Total loss of sound lips not moving

Hi DoublePlusBon​ 

Could you post your Computer's DxDiag?

- Press Windows-Key + R
- Type: DxDiag
- Click on Save all Information.
- Attach the Text File to your post

Thank you, here is the file. 

DoublePlusBon​  Your dxdiag only lists one driver in the Sound Drivers category, the Nvidia driver that comes bundled with the graphics driver.  But there's a second sound driver in System Devices, from Intel, and I wonder whether that's interfering.  So try uninstalling the latter.  Click Windows key-X, select the Device Manager, expand the Audio section, look for any entry from Intel, and uninstall it.  Look in the Sound category too; I'm not sure where it would be listed.  Then restart your computer and test the game.

If that doesn't help, or you don't find any Intel drivers in Audio or Sound, try using Display Driver Uninstaller to look for an Intel driver.  Here's how to use it:

http://crinrict.com/blog/2019/02/clean-re-install-of-graphics-drivers-with-display-driver-uninstaller-ddu.html

In this case though, you'd look for anything from Intel first; again I'm not sure whether it would find the driver given how it's listed in your dxdiag.  If you don't see an Intel driver here either, do a clean uninstall and reinstall of the Nvidia driver, which will include its audio component.

Thank you for your help,
After several tests I identified the trigger.  It happens only when the game is set to normal windowed mode.

If I switch to desktop using Windows key while in normal windowed mode and then come back to the game the audio disappears completely and the game freezes..

When I play in borderless windowed mode, I do not lose sound and the game behaves normally even when switching back and forth between the desktop and the game with Windows D.

However sometimes the game switches itself back to normal windowed mode without my intervention which reactivates the bug.
I always play on a Samsung TV connected via HDMI and this issue never happened before the last updates of the game. 

Excuse me, but how is this issue considered resolved?

This bug started happening right after the second-to-last game update. I had never experienced it before, and I haven’t changed anything on my side. It clearly seems to be related to the update. ( If I remember correctly, this bug already appeared one or two years ago, and a game update fixed it back then. So the issue was definitely on EA’s side.)

The Sims 4’s rendering engine, when using classic fullscreen mode, conflicts with the HDMI output of my TV when it tries to regain display priority after an alt-tab or window closure. In borderless windowed mode, this conflict doesn’t happen because the game doesn’t need to request exclusive display access again, so the audio doesn’t cut out.

Could you please confirm if it’s being investigated ?

DoublePlusBon​  This isn't considered a bug, so it's not being investigated by EA as far as I've seen.  If it were a bug, there would be more reports.  The reason I haven't replied is because I've been away from the forums for a few days.

If you can confirm the issue is limited to DirectX 11 mode, and I'm not suggesting that it is, only that it might be, then that would be something to add to the DX11 feedback thread here:

DirectX 11 Technical Issues and Feedback Thread | EA Forums - 11841941

I can merge your posts into that thread if you like, but only if the issue disappears in DX9 mode.

Again though, you do have two sound drivers listed, and that could be the problem, that one of them tries to assert itself when it shouldn't.

Thanks for your reply.

I have posted my issue on the link you provided.

Unfortunately, none of your suggestions fix the problem.

The issue is very specific: when the game is in fullscreen mode, I lose all audio. The sound cuts off completely and does not return.

If I switch to borderless or windowed mode during the same session, the sound does not come back.

To restore audio, I must restart the PC and relaunch the game directly in borderless mode.

Only the TV audio is enabled and used by default in Windows sound settings.

Realtek and NVIDIA HD Audio are both disabled.

Everything was working fine before the latest Sims 4 update.

No other game has this issue. I tested Inzoi in fullscreen with the same HDMI setup and sound works perfectly.

This problem seems specific to The Sims 4 running in fullscreen with HDMI sound output.

DoublePlusBon​  Did you confirm this is limited to DirectX 11 mode?  I ask because if it also happens in DX9 mode, it shouldn't be reported in the DX11 thread.

Yes, only in Directx11