[bmentink]

Hi guys, I'm having a simillar problem with audio levels on my PowerBook Pro G4. A few people have mentioned the SVN Boost function, how do I access this? I think I have the newest version of XBMC as I just downloaded and installed it a day ago. I've tried searching around but I'm having a hard time accessing anything about this SVN Boost function anywhere but in this forum.

Cheers!

Goto System\System\Audio\Boost Audio Levels on Downmix

You need to be running downmix to stereo for this item to work, i.e Speaker layout should be 2.0

Cheers,
B.

[yee379]

i've been using xbmc for quite a while now; a few months back there was a bug in the trunk where the volume on downmix to stereo was very very low. it was fixed, but it took a little time.

i recently upgraded (perhaps foolishly) to the latest trunk... and the volume is very low again. so low in fact that in most movies i have to push the volume on my tv to almost 100%. this is far worse than it was previously.

[bmentink]

Yep, there is definitely an issue here ...

It seems that we have two types of folk on the thread, those like SlaveUnit that place there heads firmly in the sand, and say there is no issue ... or us lot who have problems with low sound volume.

I guess the 300+ hits on this thread also indicates there is a bit of concern on this issue.

It would be nice not to have to run all the mixers available with alsamixer on 100% as well as my amp, just to get some reasonable sound out of xbmc .... I just can't use any other program as well, or else I get blasted out of my chair.

If someone can point me to the part of the code tree that is responsible for this issue, I will have a go at fixing it myself.

[yee379]

i'm just wondering where the coloration is between the folks having problems.

i run my audio through the stereo out (the green sockets i think) direct to my tv. i use alsa on ubuntu 10.4.

issue one is that alsa always resets to 80% on the master and 80% on the front which makes the volume about 64% (if my math is correct).

issue two is that even then, some video's play very softly - mostly mkv's which i guess have 5.1 or dts. i am making a complete assumption here, but i think it may that the center speaker isn't being downmixed properly...?

[bmentink]

i'm just wondering where the coloration is between the folks having problems.

i run my audio through the stereo out (the green sockets i think) direct to my tv. i use alsa on ubuntu 10.4.

issue one is that alsa always resets to 80% on the master and 80% on the front which makes the volume about 64% (if my math is correct).

issue two is that even then, some video's play very softly - mostly mkv's which i guess have 5.1 or dts. i am making a complete assumption here, but i think it may that the center speaker isn't being downmixed properly...?

I presume you mean colaboration?, anyhow my setup is a 2.1 setup (front+center) and I use a digital optical connection and use Alsa also.
I had to set xbmc speaker setup to 2.0 though to get my sound, if I set to 2.1 I get no sound at all from any speaker. When I set to 2.0, I get both front and center correct but low volume. Very strange.

When I was running an analog amp(stereo), I used the downmix settings and still had low volume trouble ... even worse than with the digital setup.

Cheers,
B.

[rockies90]

I also have this exact problem. I've tried all the down mixing boosting options suggested in the various threads to no avail. I love xbmc but this problem is really distracting. Hope someone can offer better suggestions to solving the problem than those who don't think there is an issue.

[R_N_B]

I too have had the sound issue but seem to have resolved it when I changed my set up. Previously I was running Ubuntu and a nVidea card, sound was 5.1 via my PC. Nightmare trying to fix. Mainly my own incompetence with Linux I suspect. But the only reason I was going that route was for the GPU (hardware) support that nVidea and Linux offered with 1080p playback it was not unbearable to just max out the amp feeding the speakers.

But now that has changed with the latest releases and I can use Win7 and a Ati card again.

So therefore I have gone back over to the Win7 and using said ATi card with a direct HDMI connection to my TV for both sound and video. Yes I loose the 5.1 but at least I get sound at a level that is on a par with my other set top boxes. Sky for example. And my neighbours seem happier too these days.

Oh I am also updateing my XBMC every week now with the latest nightly.

Thanks for the thread and sorry for the uphill that you got mate (OP) I think that the XBMC project is outstanding mainly because so many people believe in it passionately and care about the project. So forgive those who do forget sometimes that other users have not had the same experience as they might have had. It is that very passion and belief that sustains the project and makes XBMC the great media centre that it is - but that passion can at times blur how folks respond to perceived criticism, even when there was none intended. Discussion about stuff is good for projects like this.

Cheers.

[bmentink]

@R_N_B

Hey thanks for the positive comments mate ... appreciate it

I agree, XBMC is a great project and I would love to help out to fix this issue as mentioned previously, I just need a pointer to the right place in the code tree and I would be happy to try and fix this.. unless someone else in onto it that is ...


Cheers,

[julienzch]

I just want to add here my experience. I have the same problem of low level on Camelot. The problem appeared when I switched from Babylon to Camelot, so it is definitely an XBMC-side problem. The sound is acceptable when I put my amp to its max now for a DVD but it used to be at 30% of its max (actually I would have broken my windows with the level I'm using now).

[yee379]

i hope this thread isn't dying because i still think this is a serious issue with the usability of the system. does anyone else seem to experience any problems with low volume output when using xbmc; particularly with surround sound movie sources?

[Siutsch]

I have the same problem.

But I have found out the following:

If a movie has more than one audio track and you can switch to one other,
then the volume increases abruptly!

That only works if more than one audio track is available, but it shows that xbmc does something wrong with audio I think.

Can you guys with same problem try that?

Maybe this is a good way to show the developers that there is something wrong with audio output in xbmc.

Siutsch.


PS: My equipment:
XBMC (latest nightly), Win7 Home 64bit, Acer Revo 3610 (ION), 5.1 audio output@toslink

[R_N_B]

Siutsch interesting find. I will test this later tonight.

[Siutsch]

Siutsch interesting find. I will test this later tonight.

And?

Someone already tested?

I am curious!

Siutsch.

[R_N_B]

It works on some of my movie sound tracks. Most notably on those movies with Russian or Polish sound tracks. The English sound track is lower in volume (original sound track) the remuxed sound is louder. I suspect that is because the encoders upped the levels when they remuxed.

Did not have any improvement when going to different audio track and then back to the original one. That volume stayed the same with me.

I will test with original BluRay Discs that I have remuxed myself this weekend.

[Siutsch]

It works on some of my movie sound tracks. Most notably on those movies with Russian or Polish sound tracks. The English sound track is lower in volume (original sound track) the remuxed sound is louder. I suspect that is because the encoders upped the levels when they remuxed.

Did not have any improvement when going to different audio track and then back to the original one. That volume stayed the same with me.

I will test with original BluRay Discs that I have remuxed myself this weekend.

Hmm.

If I do so (only possible, if more than 1 audio track is availlable) the volume increases abruptly to a much louder level.
After switch to the original audio track, these track is also remained significantly louder.

This trick is unfortunately only possible if the file has two or more audio tracks.

In my opinion, xbmc makes something wrong with the audio track, after changing the audio track (if possible) it seems to be corrected.

I hope the developers read along here, also try and are able to solve that.

Perhaps a developer can comment this assumption?

Siutsch.