Visualizer (Plugin=AudioLevel) prevents automatic sleep with USB/DAC Speakers

[Cateye180]

Loading a skin which uses the Audiolevel plugin prevents Windows 10 to enter the Sleep state if you use USB Speakers (with a DAC).
The plugin opens an audio stream immediately regardless to sound-output which then prevents the USB Speaker to enter the Sleep state.
I tried all the usual things before: Fresh Windows install/newest drivers/newest firmware updates, but it really seems that the plugin misbehaves.


The error from C:\Windows\system32>powercfg /energy
System Availability Requests:System Required Request
The device or driver has made a request to prevent the system from automatically entering sleep.
Requesting Driver Instance USB\VID_041E&PID_3272&MI_00\7&808096e&0&0000
Requesting Driver Device USB Audio Device

The audio stream shown C:\Windows\system32>powercfg /requests
SYSTEM:
[DRIVER] USB Audio Device (USB\VID_041E&PID_3272&MI_00\7&808096e&0&0000)
An audio stream is currently in use.
[DRIVER] Legacy Kernel Caller

This error should be limited to USB Speakers (in my Case Creative Pebble V3 which feature an internal DAC)
Furthermore I use the onboard Realtek ALC897 chip.

Unloading the skin with the Audiolevel plugin fixes the issue immediately, the PC can enter the Sleep state.

FYI: I found a few other bug reports on the web with the same issue but only one with a connection to rainmeter, so it could be a more widespread problem which is not yet know.

For a quick check just run "powercfg /requests" and look for "audio stream in use".

[formeddragon92]

Visualizer.ini seems to prevent pc from sleeping either way as I don't have USB Speakers. I tested my system only to see as soon as visualizer.ini is loaded it triggers a power request and shows up as System- Legacy Kernel Driver. The fix seems to be just unload the visualizer.ini plugin and your system will go into standby successfully unless a driver from something else is also causing it on your system. My system now after months is finally going into sleep.

[death.crafter]

Visualizer.ini seems to prevent pc from sleeping either way as I don't have USB Speakers. I tested my system only to see as soon as visualizer.ini is loaded it triggers a power request and shows up as System- Legacy Kernel Driver. The fix seems to be just unload the visualizer.ini plugin and your system will go into standby successfully unless a driver from something else is also causing it on your system. My system now after months is finally going into sleep.

In fact it does that with any speaker. It is because it is actively accessing an audio stream from your audio device. I don't think anything can be daone about it

[Cateye180]

In fact it does that with any speaker. It is because it is actively accessing an audio stream from your audio device. I don't think anything can be daone about it

One possible solution is to poll for "Is a sound playing" and only then open the audio stream or close the existing one if the speakers went silent for e.g. a minute.
Ugly and I really don't know how much resources such a polling would use and even if it could be done without opening a stream.