Duplicate mono audio pre/during/post capture?
 

So, my Hi8 tapes were recorded mono only.

As a result, my test capture is one channel, leaving the other silent and it isn't nice.

I've had the idea to split (or duplicate) the mono into left and right channel with a Y-cable, not real stereo I know but it would at least create two channels the same that I can capture in "stereo".

Or is there another way in VirtualDub to do this during capture?

I don't really want to start downloading other programs and mucking about editing or adding layers post capture if I can avoid it.

Thoughts?

I don't see anything wrong with that pre-capture method, and I do it myself at times.

VirtualDub doesn't really have any audio tools. It has some filters, but what you'd need top do is replace the "blank"/noise channel with the "good"/audio channel. VirtualDub would just try to merge both, and that's not any good. I don't know that it can replace L/R with the other L/R. I just looked, and I see nothing. VirtualDub is just a front-end for audio processing, and it's based on ancient Besweet-type manipulation.

Post-VirtualDub, in an audio editor, is what you'd want to do for software correction. I use payware Sound Forge, but freeware Audacity works (though I find it somewhat kludgy, but you get what you pay for).

I've also used a simple y cord adaptor. On many recorders and TV's if you plugged the one mono lead into the Left audio input it automatically fed the signal to both Left and Right tracks.

If you need assistance with Audacity (or Ardour, Audition (aka Cool Edit Pro), etc.) for post production audio editing advice, let me know. I used to work as a broadcast audio professional before switching to IT.

Thank you for the replies but I think Y adaptor has this. Simplest solution.

It's a shame VirtualDub doesn't have any toggle or means to mirror a channel.

With the Y adapter, you might get quieter volume on each audio channel, just something to be aware of, though you could correct that in post, but it's extra steps.

Oh interesting, does that drop in volume also equal a drop in fidelity?

Attached photo of L (mono) audio socket on Pioneer HDD video recorder. I've seen them on other consumer VCR's/HDD recorders. They are generally only on the front panel inputs, sometimes behind a small plastic cover.

Yes and generally audio and video linear editors will play back a mono file as "dual mono", meaning as two identical Left and Right tracks in the final stereo mix, placing the mono file in the centre of the stereo field. Burn an audio CD, or a DVD and it's the same because the output of both formats is natively stereo.

Capturing a mono source to an actual digital mono file means the audio files are half the size as stereo, with no penalty.

This is appealing. Perhaps I should just capture it mono, lossless and worry about it later.

Yes except the picture is usually by comparison a much bigger file but every little saving can help.

In VirtualDub (in capture mode)
Menu -> Audio -> Channel mask...

Correction: VirtualDub2

Can't you set VirtualDub to capture the audio in mono (1-channel)? A stereo audio track where both channels are identical (because they come from a mono source) is a waste of bandwidth.

Only in VirtualDub2.

https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vid...html#post45240

On Audio Menu, select Raw capture format and choose a Mono option instead of Stereo.

If you have one audio channel connected to the capture device (or two channels connected but one is silent) and you select Volume meter on the Audio Menu...

In Stereo Mode, you will see one of the two channels (L or R) moving and the other does not. Playback of a Stereo recording will have one silent channel. Some video players will allow you to playback one of the stereo channels to both output channels. However the other empty channel still consumes memory. Assuming most recordings being played back are not recorded this way, you'd have to toggle your playback settings for this file, which is likely more of a nuisance.

In Mono Mode, both L and R channels move identically. Playback of a Mono recording should playback the same single channel to both stereo output channels. This consumes half the audio storage space as the Stereo recording option and should work without toggling any playback settings.

If you select mono, when you have stereo, then VirtualDub will mix both channels together. So, if one of them is silent, then the result will have just a half of the volume.
If the sound is captured using standard input, then you can play with the balance, i.e. to increase volume of the live channel.
However, if audio is coming from a capture device, then not much you can do about it.