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[StuckMojo]

Tried to analyze my Music videos. At the end MC hangs for a while, then i closed analyze window. Now all the analyzed music videos are gone from library and won't re-import. Only drag videos from explorer to playing now works. (with import function, but MC doesn't import them to library anymore.)

Focus Bugs from MC 18 still there. Opened DSP settings. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not. DSP settings window disappeared to background, and has to be closed. No settings changeable (Empty Window).
Zone switching focus bug in Theater View still there.

Edit:
After listening to a few music videos, new volume leveling works great!!!
After i tried to re-import music videos, mc is re-analyzing my whole music library (flac), ufff. Hope that this is correct?
I hope they won't disappear like my music videos.

Edit 2:
And MC seems to have problems to skip already analyzed music files. Just stops analyzing, if it comes to an already analyzed file. (tested with flac)
And Flac files didn't disappear from library, music videos still not in library.(Re-imported, Autoimport setting for Music Video Folder ->configured.)

Edit 3:
Now i found 2 videos where volume leveling didn't work. AVI and a MKV video with AC3 2.0 sound.
Volume Leveling (Replay Gain) was not applied. (Info from audio path)

Edit 4:
Music Video disappearing from library problem solved. Fault was on the user side.  

[Hendrik]

Edit 3:
Now i found 2 videos where volume leveling didn't work. AVI and a MKV video with AC3 2.0 sound. Using bitstreaming.
Volume Leveling (Replay Gain) was not applied. (Info from audio path)

Bitstreaming does not allow *any* kind of processing.
If you want Volume Leveling to work, you need to decode the audio in the PC, only then MC can process it to level the volume.

This is just how bitstreaming works, it outputs the audio bitstream untouched, so you can't change its volume.

[6233638]

After i tried to re-import music videos, mc is re-analyzing my whole music library (flac), ufff. Hope that this is correct?

The new R128 volume leveling requires re-analysis of your library. (but should give much better results)

[StuckMojo]

Bitstreaming does not allow *any* kind of processing.
If you want Volume Leveling to work, you need to decode the audio in the PC, only then MC can process it to level the volume.

This is just how bitstreaming works, it outputs the audio bitstream untouched, so you can't change its volume.

Is there a bug in MC then? Bitstreaming is active and Replay Gain is working, because volume level is equal in my playlist, and
audio path shows volume change. Changing volume in mc doesn't effect volume.
(Wasapi - Event Style - SPDIF - Bitstreaming is active)

Could it be that bitstreaming is only working with video. Same settings, same output. Start playing a movie with DTS sound, my receiver display-> DTS. Audiopath-> No changes(Bitstreaming), Volume bar in MC is greyed out. If i play music in this zone, replay gain gets applied and shows up in Audiopath.Volume bar can be changed, but doesn't affect volume.
There must be something wrong here.

[Matt]

Could it be that bitstreaming is only working with video. Same settings, same output. Start playing a movie with DTS sound, my receiver display-> DTS. Audiopath-> No changes(Bitstreaming). If i play music in this zone, replay gain gets applied and shows up in Audiopath.
There must be something wrong here.

That's how bitstreaming works.  You bitstream certain formats that can be decoded by outboard hardware.  PCM is never one of those formats.

[StuckMojo]

But as nevcairiel said, why is it possible to add DSP settings if it should be bitstreamed.

So it isn't really bitsreaming then, or am i missing something here. MC decodes Audio files to PCM and then sending it to AV Receiver.
Little confused now. ?

Video: DTS ->Bitstreaming
Audio: Flac or Wave -> Not Bitstreaming (with Bitstreaming active)

Don't get me wrong, i like it as it is now. That my AV Receiver is decoding DTS/DTS HD, and with the same settings i can add DSP settings for music.
So MC is decoding Music and not my AV. Not really Bitsreaming then.

This is the reason why Music video files with AC3 Sound don't get replay gain, while all other music videos with mp3,... sound have replay gain, if i have Bitstreaming active.
I made a test, bitstreaming off, and tried to play this files. Replay gain is working then.
Will i have to re-encode this video files with AC3 sound, if i want to leave my settings, as they are now, or is there an other way.
Volume leveling with video files with MP3,AAC,... is working but AC3/DTS not, with active bitstreaming.
That's a problem for me then. No problem with movies, but with music videos.

