AutoGK - Really low audio

[nevafuse]

Just for the record, AutoGk is amazing, I can't believe I just know found it, and wish it had been out 3 years ago when I was more into this stuff.

But anyways, last night I encoded Blow and Catch Me If You Can with AutoGK. When I watched it this morning both movies were really really quiet. I had to hook my computer up to my amp just to hear the movies (accompanied with a pleasant buzzing noise because the volume on my amp was so high). Any suggestions on how to fix this? Maybe choosing a different Audio setting in AutoGK? For both encodings I used Auto on the Audio setting. Maybe using the temp files from AutoGK and recompress the movie with VirtualDub and raise the audio levels? Is anyone else having this same problem? Thanks.

[daldrum]

Yes, I noticed it too, this is actually one of the reasons why I still use Gknot.

[Sharktooth]

Demux the audio stream and re-encode it using besweet or your favourite program.
Take a note of the space needed by the re-encoded audio and then run autogk.
Use the no audio option and set a custom size subtracting the audio size from the total wanted size.
At the end run Virtualdubmod and mux video and audio (eventually splitting the file in 2 or more files as you need).

[daldrum]

The AutoGK guide tells "Don't enable Stream Processing", could you verify that the method you suggest is OK for AutoGK?
Wll, I guess it is ok, if you set no audio.
Still an audio gain setting in AutoGK would be nice option.

[Sharktooth]

Its all due to the newer besweet version in the new autogk builds.
You can do what i said above or replace the besweet version included in autogk with the one included in pre 1.14 builds of autogk.

EDIT: Sorry instead of "rip the audio separately..." i should had said "demux the audio stream and re-encode ..."

[Toge]

I've also noticed really low audio and I've just switched Besweet 1.5b26 with 1.4 stable... i'll tell u my results 2mora.

[nevafuse]

I've changed to BeSweet Version 1.4 also. I'll know the results later today. I hope this works, or i'll just have to wait for AutoGK to come out with an audio gain option. =P Thanks everyone.

[len0x]

Apparenty lots off ppl are having low level sound with that version of BeSweet.

[Taurus]

Apparenty lots off ppl are having low level sound with that version of BeSweet.

Same happened to me.

Taurus

Because I ''reformated'' my sound system, I thought this was the reason, why I had to turn up the volume.
But after cross testing with older rips it was clear that the new encodes are remarkable quieter.
.Edit
For the ones who use Mediaplayer Classic: Turn off ''Normalizing'' at the ''Filter/Audio settings'' tab, and you will hear the difference.
Interesting: In manual mode, using the BeSweet Gui, everything works fine. 99,9 % Normalization reached.
AutoGk's Value: 89.1%.
If someones interested I will post the logfile of my settings.
Edit
I'm using the new BeSweet & Gui, downloaded from the author's website.
Should be the same version as used by AutoGk. ''BeSweetv1.5b26''& ''http://dspguru.notrace.dk/BeSweetGUIv0.7b4

Taurus

[Toge]

I've just tested it.... it seems that even the 1.4 stable release still produced low level audio!

[Toge]

Could it be the source?

The source I'm using is the PAL R2 The Returner DVD

[nevafuse]

Yah, I just got finished with re-encoding Blow with AutoGK with BeSweet 1.4 and the audio is still pretty low, its higher than with the other BeSweet version, but its still too low by my standards. Well, damn, thats a real disappointment. I guess I'll just have to work with GK instead or something.

[nevafuse]

Ok, I was looking through the log file and found this...

VirtualDub.stream[0].SetVolume();

Can I find that in the code on sourceforge.net ? Because I could just make a version of the code myself, compile it, and I could have a AutoGK custom version just for my audio problems. I'm at school right now, so its kinda hard for me to look at the cvs from here. What language is it written in? Does anyone think changing a value in the parameter of that function would help me? Thanks.

[nevafuse]

Well, I only read Taurus post for like 2 hours, but I think I finally found my problem. I just went into the file properties in the older windows media player. Found the settings for the AC3Filter. Changed to the 'loud' profile, and now I can actually hear the movie really well. I can't believe i went through all that work trying to change the gain on the ac3 file. Man, that was a lot of work, but at least I solved my problem. Looks like I'll be using AutoGK a lot more.

[Taurus]

@ nevafuse

My concern about Low Audio isn't exactly what solved your ac3 problem.
On ac3 decoding everything is fine with AutoGk, because the file is just muxed with the video.
What's really wrong is, the mp3 files are reduced in level by approximate 10 - 12%. And because sound is measured in decibels on a logarithmic scale, there is a quite noticeable decrease in sound pressure level.
Instead of reporting a bug, next time better take care how to setup your audio decoder.
The ac3 decoder is known to be a little a sluggish on default settings. Just read the faqs over @ the audio forum and your done.
The Mediaplayer Classic I was talking about is Not Mediaplayer 6.4 from Micros....
It's fom Gabest, the one and only.....
If it solved your problem, that's just fine.
But, next time be a little more careful reporting bugs.

Cheers

Taurus

[Wishbringer]

If your Standalone plays mp3 too low, you could demux your video with virtualdubmod and adjust audio level by mp3gain.
So you don't need to reencode audio.
mp3gain can increase audio level lossless(ly?).

Should work for softplayers too...

