Help with ATI sound: audio is noticeably lower volume in capture

[buckcrisp]

I am using ati aiw 9000 with mmc 8.8. I have cmedia mixer ver 1.58 with cmi 8738 chip. When i capture the sound is noticeably lower than the real time sound playing through the computer. When you cut the volume up to normal levels on playback there is a noticeable low hiss. I tried moving the record slider down to 75% like suggested in one of your how to's. The volume was even lower when I did this. any suggestions?

[admin]

I've had several troubles using the C-MEDIA sound chips in the past. The cards are often setup badly, with plugs being shared for inputs and outputs, especially on the 5.1, 4.1 and 6.1 cards. Which one of these do you have?

Regarding hiss, that can often be caused by interference from any number of items: fans in the room, the video card and sound card being too close together on the motherboard (or being too close to some other card that puts out interference). It could be the CPU fan, the case fans.

It could be the wires you are using are not insulated enough or are too long. This is why I use MONSTER cable.

I have a problem with hiss on my coax line that is fed off a 100-foot cable from a satellite box in the next room. The fix I have is to use my JVC HR-S9800U VCR and pump up the REC LEVELS about 25% (VCR volume control, very rare for most VCRs). I put my coax into my JVC first, and then out to the ATI card via s-video. I use the ATI coax input for a $5 antenna to pick up air channels. I get no hiss on that.

On the C-MEDIA card, the last on I worked with was a pain, and I ended up using the MIC input instead of the LINE-IN input. The MIC sounded better (be VERY sure to turn off any software/Windows amps on the MIC). Here's an image of what I'm talking about (ignore the fact that mine is on mute at the moment):



If you are using the internal AUX channel for your audio, be sure the audio cable is good (maybe buy a new one at a computer parts store for all of $1). If you are using the external plug, try the MIC over the LINE-IN.

I neeed more details on the exact inputs you are using, both with the video and the audio. Coax vs composite from VCR/whatever? And then internal vs external audio wiring setup?

Hopefully some of this will point you in the right direction.

It could even be that your PC audio is fine, just that the PC speakers are bad. Does this appear on the final DVD on a tv set?

Also make sure ALL unused audio is MUTED during capture (CD, LINE OUT, LINE IN, etc) ... the only ones in use will be "PLAY CONTROL", "WAVE", and then the input being used, whether it be "MIC" or "LINE IN" or "AUX"

My ATI AIW 7200 cards both use AUX internal wiring to a SOUNDBLASTER card.

Also realize some audio cards are just defective and hiss no matter the situation. This would be a last-ditch solution. Not likely, but possible.

[admin]

One last thing ... if the hiss persists, you can always use SOUNDFORGE to remove it. Minor hiss is easy to fix without harming the rest of the audio.

That guide is here:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/restoratio...undforge/sound forge.htm

You can download my personal SOUNDFORGE presets file here:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/digitalfaq-sfpreset.zip

You will need the free PRESETS MANAGER from the SONY SOUNDFORGE site to import the file and add my presets to your own:
http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.co.../step2.asp?DID =471

[buckcrisp]

Well, I finally got mic working as input for my aiw 9000. Worked for a while, seemed to do better although I could not test a good capture. The volume was higher (Mike Boost). I solved the problem by going through mmc setup and selecting mic as input instead of line in.

But somehow my settings on the volume rack got changed and seem to change on their own. I shold have mic (only) on record and mic (only) on volume correct? Somehow I have gotten it to stay on these settings, but now in the timeshift feature when you pause, the sound keeps playing and when capturing, there is no sound.

Ideas? I do think if I can get back to normal using mic as input my low volume problem will be solved.

[admin]

I've thought about this for a few days, and went and looked at the C-MEDIA system I set up once some months back. It's fine, using the MIC with boost off, and the special features of the card were disabled (4.1, 5.1, etc) because it was badly done and messed up the input quality.

RECORD should be MIC and the PLAYBACK should have MIC and the master unmuted, all else muted (unused stuff).

The MIC sounds like it may not be selected as the recording device in ATI MMC ... go into the INITIALIZATION WIZARD and change it.

What you've done so far sounds good, I think the ATI MMC option is just wrong, fixing it will solve the issue.