[Hendrik]

Not all formats can be bitstreamed. FLAC for example can never be bitstreamed, because HDMI/SPDIF is not designed for FLAC, so you always need to decode it.
You can only bitstream AC3/EAC3, DTS/DTS-HD and TrueHD. Anything else always needs to be decoded in MC, including FLAC, AAC, MP3, and all other formats.

If you want Volume Leveling for AC3/DTS movies or music, you will need to turn off bitstreaming, thats really the only choice there is. Of course you can reencode them, but that really defeats the point.

[6233638]

If you do not require bitstreaming (e.g. using HDMI for multichannel PCM, rather than an optical/coax cable which is limited to 2ch PCM) you should disable it and let Media Center handle the decoding.

"Bitstreaming" is equivalent to "do not process this file, transmit it untouched".

[StuckMojo]

Ahhh, that's the point i wanted to know, thanks.

So, the only format for audio bitstreaming with SPDIF/HDMI, would be .wav, or am i wrong?
Or more formats than wav?

I just wanted to handle my music videos like my audio files. Volume differences is a terrible thing with music videos.Shouldn't be to many with AC3 sound. Must have a look.  

[6233638]

So, the only format for audio bitstreaming with SPDIF/HDMI, would be .wav, or am i wrong?

The only reason to bitstream, is if you are using an Optical/Coax connection, because they only support multichannel audio via Dolby Digital or DTS. In all other scenarios, it's better to let Media Center decode the audio to PCM.

I suppose you are technically "bitstreaming" WAV files because they are uncompressed PCM audio.

I just wanted to handle my music videos like my audio files.

You seem to be using an HDMI-equipped AVR. Disable bitstreaming and it will do this.

[StuckMojo]

I'm not using HDMI with my HTPC because i don't want my AVR running all the time. Don't need this.
And my TV supports 3D, my AVR not. So i use HDMI to TV, SPDIF to AVR.

In a year or two i will buy a new AVR, then i will use an AVR with HDMI Pass Through mode.
AVR in Standby Mode, PC -> TV or AVR on, PC -> AVR -> TV.
Using one cable and no need to turn on AVR if i don't want to.

Tried already different HDMI Splitters, but couldn't achieve my goal.

[6233638]

Ah I see. HDMI is great when it works, and a real nuisance when it does not. The way that HDMI versions are handled really feels like it was designed to force incremental upgrades on people.
I thought that with a 3DTV (HDMI 1.4) you would be able to use the Audio Return Channel, but it seems that you also need an HDMI 1.4 AVR to receive it - it's not simply passing the audio signal through the TV, but going over different pins that HDMI 1.3 doesn't use.

It might be possible to use the Dolby Digital Output Encoding setting rather than bitstreaming to use volume leveling, but I don't have any experience with it.

Another possibility would be to use a second HDMI output from your computer (or add a cheap graphics card) to send audio via HDMI to your Receiver through a separate output.
I don't know that Media Center supports linked zones for video playback to send audio over both outputs at once though, so it would require you to switch outputs/zones when you want to listen to audio on your TV rather than through the AVR.

I'm sure there must also be a splitter device that does what you need, but the fact that you need 3D support and are mixing HDMI versions probably complicates matters.

[StuckMojo]

Yes, No AVR with HDMI 1.4 <-> no Audio Return Channel. And yes, HDMI was created to force the user, to buy hardware upgrades. 
My opinion, too.

And that's one of the reasons, why i'll wait to buy a new AVR. This time i wait 'til HDMI 2.0 is out.

[StuckMojo]

One other thing.
I'm using MC18 and MC19 (for testing, until now), with the same library.
Can i get in trouble? For example, New Volume Leveling Values in MC 19.
Could it be that MC 18 is overwriting Replay gain tags with the old values? Or overwriting other tags, i changed in MC19?

[Iznogūd]

And MC seems to have problems to skip already analyzed music files. Just stops analyzing, if it comes to an already analyzed file. (tested with flac)

Indeed. And, if the previously analyzed files are the first ones on the queue, it doesn't even engage.

[StuckMojo]

One other thing.
I'm using MC18 and MC19 (for testing, until now), with the same library.
Can i get in trouble? For example, New Volume Leveling Values in MC 19.
Could it be that MC 18 is overwriting Replay gain tags with the old values? Or overwriting other tags, i changed in MC19?

Please, can someone give me an answer. I don't want to mess up my library. What's the default behaviour of MC 18 in this case?
Is it updating the library, or changing tags of files? The second case would be horrible.

