Laptop sound overnight problem

[Jez]

Sorry, I know this isn't specifically a Homeseer problem but I'm hoping someone else might have encountered the same situation and have any suggestions.

We run HS4 on an ASUS laptop running Windows 11 (we only recently moved to this laptop) but have a problem that sound stops working overnight. We use the headphone 3.5mm socket to connect to a Bluetooth transmitter (which doesn't get switched off overnight) This connects to a Bluetooth speaker that does get switched off overnight.

The scenario is this:

1. During the day everything works perfectly. HS4 speaks the time every half hour as well as all sorts of other messages. The same laptop plays music or BBC Sounds for much of the day and everything works perfectly.
2. At night the half hourly spoken notifications continue (although not heard as the phsical speaker is switched off)
3. However, the next morning there is no sound to be heard until the laptop is unlocked (by entering my Windows password)

We've gone through the Windows settings with a fine tooth comb to ensure that it never goes to sleep and have installed Microsoft's PowerToys and set the Awake tool so that it never goes to sleep. But nothing has changed the sound behaviour.

Thinking that it might be something outside Windows we've checked the BIOS but couldn't see anything relevant.

It's really frustrating particularly as I can't simulate the problem to test it, all I can do is make a change and wait to see what happens overnight.

Any help is much appreciated.

[jon00]

As a test, have you tried disabling the PC from self locking?

Do you run HS4 as a service?

[Jez]

As a test, have you tried disabling the PC from self locking?

Do you run HS4 as a service?

Thanks Jon.
We're testing keeping it unlocked today/tonight. No, not running HS4 as a service but will try it if needed.

[langenet]

I take it that your time announcements are all event driven. Why not just disable them at night while maintaining the blue tooth connection between the laptop and speaker? If working during the day, I'm assuming the laptop must lock the screen anyway if no one is using it. Correct?

[Jez]

I take it that your time announcements are all event driven. Why not just disable them at night while maintaining the blue tooth connection between the laptop and speaker? If working during the day, I'm assuming the laptop must lock the screen anyway if no one is using it. Correct?

Thats a good suggestion but I've had problems with the bluetooth speaker unless it's rebooted over night.
Its quite possible the problem is due to the screen being locked - we're going to try making sure it's not locked tonight as a test.

[Jez]

As an update, yesterday we made 2 changes....

1.We didn't lock the laptop.
2. We changed the Power Management settings in Device Manager for all the devices in 'Universal Serial Bus controllers' to NOT allow: 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power'.

One of those 2 made the difference which is a good starting point. Tonight I'll lock the screen and see what happens tomorrow morning.

[Jez]

So it's definitely caused by locking the screen. I think I've found a solution, I'll try it tonight.....