[tooshna]

Like Mac users have already figured, there's no Dynamic Range Compression (DRC) in Xbmc. Attaining DRC should not require to remix a movie: it is about making the softest sounds louder and the loudest sounds softer, so that when you for example rise the volume to hear someone whisper in a dialogue, you don't next get blasted by some special effect or music. Addressing this aspect of sound will show some respect to your ears and to your loudspeakers. Im only using the stereo speakers attached to my TV so i cant do the centre speaker trick on my mac mini. I was watching mars attacks on tv tonight and the sound equalisation was perfect, but then i tried watching my file of it through xbmc and the speech was so soft but the guns blasting were loud as hell. Xbmc really needs drc implemented.

[Seagoon]

Xbmc really needs drc implemented.

I couldn't agree more - having to constantly ride the remote in order to hear dialog and try and anticipate an action sequence so I can turn the volume down completely kills my enjoyment of using XBMC.

[TugboatBill]

This would be a nice feature if my HT wasn't calibrated or when PVR is integrated and I didn't strip commercials.

[tooshna]

Argh the lack of this basic and necessary feature really annoys me. Again tonight i was watching a movie, independance day, and could hardly hear the president talking while the explosions were astronomical! Very frustrating indeed!!!

[spiff]

patch welcome. whining not so much.

[TugboatBill]

I don't understand the "necessary feature" comments. I've owned at least a dozen TVs, several HT receivers, and several DVRs; none of which had this "necessary feature".

It may be a nice feature for some, but it's hardly a common capability in the current HT equipment world.

[tooshna]

For DVDs, no, you don't need night mode, but for bluray rips with 5.1 audio outputting to analog 2.0 there needs to be some kind of equalization

[tooshna]

BTW, I have figured out a solution to the sound issue, it will work for you too if you are using mac osx. download the program 'Hear' it takes a bit of adjusting but once you get your settings right then away you go, took me about 3 hour by ear to get the audio the way i wanted it. Now all the levels are evened out!

[adgr]

What about this option: http://alsa.opensrc.org/index.php/Ladspa_(plugin)

[mailman0]

What about this option: http://alsa.opensrc.org/index.php/Ladspa_(plugin)

If anyone has an .asoundrc that will make this work with 6-channel audio (from and to) then I'm all for it. So far, all I can get to work is 2-channel audio. When I try to modify it to accept 6-channel audio, it doesn't work (probably because I don't quite understand the ins and outs of ALSA conf files).

[pumkinut]

If anyone has an .asoundrc that will make this work with 6-channel audio (from and to) then I'm all for it. So far, all I can get to work is 2-channel audio. When I try to modify it to accept 6-channel audio, it doesn't work (probably because I don't quite understand the ins and outs of ALSA conf files).

Would you mind posting your .asoundrc. I normally only watch my movies downmixed to stereo, and would love some DRC so I don't have to ride the volume button the entire time.

BTW, I'm using an nVidia gf9300 chipset with audio going over HDMI to my television.

[mailman0]

Would you mind posting your .asoundrc. I normally only watch my movies downmixed to stereo, and would love some DRC so I don't have to ride the volume button the entire time.

BTW, I'm using an nVidia gf9300 chipset with audio going over HDMI to my television.

This is what I used, only modified because I have three sound cards. Just make sure that you change "plughw:0,0" to your actual hardware and you'll be fine. If you have a simple setup you can change that to "default" and it will Just Work.™

This .asoundrc is from http://alsa.opensrc.org/index.php/Ladspa_(plugin).

Code:

pcm.ladcomp {
    type plug
    slave.pcm "ladcomp_compressor";
}

pcm.ladcomp_compressor {
    type ladspa
    slave.pcm "ladcomp_limiter";
    path "/usr/lib/ladspa";
    plugins [{
        label dysonCompress
        input {
            #peak limit, release time, fast ratio, ratio
            controls [0 1 0.5 0.99]
        }
    }]
}

pcm.ladcomp_limiter {
    type ladspa
    slave.pcm "plughw:0,0";
    path "/usr/lib/ladspa";
    plugins [{
        label fastLookaheadLimiter
        input {
            #InputGain(Db) -20 -> +20 ; Limit (db) -20 -> 0 ; Release time (s) 0.01 -> 2
            controls [ 20 0 0.8  ]
        }
    }]
}

[Hirs]

This .asoundrc works great, but locks my soundcard:

[AO_ALSA] alsa-lib: pcm_hw.c:1293snd_pcm_hw_open) open '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0p' failed (-16): Device or resource busy


So I need to close XBMC before any other sound application, is there any way to use dmix with this?

[ubuntuf4n]

Is there a plan on the roadmap when DRC will have his comeback.
It's an awesome feature, especially at night.

[Hirs]

By the way, I'm unable to use surround with this configuration, I can't hear the central channel (can't hear voices), seems to work fine with mplayer