[Matt]

I'm using MC18 and MC19 (for testing, until now), with the same library.

MC18 and MC19 can't use the same library.  MC19 uses a newer format that MC18 won't be able to read.

[faster]

MC18 and MC19 can't use the same library.  MC19 uses a newer format that MC18 won't be able to read.

But i can install MC 19, open the current MC 18 libary and MC 19 will update it to the new MC 19  format. Is that right?

[J-a-k-e]

Are there plans to re-introduce or provide an alternate replacement for the fixed DB adjustment option that was available via volume leveling in MC18?

I know I'm not the only person who uses their computer effectively as a preamp and has their stereo amp turned up full or runs a power-amp only. With Media Center 18 when I have volume leveling activated and everything else is turned up full, I still need to increase the volume by about ~10db depending on the track before I reach full noise; the clips indicator on my amp is a very handy feature here.

[StuckMojo]

MC18 and MC19 can't use the same library.  MC19 uses a newer format that MC18 won't be able to read.

Different libraries is not my problem, i think. I use MC 18 with the same paths, same files as i use them now in MC19.
When i'm testing some new features, or do some tagging in MC 19, what is the standard behaviour of MC 18.
Of course i know it can't overwrite tags, that don't exist in MC 18, like the new R128 tags. I mean all the others (Name, Year, Cover,.....)

That would be my holocaust, if everything i test and change (tags) in MC 19 now, is lost when i use MC 18 then.
Or easier said, what's the standard behaviour of MC 18 & 19 when they startup and check library (files) and they find differences in library and file tags itself. Do both overwrite the file tags, or update their library with the new values, or do nothing until the user updates library from files or the other way round, manually.

Sorry, it's the first time i use two MC Versions with the same filepaths, but i couldn't wait to test new volume leveling.
Normally i start with the first official stable beta release, and then uninstall the older version.

One Topic Question:
Do MC Team change R128 further, like last update (adding DR Analyze)? I analyzed many Files yesterday and now i have to analyze again. Or only bug fixing now?

[6233638]

Are there plans to re-introduce or provide an alternate replacement for the fixed DB adjustment option that was available via volume leveling in MC18?

I know I'm not the only person who uses their computer effectively as a preamp and has their stereo amp turned up full or runs a power-amp only. With Media Center 18 when I have volume leveling activated and everything else is turned up full, I still need to increase the volume by about ~10db depending on the track before I reach full noise; the clips indicator on my amp is a very handy feature here.

For now, MC19 follows the R128 spec and levels to -23 LUFS. The reason for this is that it provides enough headroom that you should not run into clipping with highly dynamic tracks.

Even then, I still have some tracks which require additional headroom, and hopefully as a temporary measure, Matt has changed the dynamic album gain calculation to use the loudest track level, rather than the average level of an album during playback.

I have been bugging Matt for a while in the beta forum to change the way that volume adjustments with the Internal Volume control, and Parametric EQ work, so that any changes affect the Volume Leveling target level, rather than working after the volume leveling adjustments.

I have found that -23 LUFS seems about right for more than 90% of my music library, but I seem to require at least -30 LUFS to level most videos without clipping. (And multichannel videos can still be problematic, because I downmix to stereo)

If you have run the files through the new analyzer, and want tracks to play louder, I would suggest enabling adaptive volume in the peak normalization mode along with volume leveling. This will normalize the playlist, and then play it back at the maximum volume that will not clip.

Do MC Team change R128 further, like last update (adding DR Analyze)? I analyzed many Files yesterday and now i have to analyze again.

It might be worthwhile waiting a few weeks to see if there are any more changes, if you don't want to reanalyze your library again.

Hopefully this is it, but who can really say if anyone else is going to run into problems, or make a compelling feature request.

[mwillems]

I have been bugging Matt for a while in the beta forum to change the way that volume adjustments with the Internal Volume control, and Parametric EQ work, so that any changes affect the Volume Leveling target level, rather than working after the volume leveling adjustments.

How would that work for parametric EQ though?  Currently (unless I'm misreading the audio path) volume leveling is global like internal volume. PEQ volume adjustment is channel specific.  Are you suggesting that volume leveling should be channel specific? 

Forgive me if I've misunderstood your proposal, and it may be that I use PEQ for different things (bi-amping) than most people so I'm having a harder time understanding how it all fits together