[FIXED] Playback init error: 3

[littlestu1]

I have bought and installed Audiosurf through steam and when i attempted to play it there was a message at the bottom of the screen saying: Playback init error: 3
When going through the menu's there are no problems but when i actually try and play a song it just freezes.

Any ideas?

[Psycopiggy]

I have bought and installed Audiosurf through steam and when i attempted to play it there was a message at the bottom of the screen saying: Playback init error: 3
When going through the menu's there are no problems but when i actually try and play a song it just freezes.

Any ideas?

I've had the same problem and along with that I cannot hear any sound while on the menus, the only in game sound I get is when watching the tutorial video.

[Poets]

I purchased this game through steam and am receiving the playback init error 3 as well. The only audio I get it with the tutorial and it freezes whenever I try to play a song. I've updated drivers, redownloaded the content through steam and rebooted my machine a couple of times; no dice. Any quick fix would be very welcome and appreciated. Thanks.

My laptop is an older IBUYPOWER machine:
3200+ AMD chip
2GB RAM
128MB MOBILITY RADEON9700
XP PRO

[littlestu1]

Right heres my spec:

Intel Pentium 4  3.20GHz
1Gb Ram
nVidea GeForce 7600 GS

[lebeth]

We think this one is a sound card issue--it seems to be finding an audio device which is not the sound card. It's finding something at least that looks like a sound card but isn't working like a sound card.  Let me know if this info helps.

[littlestu1]

If it's of any importance, since i last wiped my PC i've been havin sound driver problems, some things not makin sounds like they should etc. I havent found a way to fix it though...

[Poets]

I've done some playing around and I believe it may be an incompatibility issue with onboard sound. For some reason your game doesn't play well with laptops, had a couple of friends verify.

The rest of you having this error: are you using integrated sound or do y'all have a sound card in your rigs?

[Psycopiggy]

 I reset all of my machines sound settings and checked the card, after that the game worked great. For people with windows XP/Vista go to control panel,  go to sounds and audio devices, and make sure all of your hardware is listed and connected, this worked for me, I dunno about other people.

[Hymer]

first i have to say give me my money back i would never ever have bought this stupid game if i now that it sould be so much problems whit it :S

I have the same Playback init error: 3. And i am quite good @ comp's but i havent figuerd out the problem yet. I have uninstalled my sound card and reinstalled it no work. dissable it no work. new codecs no work.

Comp spec's

QX6700
2gb ram
HD2900XT (HDMI sound comming from Graphic card)
MSI p35 Platinum whit onboard RealTek HD audio
VISTA ULTIMATE

So please devs figure this out now :S

[linFox]

I have a feeling I know what's wrong, especially after that note about alternate sound devices.
... Yep, I've just replicated it. It's most likely a dial-up modem (or similar device) that has an audio line and it taking priority over your sound card.
In Control Panel, open Sounds and Audio devices, then click the Audio tab. In the first section, check that your sound card and not anything else is set as the default device in the dropdown box. OK out of it all and try again.

[Hymer]

LinFox: No That dident work atleast not for me. hope they can fix it soon it is getting me Angry as hell. not even the BIOSHOCK vista no sound bug was this annoying

[littlestu1]

AWESOME! Thats mine fixed! Had the wrong audio device selected in the control panel  Thanks LinFox

[lebeth]

Thanks for sharing this fix--I hope it helps others and have added it to my troubleshooting list.

[Poets]

Grrrrrrr I feel like a n00b. That should have been the first thing I checked but I completely spaced it. I love how sometimes the windows updates change your default settings without telling you.... Thank you for the fix.

[kocy]

Hmmn im having the same problem as the Op but i cant fix it with switching my audio device :/

I also uninstalled the codecs and reinstalld new ones.

Didnt help either.
Im running an XP 64 os with an onboard Realtek soundcard.

But not even my usb soundcard gets detectet for some odd reason.

Theres just this red message at the bottom of the screen:"Playback init error: 3"

Edit: Its also strange that i cant start the tutorial movie....

And when i get to the song selection screen and want to start a song it says "Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library"
"Runtime Error!
Program:
"This applcation has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way.
Please contact the application's support team for more information."
(I guess thats what im doing right now...)

Thanx in advance