Volume too low

[ricksaint]

Have you tried a different audio decoder?

Ok, I found it. I am going to try that.

[sub]

Is it the standard for GB-PVR to function at a lower volume than other applications? Or is it anything I am doing wrong?
I mean, the volume is way lower than the system volume and everything else (YouTube videos, live streams, songs, etc)

No, its not normal. Its certainly not a common complaint. I'll be something to do with the specific settings or similar being used on your machine.

As suggested, its probably your audio decoder (or maybe audio renderer).

[ricksaint]

No, its not normal. Its certainly not a common complaint. I'll be something to do with the specific settings or similar being used on your machine.

As suggested, its probably your audio decoder (or maybe audio renderer).

There are about a dozen different audio decoders and as many audio renderers. How do I know which one to select? Should I try everyone until I find the one that works?

If that can help, my computer is an HP Pavilion dv8t laptop running 64-bit Windows 7.

Can someone suggest which decoder/renderer would most likely work?

Thanks.

[whurlston]

Is it the standard for GB-PVR to function at a lower volume than other applications? Or is it anything I am doing wrong?
I mean, the volume is way lower than the system volume and everything else (YouTube videos, live streams, songs, etc)

No but it's standard for 5.1 audio to be lower volume than 2 channel audio. Is your low sound in GBPVR when viewing digital channels or does it happen when playing music from the Music Library as well?

If you play a song in GBPVR from your music folder is the same volume as when pplaying it with Windows Media Player?

[sub]

Can someone suggest which decoder/renderer would most likely work?

Pretty much any audio decoders I've used have worked fine, so I dont think you'd have try many to get see if that was going to help. If you dont want to pick one at random, then post the list of the options you've got, and I'll pick one.

As Whurlston says, some times AC3 audio broadcasts can have slightly lower levels than 2 channel audio, so depending on the channels you're using, this could be a possible cause too. It wouldnt be too much quieter though.

[ricksaint]

Eureka! It had nothing to do with GB-PVR after all! My STB has a volume control that could be set to Fixed or Variable. I changed it from Variable to Fixed and that did the trick.

Anyway, thanks everyone for your input!

[whurlston]

Ooh yeah. Now I know why you were saying the volume was way lower. Glad you figured it out.

[BigMoose]

While we're on the subject, is there any way to make AC3 as loud as other audio formats? It's very annoying to play a DVD, pump up the volume then nearly blow the house up when switching back to liveTV. Likewise with liveTV from channels with AC3 audio.... I'm using the SAF pack on win7 currently so maybe it's a question for Hoborg.

[whurlston]

I know that with AC3Filter you can adjust the gain but I'm not sure if that's possible with ffdshow which is what SAF uses.

[mikeh49]

I've had this differing audio levels problem as well. Back in the simple analog days with only stereo broadcast, I used AC3 filter with the gain turned up for DVDs and Nvidia Purevideo for recordings. Now with both analog and digital brodcasts, I'm back to varying levels again. I have both Nvidia and AC3 installed, but probably have merit problems. If I leave the AC3 decoder setting in config at System Default, what happens? Highest merit decoder that can handle AC3? Is my assumption that digital broadcasts are AC3 correct?

Sorry for the thread highjack.