Quantcast DVRs: Audio Settings, WinTV2000 and Pvr250 - digitalFAQ.com Forums [Archives]
  #1  
12-14-2003, 04:25 PM
nicksteel nicksteel is offline
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What are best audio configuration settings? My sound is not all that good on my captures. I am using VirtualDub-MPEG to stream wav file for encode with avisynth into TMPGEnc.
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  #2  
12-14-2003, 05:26 PM
kwag kwag is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nicksteel
I am using VirtualDub-MPEG to stream wav file for encode with avisynth into TMPGEnc.
Don't do that
Encode your audio with HeadAC3he

-kwag
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  #3  
12-14-2003, 05:43 PM
nicksteel nicksteel is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kwag
Quote:
Originally Posted by nicksteel
I am using VirtualDub-MPEG to stream wav file for encode with avisynth into TMPGEnc.
Don't do that
Encode your audio with HeadAC3he

-kwag
Sorry, I didn't say that I am using Headac3he for 128 mp2 that I mux with mplex. I am also using a dvd2avi file with trim statements in script.

The sound is in synch, but is not totally clear. Sounds like too much bass. I'm using dual channel, surround 2 in headac3he. The capture is stereo with the capture card.
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  #4  
12-14-2003, 05:45 PM
nicksteel nicksteel is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kwag
Quote:
Originally Posted by nicksteel
I am using VirtualDub-MPEG to stream wav file for encode with avisynth into TMPGEnc.
Don't do that
Encode your audio with HeadAC3he

-kwag
Sorry, I didn't say that I am using Headac3he for 128 mp2 that I mux with mplex. I am also using a dvd2avi file with trim statements in script.

The sound is in synch, but is not totally clear. Sounds like too much bass.

Should I change booster or strength defaults in headac3he or other settings?
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  #5  
12-14-2003, 06:16 PM
kwag kwag is offline
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Hi nicksteel,

If the captured audio sounds too bassy, you might want to run your WAV through equalization, maybe with Goldwave or some other audio program. This way you can change the low frequencies, save your WAV, and then encode to .mp2

-kwag
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  #6  
12-14-2003, 06:58 PM
nicksteel nicksteel is offline
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Thanks, Kwag. I'll try that. I captured and processed with MA and KDVD to DVD at 95 CQ. The picture is literally DVD quality, just the sound isn't quite up to par.
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  #7  
12-14-2003, 08:33 PM
kwag kwag is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nicksteel
I captured 2001 and processed with MA and KDVD to DVD at 95 CQ. The picture is literally DVD quality, just the sound isn't quite up to par.
What was your encoded file size, and was it a full screen or wide screen encode

-kwag
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  #8  
12-15-2003, 04:14 AM
nicksteel nicksteel is offline
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  #9  
12-15-2003, 07:12 AM
incredible incredible is offline
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Try this ....

Code:
Video=Mpeg2source("yourPVR250Capture.d2v")
Audio=mpasource("YourdemuxedPVR250MP2audiofile.mp2")
Audiodub(video,Audio)
Trim(xxxx,xxxx)
Regulary by doing this you can trim easely your input stream if open this avs in VdubMOD by just trimming and afterwards in Avisynth script mode (in VdubMOD!) view by importing the framesets as Trim Commands to the avs.

Afterwards close VdubMOD and reopen the .avs inculding the imported Trimms. Now Just demux your Audio in "Stream information" by using demux Audio. This audio you can afterwards load into besweet to convert it as new in 128kbit.

As Kwag and the whole world recommend: Never use TmpgEncs internal audio engine!.

And according to your main problem:
Whats the problem with your audio?? ust too much bass or also cutted high frequencies?? How does it sound like?? Interferencies, distortion, noise??

Do you capture direct from an coax cable or do you use a VCR signal to feed your PVR250 with???
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  #10  
12-15-2003, 08:29 AM
nicksteel nicksteel is offline
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Quote:
As Kwag and the whole world recommend: Never use TmpgEncs internal audio engine!.

And according to your main problem:
Whats the problem with your audio?? ust too much bass or also cutted high frequencies?? How does it sound like?? Interferencies, distortion, noise??
First, I never use TMPGEnc for audio, only Headac3he. The sound is somewhat distorted, though it doesn't sound like interference or added noise. The capture is MPEG sound, not AC3, due to the PVR250 board.

The best way to descibe the distortion is that the voices are not that clear and some of the music sounds like it is being played on small speakers that cannot handle the range. I know this is not the problem, as my previous captures with a WINTVGO90 card (as AC3 wave files) didn't have this problem. My tv is a Sony with surround sound, etc. Everything else (TV, DVD's, etc) sounds perfect.

My exact process (was same for old capture card) is:

Capture with PVR250 at 12MB sec CBR
Generate d2v file with DVD2AVI
Trim captured MPEG file with VirtualDub-MPEG
Save process settings (for trim statements)
Save wav file as stream copy
Process wav file to mp2 with Headac3he with Surround 2, Dual Channel 192
Generate m2v file with TMPGEnc KDVD template, interlaced.
Load m2v and mp2 files into TMPGEnc Author (I have no AC3 file)
Generate VOB files
Burn as DVD with NERO.

I have the same sound issues when I do the same as above, but encode with TMPGEnc and mux with BBMPEG, MPLEX or TMPGEnc tools and burn as SVCD.

