Further increase voice volume?
#61
lol...maybe its just ATV = very bad?
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#62
(2012-04-08, 09:32)StinDaWg Wrote: For anyone using Windows 7/8, it already has dynamic range compression built in. Microsoft licensed Waves DSP technology. It is under audio settings-enhancements-loudness equalization. It is not perfect, as I find it tends to lower loud explosions a little too much for my liking, and is a little slow regaining, but it definitely normalizes volume between people talking and loud noises so you don't have to constantly play with the remote during the movie.

I've made a AutoIt script which enables the volume normalization of Windows 7/8, starts any program (XBMC), waits till the program exists and disables the volume normalization. It really works fine for me, maybe someone can put some use to it too.

Code:
$ExecutablePath = "C:\Program Files (x86)\XBMC\XBMC.exe"
$ExecutableWorkingDir = "C:\Program Files (x86)\XBMC"
$outputDeviceName = "Speakers"

Run("rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,0")
WinWaitActive("Sound")
$outputDeviceNameIndex = ControlListView("", "", "[CLASS:SysListView32; INSTANCE:1]", "FindItem", $outputDeviceName)
ControlListView("", "", "[CLASS:SysListView32; INSTANCE:1]", "Select", $outputDeviceNameIndex)
Send("+{F10}P")
Local $propertiesHandle = WinWaitActive($outputDeviceName & " Properties")
ControlCommand($propertiesHandle, "", "[CLASS:SysTabControl32; INSTANCE:1]", "TabRight")
ControlCommand($propertiesHandle, "", "[CLASS:SysTabControl32; INSTANCE:1]", "TabRight")
; some kind of focus problem here on windows 8, on windows 7 one simple TAB was enough. so the following line only necessary for windows 8.
Send("+{TAB}")
Send("{TAB}")
ControlCommand($propertiesHandle, "Disable all sound effects", 5000, "UnCheck", "")

RunWait($ExecutablePath, $ExecutableWorkingDir)

; when we don't sleep between those steps, the sound property dialog tends to freeze itself. i've got no idea why.
Sleep(100)
WinActivate($propertiesHandle)
Sleep(100)
ControlCommand($propertiesHandle, "Disable all sound effects", 5000, "Check", "")
Sleep(100)
Send("{ESC}{ESC}")

You'll probably need to tweak it for your individual system. It's no fancy script or something, but it does it task.
When compiling this script with AutoIt, it is important to choose the right version (x86/x64) for your operating system.
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#63
(2012-04-08, 09:32)StinDaWg Wrote: For anyone using Windows 7/8, it already has dynamic range compression built in. Microsoft licensed Waves DSP technology. It is under audio settings-enhancements-loudness equalization. It is not perfect, as I find it tends to lower loud explosions a little too much for my liking, and is a little slow regaining, but it definitely normalizes volume between people talking and loud noises so you don't have to constantly play with the remote during the movie.

Personally I use the SRS TruVolume feature on my soundbar for normalization but you should give the Windows option a try if you have it.

(2012-04-09, 10:34)StinDaWg Wrote: Yes, it's very good. If you have a 2.0/2.1 soundbar I recommend setting xbmc audio to 5.1 and do not check boost audio on downmix. This way your sound card downmixes the signal rather than xbmc and with loudness equalization turned on everything should sound fairly even.

StinDaWg thank you!

I just bought me some Creative GigaWorks T40 Series II speakers for my set-up. I used to have a receiver but not anymore at the moment and needed some good sound from the small tv speakers.

Watching movies, tv shows etc... all voice audio was low and when music came up or big explosions the volume when up high and had to keep using my volume button. What an annoyance. Confused

Now using your solution via win 7 and XBMC it has solved this issue. I can hear the voice and volume levels remain balanced correctly. (under audio settings-enhancements-loudness equalization)

I also listen to a lot of music and it seems it did not affect anything on that since I tested the loudness equalization to on and off it's the same.

Now yes the bass went down a little on big explosions but I tuned my speakers (bass, treble) and they sound wonderful.

Now I did set it to 5.1 in XBMC why not 2.0?

