the *graphics*, not the sound, because the issue is clearly related to what's displayed. Sometimes, when staring at a wall, there's hardly any issue, and other times it's unbearable. I somehow don't think it's THE AMOUNT of stuff going on on screen, it's rather WHAT is going on, and in that respect the shader issue makes perfect sense. The more shadows, lighting etc. I see, the worse it seems to be.

And I'm sure it's a pretty esoteric combination of things, but it's too common and widespread to just ignore.

[Quark999]

I hate to say it, but the shader fix didn't help either. It seemed to affect the problem however, in that it made the dropouts shorter, but unfortunately more frequent.

Still think that the problem is in that general area...