[bowman]

i'd consider this low volume issue another request for dynamic range compression, since the ac3 tracks in question are most likely straight from dvd.

[Gamester17]

i'd consider this low volume issue another request for dynamic range compression

i agree, ac3 audio is by default very low volume and reason mp3 plays loader is that they been amplified during encoding/transcoding

[soundwall]

hmm i wonder...

if i buy a surround receiver with optical input, and connect the x to that.... will the volume on ac3 still be low, or is this an "issue" when connecting the x to analog source only?

can anybody verify?

-s

[Gamester17]

if i buy a surround receiver with optical input, and connect the x to that.... will the volume on ac3 still be low, or is this an "issue" when connecting the x to analog source only?

all external ac3 decoders i know of also work as amplifiers too and are by default setup to use laoder volume/amplification for ac3 audio

...so yes, the low volume "issue" is only a problem (only low volume) when connecting the xbox to analog speakers

[soundwall]

and the "deactivated" ac3 settings in xbmc is enabled on autodetect of a digital receiver too i bet

would be cool to test those settings even if i have analog output

[soundwall]

rofl.
i just went out and bought me a denon surround receiver - so guess i'll find out when i get back from work today

[soundwall]

ok. connected reciever with optical cable.
but there is no way in hell xbmc can detect it and enable me to select digital out.
the setting is just faded, and i cant change it.

any ideas?

[deltop]

you have switched audio from analogue to digital right?

[soundwall]

i switched to dobly setting in microsoft's dash, but xboxmediacenter cannot enable the settings that enables/disables analog and digital output.

thats the main problem now.

[deltop]

under audio options in xbmc you should be able to flip between analog and digital output regardless of any other settings. this will enable you to access the ac3 and dts passthrough settings.

[Topher]

i tried using ac3machine to add gain to the ac3 file, but too much distorted the sound.  besweet has an autogain setting, but that didn't add enough.
i read on either the vdub or divx forum to normalize the file to raise the volume, & that does work.  i normalized to 150% & the volume/quality was fine.  however, i don't want to compress the dynamic range, so i don't know if i should be doing this.
i don't have the xbox hooked up with a dd cable yet, so i'll hold off doing anymore converts until i try one out or hear back from you soundwall as to whether it changes anything.

chris

[soundwall]

found out yesterday that the cable type (typhoon) is a piece of £@$@£ cable, and many has had issues getting it to work, and when it do work, it's only outputting stereo signal through the opitcal.

bringing the cable back to the shop today, and getting another brand.

good thing we are more than one checking up on this "issue"... thnx dudes!

will check more when i get back from work today, and post back results here.

[soundwall]

ok back at home now.

new optical cable in place.
digital out and digital settings in xbmc now active for me to select.
the volume issue is still present.
no change at all there.

guess normalization is the only possible way to solve it.

can't much blame xbmc neither, because the volume difference is with the media i guess.

but i still wonder why there is no problem with this with xbmp...

i had xbmp on menu before to play the ac3 movies, but wife stresses out when she needs to run two apps for different kinds of movies hehehe

....

since my receiver neither have a normalize feature i dont need another volume source to regulate...

....

[soundwall]

this is turning into a blog hehe

this is what i did: the short version.

1. took the xvid avi and demuxed out the ac3 using virtualdub
2. converted the ac3 to stereo mp3 with headac3he.
3. muxed the mp3 back into the xvid using nandub.

this solved the audio volume issue, tho it took 30 minutes or so this process.

[Topher]

you can normalize the volume of ac3 files with besweet & not have to convert it to an mp3.
demux the ac3 with vdub, open it in besweet_gui, make sure ac3enc is checked, click the azid 1 button on the right & set normalization to 150% or something like that. then mux the new ac3 file into the avi with avimux or nandub.
it's pretty quick & you still have dolby digital. i'm just worried that it's compressing the dynamic range. i'll do some research.

chris