Low Audio Output

[house141]

I am pretty new to transfering my VHS tapes to my mac and to dvd. I have been researching on this website for about 2 weeks and I can't find an answer to my question, that really address my specific problme. Maybe I just missed the thread. But, here is the problem I am having, I hope someone can help. I am getting low audio output after transferring my vhs to my mac. I am using my old magnavox vcr that I have had for 15 years. It is my "ol standby" i feel comfortable using it and I am afraid of losing my vhs tapes by using a different vcr. I am using a Plextor Convertx PX-TV402U converter going into my mac. On my video file, I can have my mac volume turned all the way up and the file is just hitting my tollerance of being too loud/uncomfortable. I know if I put a commerical dvd or download a video off of the internet, I can olny stand to have the volume 1/2 to 3/4 of the way, turned up to listen comfortably. So, I am wondering a few things: 1)if i was to upgrade to a Panasonic AG-1980 would this help the volume? 2)using S-Video to transefer the tapes, would this help? Or is the low frequency that the tapes were recorded in be the main culprut? Yes a lot of my tapes were recorded in slp mode. Is there anyhting else I can hook my vcr through to help boost the volume?

[Frobozz]

Your Mac's audio playback volume may be controlled in two places. One is the main volume found in System Preferences and the other is the application's volume slider. Sometimes they are the same but sometimes they are different. So make sure you've check into that.

The Plextor encodes audio in MP2 format so it will be difficult to boost the dB strength after recording. There are devices that you can place between the VCR and the Plextor that will boost the dB signal. They might be called an audio processor. Maybe Radio Shack has something. The S-video connection makes no difference regarding audio.

[house141]

does anyone have any good hardware suggestions in order to do this? i was hoping to get something that could be a basic s-video out and av cords out.

[terryj]

Canopus ADVC-100 or ADVC-110.

Analog audio in, S-VHS in
FW out to mac.

never a problem with sync or audio.

[house141]

Canopus ADVC-100 or ADVC-110.

Analog audio in, S-VHS in
FW out to mac.

never a problem with sync or audio.

Isn't this similar to the Plextor I am using?

I upgraded to a Panasonic AG-1980 VCR from my old Magnavox, but still having the same issue. Does anyone have any ideas of a hardware piece i can place between the vcr and my mac to boost audio level of the file on my mac? also anyone know of a good software program to help with hiss?

[rumplestiltskin]

Audacity (free) has some filters for this.

[AlanHK]

Putting the output volume up too high can cause distortion and clipping.
So listen to the results before you settle on a volume.
Also it's possible there is some auto-level setting that overrides your volume.

Otherwise, can you take the audio line separately and run it through a stereo amp and take that output to your Mac?

If you can run a Windows app, you can use audioscale to boost MP2.

Otherwise, you can just extract the audio and run it through a sound editor.
Audacity has a Mac version. As well as being able to boost or normalise volume, the latest 1.3 version has a much improved noise filter that you might try. I use it to clean up audio from radio shows recorded on cassette tape, or 1960s TV shows.