[Taurus]

Sure, I know how to do this. I'm into ''Audio Business;) ''for 20 Years now...:-).
But, we all want to get AutoGk to be the Best program for mpg4 encoding, and audio is an essential part of the action. So best possible quality and compressing are the goals.
Because by using AutoGk, Besweet is not producing a log file, I'm only into guessing that something is wrong with the script passed to Besweet. As I mentioned in my post a few lines ahead, in manual encoding using Besweet&Gui everything works fine. So it should be no hazzle to correct this.

Cheers

Taurus

[len0x]

Originally posted by Taurus

Because by using AutoGk, Besweet is not producing a log file, I'm only into guessing that something is wrong with the script passed to Besweet. As I mentioned in my post a few lines ahead, in manual encoding using Besweet&Gui everything works fine. So it should be no hazzle to correct this.


BeSweet logs can be found in tmp dir, so I'm curious to see the difference between your manual encode and AutoGK's

P.S. Anyway I'm gonna be rolling back to b25 as it doesn't have any probs.

[Toge]

OK, I've taken Taurus' advice, and used Media Player Classic, and the results are good. The audio is normal!

Still rollback to b25 tho len0x :D

[Taurus]

@len0x
If you're really in need for an older version of BeSweet for testing, I have all of the 1.5b** range, except the one you have mentioned in another thread (1.5b25). Sometimes it's hard to be updated all the times....
Thank you, for investigating on this particular aspect.

Taurus

[Taurus]

Audio too low: - solved!

If you can't wait: Download an updated version of Besweet from DSPguru's webpage. It's on the ''Beta''page, unzip it to your AutoGk\BeSweet folder, and enjoy LOUD and clear mp3 audio again.
Don't be fooled: the version Nr. is exactly the same as the one normally be installed by AutoGk, yet it's an updated one. Proved it myself.
And it works.....
Or wait until len0x is applying a new beta.
P.S.: Can we merge this stuff into the main AutoGk thread?
It's horrible fatiguing to jump back and for from one thread to the other with almost the same content.
Cheers

Taurus

[nevafuse]

Originally posted by Taurus
Instead of reporting a bug, next time better take care how to setup your audio decoder.

Taurus, although temporarily by changing my ac3 decoder settings to 'loud' that did fix the problem, I shouldn't of had to do that. It should of played fine on 'normal.' So it was indeed a bug, a bug that not just myself experienced. I'm going to give this new version of BeSweet a shot, hopefully that will fix the problem permanently so I can change my ac3 decoder settings back.

Btw, which program of AutoGK creates the ac3 file? The doom9 guides say to use DVDdecryptor, but I never did that. Thanks.

[manono]

Hi nevafuse-

AutoGK isn't responsible for what the default AC3 Filter settings are. Nor does low volume AC3 have anything to do with BeSweet. The AC3 comes out of AutoGK untouched.

Don't use DVD Decrypter for getting the audio. It's demuxed by DVD2AVI, as it should be.

And there's also mention in the Guide (http://len0xmirror1.serveftp.net/~len0x/tutorial/AutoGK.html#6) about how to make the AC3 audio louder. There's no bug anywhere.

[snowbeach]

As I already have written in this thread:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?threadid=66502&perpage=20&pagenumber=2

At this point I want to add a suggestion for those who are not satisfied with the audio loudness of their movie.
My recommendation is, to use an overall track gain of 25db and not hybridgain to get normal audio loudness. Then you will not have to increase the volume bar of your HiFi speakers too much!

The Command Line Parameters have to be then:
... -ota( -g 25db -d %delay% ) -azid( -L -3db -c normal ) -lame( --alt-preset ??? )

Note: The use of the overall track gain is useful for 6ch AC3 tracks. If you are dealing with 2ch AC3 tracks, then it is probably better to use hybridgain.
In this case you should be independent from any BeSweet versions - regarding the audio loudness.

[snowbeach]

@nevafuse

I believe you do not have to play around with your AC3 settings from the AC3 filter, because you're dealing with MP3 files. Aren't you?

Just follow my instructions, I mentioned the post before, and you should be satisfied. You can use R4R or BeSweet for this task. I always use R4R. (Thanks to the great TheWEF! The father of GKnot & R4R.)

[Taurus]

Conclusion

Ac3 sound is not altered by AutoGk, as it is just muxed from the source demuxed via Dvd2Avi.
The bug on mp3 encoding is solved, because the Besweet version that was involved in this is allready replaced in last AutoGk 1.18b.
So everything should be back to normal.
If ac3 sound is to low, your ac3 decoder is misleading. Use valex's ac decoder 0.70b or get the winamp plugin from same author (0.5 or 0.6b)
for testing. Remember, the default settings on this decoder will not give correct values. You have to experiment a little, watch the bargraphs, read the helpfiles. And judge with your ears.
Fire up your dvd software player on source dvd,listen to ac3 sound from source(loudness control should be all the way up in dvd software player) and after that listen to the ac3 demuxed by AutoGk via Dvd2Avi, in your gktmp folder, with any player witch can use the ac3 decoder(don't forget to turn up the master volume in this player too.
After doing your settings right ,you will recognize that the ac3's made via AutoGk are at equal volume to the source dvd.

....or read the FAQs

Cheers

Taurus