The sound seems ok on my pc, but is somehow degraded with Headac3he. I still feel it is related to the MPEG layer II file from the PVR250 instead of an AC3 file. I'm going to contact the PVR250 forum and see if there is a way of capturing as AC3, as it appears as an option, even though I cannot activate it.
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  #11  
12-16-2003, 10:37 AM
nicksteel nicksteel is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by incredible
Try this ....

Code:
Video=Mpeg2source("yourPVR250Capture.d2v")
Audio=mpasource("YourdemuxedPVR250MP2audiofile.mp2")
Audiodub(video,Audio)
Trim(xxxx,xxxx)
Regulary by doing this you can trim easely your input stream if open this avs in VdubMOD by just trimming and afterwards in Avisynth script mode (in VdubMOD!) view by importing the framesets as Trim Commands to the avs.

Afterwards close VdubMOD and reopen the .avs inculding the imported Trimms. Now Just demux your Audio in "Stream information" by using demux Audio. This audio you can afterwards load into besweet to convert it as new in 128kbit.

As Kwag and the whole world recommend: Never use TmpgEncs internal audio engine!.

And according to your main problem:
Whats the problem with your audio?? ust too much bass or also cutted high frequencies?? How does it sound like?? Interferencies, distortion, noise??

Do you capture direct from an coax cable or do you use a VCR signal to feed your PVR250 with???
Basic questions:

What does Audiodub() actually do?

Is MPEG1 Layer II the same as MP2?

My present method saves wav file from VirtualDub-MPEG2 that matches trim statements. Is this wav file "lossless"?

What I am obviously trying to do is trim a PVR250 MPEG2 (with MPEG1 Layer II audio) to use with avisynth for a KDVD. I need the best quality possible, of course.
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  #12  
12-16-2003, 11:53 AM
Boulder Boulder is offline
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Hi,

your problem might be as simple as a too low recording volume. Most people want to raise the recording level, but it has to be done via registry.

Find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Hauppauge\hcwTVDlg\Aud ioControls in the registry and look for Scart1_volume. Use a value from 100-127 and reboot after you've changed it. Someone mentioned that 115 is a good value for him but you'll have to find the sweet spot yourself.

Some people (like myself) have had problems getting stereo sound. I had to do a hybrid driver install, using the latest drivers for video and the last of the 1.6 branch for audio to get it working. That might help too, see here: http://www.shspvr.com/forum/viewtopi...hybrid&start=0
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  #13  
12-16-2003, 12:06 PM
nicksteel nicksteel is offline
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I'll first try to increase volume and then, if necessary, change the drivers. I wish the board would capture AC3 like the old ones. Never had a problem with those.
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  #14  
12-17-2003, 06:30 PM
Dano Dano is offline
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Try encoding as stereo instead of dual channel, it sounds better to me. Dual channel is good for ac3 sources.
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  #15  
12-18-2003, 04:35 AM
Boulder Boulder is offline
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After playing around with some captures done by the board, I noticed that you'll need to have the audio bitrate at 160kbps in the final audio file to get rid of the distortion effect.

I think the biggest problem is that the board already compresses the audio to MP2, even if it is 384kbps, it's still lossy and when you compress the file further to 128kbps, you'll get distortion which is often a sign of too low bitrates.

If I could capture the audio to WAV, I would gladly do that.
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  #16  
12-18-2003, 06:34 AM
nicksteel nicksteel is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boulder
After playing around with some captures done by the board, I noticed that you'll need to have the audio bitrate at 160kbps in the final audio file to get rid of the distortion effect.

I think the biggest problem is that the board already compresses the audio to MP2, even if it is 384kbps, it's still lossy and when you compress the file further to 128kbps, you'll get distortion which is often a sign of too low bitrates.

If I could capture the audio to WAV, I would gladly do that.
I'll try at 160. I had wondered about kbps, as the capture audio was MPEG2 instead of wave or ac3. I do see that my cartoon captures that I encoded compliant vcd with 224kbps sound ok. I can see that compressing the mp2 384 to 128 is too much.
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  #17  
12-18-2003, 07:14 AM
incredible incredible is offline
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@ Boulder

When I had a PVR 250 here for testing I focussed to the image quality.
By this I didn't pay that attention to the quality of its internal mp2 audio encoding.

So your conclusion would be that a PVR 250 internal mp2 audio encoding got a worse quality in comparison to the known ways and encoders? Did I understand you well?
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  #18  
12-18-2003, 07:58 AM
Boulder Boulder is offline
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Yes, I would say that even the 384kbps, 48KHz MP2 audio doesn't sound good enough for a bitrate that high. I can't do any direct compares, but I'd estimate that it's about as good as 160-192kbps with tooLAME. I wish there were a way to get WAV - or a better MP2 encoder.

I've done some 128kbps VBR MP3->128kbps MP2 encodes and they actually sound better than those captured audio clips re-encoded at 128kbps!
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  #19  
12-18-2003, 08:18 AM
rhino rhino is offline
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Boulder,

got to www.shspvr.com and ask those guys, especially SHS. There are a number of graph tutorials/docs now so there may be someway of doing this. I'm also beta testing a new PVR app for PVR250/350 for some some guy in NZ so i'll check with him to see if he knows of anyway of doing this,

Cheers,
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  #20  
12-18-2003, 08:36 AM
nicksteel nicksteel is offline
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I've tried the forum at www.shspvr.com, but no usable response yet.
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