digitalFAQ.com Forum

digitalFAQ.com Forum (https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/)
-   Capture, Record, Transfer (https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/)
-   -   Monitoring audio levels while capturing video? (https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/6957-monitoring-audio-levels.html)

VideoTechMan 01-06-2016 12:42 AM

Monitoring audio levels while capturing video?
 
Okay, I finally got both of my capture boxes running and able to use VirtualDub on each machine. Now the next thing is, what's the best way to monitor the audio levels when capturing to avoid distortion? I know how to set the levels, and setting the general level in the Windows mixer but in most cases I usually like to see recording meters so that I know how much audio signal is getting captured without clipping as we all know is very unforgiving with digital.

I have used and work with Adobe Audition for audio editing and some cleanup; that could be one possibility for signal monitoring and I also have an external audio mixer as well if needed. Many tapes can often have different signal levels so plan to try to get the best quality possible with minimal noise and no clipping.

As an aside I managed to find the small 3-pin internal cable to 4-pin that I was able to test and use with the AIW 8500 with the Turtle Beach card. Sound comes in perfectly and is much better with the internal connection as compared to the external loop-back method. However, I need to find either another one or make one somehow. May try to see if I can find one locally since I have a Frys and Microcenter in the area.

lordsmurf 01-06-2016 02:37 PM

Set the audio input to between 33% and 50% in the Windows mixer. Your input may be Aux, Line In, etc.
Mute anything not used (CD audio, etc).
Set the main audio and WAV to no more than 50%.

When you pull the audio into an editor, you want it to only occupy about 50% of the waveform. You don't want high levels, contrary to amateur/newbie belief.

Some of this is guesswork. You won't know if it was proper until after capture. Sometimes a test helps, sometimes not. Eventually, you'll learn to get a feel for it.

If the original tape is low, it probably needs 50%. If high, then 33%. I rarely have need to exceed the 33-50% barrier.

If the tape has excessive noise, that's a monkey wrench. You have to find balance (not too much noise, not too little), while allowing for a source capture that can be decently restored.

Audio is more art than science*.
* Excluding stupidity like "vinyl is better than CD" or "brand A CD sounds better than brand B".

Monoprice, eBay and Newegg should have plenty of those cables for $2 or so.

VideoTechMan 01-08-2016 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf (Post 41667)
Set the audio input to between 33% and 50% in the Windows mixer. Your input may be Aux, Line In, etc.
Mute anything not used (CD audio, etc).
Set the main audio and WAV to no more than 50%.

When you pull the audio into an editor, you want it to only occupy about 50% of the waveform. You don't want high levels, contrary to amateur/newbie belief.

Some of this is guesswork. You won't know if it was proper until after capture. Sometimes a test helps, sometimes not. Eventually, you'll learn to get a feel for it.

If the original tape is low, it probably needs 50%. If high, then 33%. I rarely have need to exceed the 33-50% barrier.

If the tape has excessive noise, that's a monkey wrench. You have to find balance (not too much noise, not too little), while allowing for a source capture that can be decently restored.

Audio is more art than science*.
* Excluding stupidity like "vinyl is better than CD" or "brand A CD sounds better than brand B".

Monoprice, eBay and Newegg should have plenty of those cables for $2 or so.

I've looked around for those cables online at least and haven't much luck so far. Some of the ones I've seen on the bay looks to have the 3-pin white connector (and 4-pin but only 3 wires) that would go in the AIW card. It needs 4 wires for both left and right channels.

May have to do the external connection for now until I can procure the cables. Even though the audio is being passed through on the breakout cable, its still going into the Line-in on the sound card. May do some test captures to see if it goes out of sync by chance on longer clips.

Either that, or i'll have to fabricate the cables myself.

lordsmurf 01-08-2016 11:58 AM

The 4-pin cable is a black header on both ends. The 3-pin header is white no one end, with a lock-in clip. You need a white one.

Look here: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...html#post11955

I know that post says 4-pin, but I believe it's not correct.

Look at your card. How many pins do you see?

VideoTechMan 01-08-2016 02:27 PM

On the card the white connector is 4-pin. And having received another 9600 yesterday that connector also is 4 pin. I had a universal cable that has two of the white plugs, but not wired correctly. Ill keep searching im sure ill find some.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VideoTechMan (Post 41716)
On the card the white connector is 4-pin. And having received another 9600 yesterday that connector also is 4 pin. I had a universal cable that has two of the white plugs, but not wired correctly. Ill keep searching im sure ill find some.

Update to my post...I did a little more digging and found (and also on an older thread here I searched) that the white connector to the AIW card does indeed use 3 wires, with a shared ground. I found some on Amazon and will get them there. Should solve that!

lordsmurf 01-15-2016 03:14 AM

Please shoot some decent and close images for us, and leave some further details (exact pages where you bought it, etc). The internal wiring aspect of ATI AIW is something I'd never done in depth, but should have. I really cannot anymore. It's time that this get better documented on the site.

Thanks. :)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:17 AM

Site design, images and content © 2002-2024 The Digital FAQ, www.digitalFAQ.com
Forum Software by vBulletin · Copyright © 2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.