I tried 2.0 and wow I could not hear the dialog much so yes I will stick to 5.1 no wonder....

AUDIO OUTPUT: HDMI

SPEAKER CONFIGURATION: 5.1

BOOST VOLUME ON DOWNMIX: OFF (I USED TO HAVE THIS ON)

AUDIO OUTPUT DEVICE: WASAPI: AMD HDMI Output (AMD High Definition Audio Device)..... I know WASAPI is best when you have a receiver but hey it don't hurt it... I think.

Awesome.... thank you again.

Smile
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#64
I was just wondering is this issue going to get fixed on Frodo?

Or will it just be best to buy a receiver and either do a 3.1 or 5.1 set-up to hear the dialog correctly?

I know my top post got it fixed... well sort of Smile but it could use just a little more clarity it all depends on the file I am watching. Yes DTS 5.1 seems to be the worst.

But the loudness equalization in windows 7 does a pretty good job.
One thing using the loudness equalization when coming back to the main menu the navigation sounds are pretty loud.
So I have disabled the navigation sounds via the skin settings...
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#65
There was a pull request for dynamic range compression since June, but it didn't get in for Frodo. However bobo1on1 restored the Volume Amplification feature (as long as you're not using passthrough) which acts as a limited range compressor. You can get to it when playing a video by bringing up the Audio and Subtitle settings window. Increasing the level amplifies the stream, which then gets limited so you end up with a compressed dynamic range.
System: XBMC HTPC with HDMI WASAPI & AudioEngine - Denon  AVR-3808CI  - Denon DVD-5900 Universal Player  - Denon DCM-27 CD-Changer
- Sony BDP-S580 Blu-Ray  - X-Box 360  - Android tablet wireless remote - 7.1 Streem/Axiom/Velodyne Surround System
If I have been able to help feel free to add to my reputation +/- below - thanks!
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#66
(2012-12-07, 16:16)DDDamian Wrote: There was a pull request for dynamic range compression since June, but it didn't get in for Frodo. However bobo1on1 restored the Volume Amplification feature (as long as you're not using passthrough) which acts as a limited range compressor. You can get to it when playing a video by bringing up the Audio and Subtitle settings window. Increasing the level amplifies the stream, which then gets limited so you end up with a compressed dynamic range.

Thank you DDDamian...

Ok the volume amplification is also in Eden... I have never played with it.

I wen't and disabled the loudness equalization in windows 7.

Now I have the volume amplification set to 30.0 DB and it seems to be working just fine.. it did bring out the dialog a bit more.

I also have boost level on down mix... OFF...

I set this to be default for all movies....

I can't believe I missed that volume amplification feature....

One of this days I will get a nice 5.1 system...
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#67
@Beer40oz - hope you do Smile then sit back and enjoy the tunes and the beer Smile
System: XBMC HTPC with HDMI WASAPI & AudioEngine - Denon  AVR-3808CI  - Denon DVD-5900 Universal Player  - Denon DCM-27 CD-Changer
- Sony BDP-S580 Blu-Ray  - X-Box 360  - Android tablet wireless remote - 7.1 Streem/Axiom/Velodyne Surround System
If I have been able to help feel free to add to my reputation +/- below - thanks!
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#68
Hi guys im an audio engineer and a kodi user i do have tbe same problem but haven't had the time to fix it but i believe i do know how...i believe the problem is the films are ripped in surround format so when you play them back without a surround sound decoder the centre channel is automatically divided to two half sent to right and half sent to left channel this reduces the power of the signal dramaticly compered to background noise which already has a left and right channel...so the solution,,although i haven't had time to do this myself i believe the only solution atm until there is a fix made for it at kodi is to buy a small surround dolby digital dts decoder off ebay which are about 30 euros then split the centre output and feed it to both left and right channel on ur tv or amplifier but do not feed both left and right channel outputs on decoder to the tv as you would end up with the same issue only feed one either left or right split in two and fed to the l and r channel of tv this way you will have equal energy on centre vs background noise but ofcourse quality will suffer but for me living in an apartment watching movies late at night thats no problem please give me some feedback if someone tries this,,thanks
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Further increase voice volume?0