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Author Topic: Controlling audio level when playing mixed videos  (Read 1341 times)

TXgary

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Controlling audio level when playing mixed videos
« on: January 22, 2011, 09:31:29 am »

I have looked everywhere in this forum but not found the answer.
My problem is:
Playback of multiple videos.
Concert videos play fine but certainly have different volumes.
I have split the concert dvds into individual chapters (songs) and want to use playlist to create a group of playback songs via video concert.  I have done that successfully by splitting into individual vob files.
I can change the vob tag to mkv and MC plays fine or it will also play the vob itself.
The problem is when I mix concert song videos from different concert dvd's I get a large range of audio volumes.  One concert dvd is recorded loud while another (simon and garfunkel concert in Central Park) is recorded at a low volume.
I would like to control that volume (like I do with Analyze Audio for cd songs).
I have tried a number of ways to adjust volume before and after adding to MC with no luck.
In order to adjust the volume prior to adding to MC I must split the audio and video, adjust the audio and then remerge the audio with the video.  This task takes hours....
Is there a way to adjust the audio in the video files themselves?
Maybe a manual field that can contain a % of volume (say 60% to 140%) that I set myself for each video in MC.  It appears this would solve my problem.
Perhaps this has been addressed elsewhere in the forum.
Your comments please.
Thanks
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bunglemebaby

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Re: Controlling audio level when playing mixed videos
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2011, 02:29:38 pm »

So far as it has ever been explained to me it is not possible to do volume leveling with video files. I don't remember exactly why, but Matt has explained it on more than one occasion if you're in the mood for the forum search game.

One option that may be acceptable to you is to use a VST compressor plugin. This will squash the dynamics of your music though. I believe this is similar to what TV and DVD player manufacturers use for their "night mode" or "keep commercials quiet feature", so the effect it has on your music might be something you're used to already. It's worth a shot if nobody has a better suggestion at any rate.

There are a lot of freeware VST compressor plugins available out there. I don't personally know of any that were more or less designed for this purpose, but you can check out the ones here: http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/vst-effects/  These are high quality plugins, but they are designed with audio mixing in mind rather than consumer end use, so you could wind up with some strange sounding results. Or they could work wonderfully.

Hope this helps a bit. -JB
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TXgary

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Re: Controlling audio level when playing mixed videos
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2011, 03:46:12 pm »

Thanks I appreciate your comments I will look into vst Compressor plugins.
That sounds like it is over my head.

Hey, Jim H any comments?

What about ability to adjust volume for a video on the fly or built in for each video separately?

Thanks
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bunglemebaby

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Re: Controlling audio level when playing mixed videos
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2011, 08:04:51 pm »

Quote
That sounds like it is over my head.
Not too much over, at a general level. What a compressor does (essentially) is make quiet sounds louder and loud sounds quieter. So, at extreme settings, a whisper and a scream will come out at the same volume while watching a movie, for example.

The problem is that this can make some music sound really bad. Jazz or classical music are two styles that commonly sound bad when compressed. It's also a matter of preference though.

Anyway, good luck!
-JB
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