jhvive

Just another tip in case someone could benefit from this: the link box definitely needs to be connected to USB 2.0 on the PC instead of USB 3.0 (and probably without any hubs). Otherwise problems are multiplied.

This is the best workaround I found for now: when the linkbox (green light on top and a small button on front) seems to be working properly with green light on, it may have still crashed. So push the button and the light switches off. Push again, light switches on and now the audio devices in Windows 10 / Settings / Sound are refreshed. The choice "Speakers (VIVE Pro Mutimedia Audio)" is broken and useless. But "VIVE Pro (NVIDIA High Definition Audio)" works for me while it's not crashed.

It seems we are beta testers. Even the sound device name for me in Windows 10 Settings / Sound is "Speakers (VIVE Pro Mutimedia Audio)". That really says Mutimedia. Garbled sound continues, also everything else keeps crashing all the time. Also crashes so that the Vive headphones suddenly start playing noise at insanely high, deafening levels. Dangerous stuff.

So, updating everything: doesn't help. SteamVR / Devices / Reboot Vive headset = doesn't help. Changing audio devices back and forth (or fiddling Device Manager) doesn't help. Rebooting Windows may help, but sometimes even that doesn't help. Surely there must be a quicker workaround (until the drivers are fixed)? The problem sounds like sampling frequencies are messed up (trying to play back at double speed or so but then it syncs back to the correct rate, resulting in a horrible broken sound).