Lower input volume in VirtualDub2?
 

Hi, I am using VirtualDub to capture a particularly loud VHS tape.
I can see on the meter that is consistently hitting the 0db mark, and the audio reflects the clicks and pops you'd expect from clipping. Is there a way in the software to turn down the input signal?

Volume is controlled in two places: in-card (crossbar controls, registry hacks), and OS controls. There's nothing in any software. Notice that players like VLC simply hook into OS volume controls.

Sometimes you really need a mixer between the VCR/camera and capture card, as the error is on-tape.

What is the capture card?

I am going from a JVC HR-S9600U to a Hauppauge 610 USB-Live 2, plugged into my Windows 11 PC.

I was just about to put a mixer into the signal chain to see if that would help, glad to know it's an acceptable practice!

EDIT: Just put a small mixer into the signal chain, going from my VCR to the mixer, mixer to my capture device, and it worked! It's nice to be able to EQ the audio from the mixer as well when needed, I have a lot music performances that have some EQ issues that I can fix while capturing instead of in post now. Thanks for the info!

Capture to digital is great because we can incur no quality losses and we have the luxury of processing the audio at our leisure in post, something even the pro's could only dream about before digital came along.

EQing in post is recommended as doing it at capture means we only get the one shot at it. There may also be different EQ requirements in different sections of one tape, further complicating EQ at capture.

At capture I focus on extracting the best audio quality off each tape such as the cleanest signal and lowest noise and distortion, things I know I cant really fix in post. The only time I would process the audio at capture is if I had no post processing options such as when going direct to a DVD.

I appreciate the insights

I do not have a mixer but instead just a simple volume control device.
My surfing has led me to be enamored of the unit PJ. Miaolai SA1000.
It’s all over eBay, would that work as a mixer/volume device?
Of course the analog display gauge is awesome!

Very interesting! :hmm:

Unfortunately, I see quite a few negative comments on Youtube. The positive comments are bland ("great!"), the negative are detailed.

For example:
I also see a lot of really stupid comments. For example, being impressed by the LED lights. Newsflash: LED in the unit adds audio noise.

The tubes are highly suspect, nobody has run tests to see if those are just decoration from a quick glance. Several comments on it, and that was my inclination as well.

I see a lot of buyer's remorse comments.

At $65(ish), you're most of the way to a good mixer.

Darn it. I was interested for a few minutes there. :depressed: