11 replies to this topic

[Site Bot]

Article link: Radio Stutter Fix for Fallout 3

This article tries to give a summary of all possible solutions regarding the Radio Stuttering which came across the Radio Stutter Thread. Links to forum posts can be taken as reference, they are orange.


[line]NPCs use the ogg codec.
Wasteland Radios use wave format,
Pipboy uses mp3.

That means there are 3 sorts of codecs you need to play all sounds perfectly.
The "windows default codecs" works fine, since the game wants to use them.
"3rd party" mp3 codecs tend to cause pipboy stuttering, because the default codec get overlayed.

Three basic ways to fix the sound problems:

• A) Install some "good" codecs and hope they solve it.
• B) Uninstall / Configure "bad" codecs.
• C) Disable all codecs you don't need

In some cases option C) may be your best choice, since you are able to deactivate the codecs you don't need temporary - without uninstalling.[line]



A) Install some "good" codecs
Don't forget to reboot your System after (un)installing codecs, otherwise the issue may persist or could cause scratching noises.

• Install k-Lite Codec like recommended by pimpbot (post 16)
  Go to <Windows Start Menu> Programs K-Lite Codec Pack Tools
  Run the Codec Tweak Tool and checkmark Detect broken codecs and filters, reboot (post 82)
  
• Install CCCP Codec Pack (Post 48 & 61)
  
• If you use Vista, you could try the Vista Codec Package.
  
• Try to install MADFilter. (confirmed for Vista and Win7 only)
  
• Use another driver / update your sound-card (be carefully, leave this point if you are not sure)
  
• try doubling audio cache like suggested by frankc (post 2)

B) Deactivate / uninstall "bad" codecs

• Uninstall all codecs cine_eater mentioned -> This are: Arcsoft, AC3
  (post 17) and the ArcSoft Audio Decoder (post 17)
  
• Also uninstall the TVersity Codec Pack
  
• To deactivate ffdshow make sure that the fallout3.exe has been added to the exception list of the control panel.
  
  (taken from post 40, click to enlarge) post 22 and 40 should help.
  
• Under Windows XP change your Hardware Acceleration level (post 43)
  Windows XP
  
• Control Panel -> Sounds and Audio Devices -> Volume tab -> Speaker Settings section -> Advanced... -> Performance tab -> Hardware Acceleration -> Basic
• Don't turn it off, or all sound will end up stuttering!
• If all sound stutters at Basic, go up to the next level.

C) If the Radio is still stuttering
you'll have to deactivate all codecs you don't need
The little tool InstalledCodec is very practical to deactivate codecs.
You’ll have to sort out the codecs you need to play Fallout with all sounds and set them active.


For Windows XP, my suggestion how to do

• load the little tool InstalledCodec
  
• run the InstalledCodec.exe
  
• Disable all Codecs (Ctrl + A to select all, then disable all)
  
• Sort to Type (by clicking on tab "Type")
  -> hold shift and push arrow up/down to select all Type= driver – video entries
  -> enable them
  
• Sort to company (click on tab "Company")
  -> hold shift and hit arrow up/down to highlight all “Microsoft Corporation” codecs and enable them
  
• Enable the two Company = Fraunhofer Institut Integrierte Schaltungen IIS – Codecs, this are:
  
  • Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 Codec and
  • MPEG Layer-3 Decoder
• Enable the two Company = Sipro Lab Telecom Inc. codecs
• Load a game and see what is happening (wait a while, because of the audio cache)

For Windows Vista and Windows 7, thanks to Gawdzila and Rebooter (post 88, refering to this post}

• Download MADFilter
  
• Extract MADFilter.ax and Register.bat from archive and copy them to: C:WINDOWSSYSWOW64.
  
• Click on Windows Start Button. Go to All Programs-> Accessories. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator from context menu. Behind the command prompt, type: CD C:WINDOWSSYSWOW64 and hit enter. Then type Register and hit enter. If it worked you will get a message saying that MADFilter.ax was successfully registered.
  
• Extract InstalledCodec and run the InstalledCodec.exe.
  
• Find Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 Codec in the list, right-click it and select "Disable Selected Items".

good luck
Thanks to anyone who contributed

[Stewb]

I found a thread in the forums with some more useful advice -> Change hardware acceleration for the sound card to basic instead of higher levels, this prevents overuse of the sound card without need. It reduced my stutter a lot, when i bought a sound card and stopped using the on-board one the stutter stopped almost completely.

[tortured Tomato]

I found a thread in the forums with some more useful advice -> Change hardware acceleration for the sound card to basic instead of higher levels, this prevents overuse of the sound card without need. It reduced my stutter a lot, when i bought a sound card and stopped using the on-board one the stutter stopped almost completely.

Do you mean the Radio Stutter Thread? If not, just post the Link right here.

Regarding the Hardware Acceleration [Point B) 4]
Sometimes this may fix the stuttering. Some people will have to do other fixes as well. And in some cases people will have to do option C) - just because nothing else works.

So, to get a better overview about the different solutions regarding the radio stuttering, it is still a good idea to visit the Radio Stutter Thread anyway.
I basicly wrote the article to reach people who never use the forums.

Edited by psyclops, 06 November 2009 - 04:04 PM.

[Stewb]

Oops, sorry, musta missed seeing [Point B) 4]. Sometimes i read too fast for my eyes to keep up

And no actually that wasn't the thread i found, i just stumbled across another and can't remember what it was called. Haven't been able to find it again yet, if i do i'll let ya know

[tortured Tomato]

Sorry folks, didn't recognized that most of the links were broken. It's fixed now.

@Stewb
Yeah, would be nice. I've looked for myself, without luck

[revenger681]

I would like to know if this bug/issue has been reported on the pc version of Fallout: New Vegas. I'm considering buying the pc version in addition to the PS3 version just for the mods ability. However, if this radio stuttering bug still exists: I'll skip buying the pc version. None of the tricks above worked for me on 64-bit windows vista ultimate.

[tortured Tomato]

Nope, FNV is almost radio stutter free.
There might be some really rare issues with no sound at all, but no stuttering.

Edited by tortured Tomato, 06 January 2011 - 11:47 PM.

[Hoppy75]

Disabling the MPC-MPA splitter was the only fix for me. I posted in case it helped someone else where installing MADFilter codec or disabling the suggested Fraunhofer codecs didn't work. Now my Fallout 3 radio stations are super clean! That is the only codec I have disabled using the InstalledCodecs tool.

[Sheroth]

I fixed mine by changing the settings in the AC3 filter. Just run AC3Filter config, and under the system tab, change the default output from DirectSound to Wave. That instantly fixed the stutter. You can change it before running Fallout, or alt-tab to the desktop and the icon is usually in the system tray. I still have an odd glitch at the beginning of each song, kind of like static, but it only lasts 2-3 seconds, and may be caused by the GNR Improved mod (I think that's the name).

Edit: Guess I should have looked around more. This thread : Radio Stutter pretty much covers everything, and also points out that my fix isn't complete and already widely discussed.

Edited by Sheroth, 28 September 2011 - 02:23 AM.

[Hanabi321]

Try this step, I found it elsewhere on the internet, it might work for you guys.

---
Modify your INI file in User - Documents - Games - Fallout3 - Fallout3.ini

scroll down to the audio section and find the iAudioCacheSize=

and change the number to 4096, save and close.
---

Tell me if that works for anyone.