Audio too loud on PowerDirector...

[borntalent]

Hi..
I am running my Video 8 tapes from my deck to the PC using "iON Video 2 PC" digital converter. The program that came with the converter is "CyberLink PowerDirector 9". The program captures the video as a DVD-MPG file, and the audio is way too loud. While the levels look correct (they peak out at 0), it sounds so loud to the point of distortion in some parts when things get really loud. The original video when plugged into the TV, sounds fine, and using a Sony VDR-mc6 to transfer the video sounds fine. However, when I try to go the route from deck to PC, I get the loud audio.
Is it the PowerDirector program doing this... or is it the iON converter?

PS: I have gone in to the "Volume Control" on the Power Director once it captures my video, and tried to lower the volume, but it sounds "too loud/a bit distorted" even when turned low. It seems almost as if the sound was clipping... even thought it isn't.


Any ideas?

[jagabo]

AC3 audio is usually normalized to -10 to -20 dB. So DVD players boost the audio by 10 to 20 dB on playback. So your 0 dB encoded audio is too loud.

[borntalent]

Is there a way to fix this issue? Is there some sort of capture setting that allows for lower volume?

thanks

[jagabo]

Most video capture devices/software allow you to adjust the audio volume.

[PuzZLeR]

I personally believe any software that is bundled with any capture device is quite inferior, limited and buggy.

At any rate, I use VirtualDub for capturing and there is a setting where you can capture directly through the sound card, and can adjust the volume all you like. I prefer this setting because a sound card capture is, IMO, of higher quality than from any of my capture devices.

I don't use P/D, at least not for capturing, so I don't know if there is such a setting. But if you can't find a volume control on it, I bet you won't find a sound card option either.

At worst, if not, you can capture twice, once for the video, then just for the audio with Audacity (free software) through your sound card, with your preferred settings, and it's a simple mux/edit after. At least this way you bypass both P/D and the ION, whichever is causing the audio problem.

A simple onboard sound card, with 48KHz, 16bit, stereo, is all you would need for capture with older analog formats.

Another method is to capture to wave if this setting is available on P/D. If the volumes aren't clipping, it would be a simple setting to adjust the volume, such as with Audacity, after the capture.

[borntalent]

Thanks for the input. I actually hit a bunch of buttons and found an input volume (which was pretty hidden). Unfortunately, it resets back to 100 after every capture.. but at least it seems to work.