Audio filters (normalization etc.) for Handbrake

[loninappleton]

Hard for me to know where to start on this save for describing the feature request.

Is there any movement toward Handbrake adding the ability to filter audio such as normalization or leveling into its options?

We know Auto Gordian Knot does normalizing by default and this is the feature request. Or to add a batch file mode wherein audio could be processed on a custom basis as Handbrake now does for conversion to simple stereo from Dolby (default.)

I am just getting familiar with Handbrake now and have used AutoGK for years. These days the options for mkv and such make the move necessary.

[manono]

Why ask here?

Try their forums:

https://forum.handbrake.fr/

[loninappleton]

I did try their forums. Too many hoops to jump through to get registered.

Maybe there's a language barrier. Anyway I have no idea what they are talking about with Yuri Gagarin and weak/strong passwords.

There's a limit to 'protecting the site from spam' etc.

I subscribe to Vidcoder and will have to wait and see if they turn up any news on this.

[kuchikirukia]

Sounds like you want MeGUI.

[loninappleton]

Thanks for answering.

I have had MeGui for some time but never understood it.

But I have used some of the components like the mkv tool nix
suite for my video projects.

The group at videohelp.com has given much assistance in demuxing audio and remuxing with video.

My tasks involve bringing up the spoken word portions of live drama.

The tool that I've found for this is called The Levelator 2 which works with .wav files. It is a free tool which was developed at The Conversations Network for podcasts where different microphones and levels are common. The tool is free:

http://download.cnet.com/The-Levelator/3000-2170_4-197650.html

Or go to The Conversations Network


But a normalization filter for audio within Handbrake's audio dropdown options would be some progress.

In Handbrake currently I will take my content and ask for an additional audio type.

Goldwave or Audacity will convert that to .wav.

Saving the .wav and dragging it to Levelator produces the converted audio with the added file name .output.wav.

Take that .wav, change it back into the original audio format and use MKV merge or similar merge tool to remux the content.

--

Figuring out how to do it this way took a long time and patience.

I have not learned how to do that in MeGUI.

[foxyshadis]

MeGUI makes audio encoding quite simple; as long as the source is ac3 or dts (or their HD cousins), you can apply dynamic compression, and for any format, you can normalize to 0dB. Personally, I still think Handbrake is easier to use for the ripping and video conversion, especially if you need a hardware profile, so you can stick to that.

To utilize MeGUI, you would change the Handbrake audio settings "Auto passthru" for any tracks you want.

If all you want is normalization, load the final mp4 or mkv into MeGui's audio input, select your preferred encoder, press Config and choose LWLibavAudioSource and whether to downmix, and make sure normalization is checked.

If you want DRC, you MUST first extract the audio: In MeGUI, open Tools->HD Streams Extractor (Ctrl-F7), choose file, and open your final mp4 or mkv. Check the audio track to extract and start. Once done, close out, load as before except instead of LWLibavAudioSource use NicAudioSource and make sure DRC is checked. (DRC only works for NicAudio, even though it's not disabled for other inputs.)

Once you've done that, you can remux as you like. It's still a few extra steps, but I hope this is easier and faster than decoding the file to .wav, using a dedicated audio editor to add effects, then resaving, recompressing, and remuxing.

Alternately, you can skip Handbrake entirely and use MeGUI entirely, so nothing needs to be extracted, but honestly, that can add complication on the video side to make up for a smoother audio workflow.

[loninappleton]

Thanks for the detailed reply.

I have previously gotten bogged down in the lengthy FAQs and wikis for MeGUI which are all 'basically this" and "essentially that": an extremely poor form of writing which demeans and condescends to the first time reader. That's a big reason I've avoided it.

But with your tips I may try some tests.

Maybe you can say why MeGUI (which I thought was going to be the "it" program for all this) has not had many updates or development news?

[foxyshadis]

Maybe you can say why MeGUI (which I thought was going to be the "it" program for all this) has not had many updates or development news?

I think that's because it's pretty mature software, most things get to that point after a while. There's only one developer now, and he mainly tries to keep compatibility between the interface and newer external programs. He's been working on a bigger upgrade for the last few months, going by the code repository, but I don't know how long that's going to take, and I don't expect many sweeping workflow changes.

Changing it up completely to have a workflow more like Handbrake (which I greatly admire) while retaining its flexibility would be an enormous undertaking.

[loninappleton]

I didn't mean to leave anyone hanging here. I'm currently reading the documentation on MKVmerge and taking that route while using my preferred leveling tool.