virtual dub codecs for and windows 8

[dlbott]

Have a movie file that is using ac3 audio but it is so poorly low that it is impossible to watch. Really good movie and wanted to try and raise the gain and correct the volume in virtual dub. It does not find any codecs to open the avi file. the file plays fine in windws player or in vlc which is my default player. How do I tell virtual dub to use the same codecs vlc is using to play the file etc. Or is there another way to correct this audio.

Sad really, what good is ac3 if you can't hear a bloody word people are saying. I am watching on big screen thru a phillips bluray player if that makes any difference or if there is a way to make the correction on that side etc.

I thank you for your attention... over the years this has been the best site out there.....

thanks

the bot

[jagabo]

VirtualDub cannot use the same video codecs as VLC because VLC uses it's own built in codecs that no other program can access. Neither can VirtualDub use the same video codecs as WMP because WMP uses DirectShow codecs whereas VirtualDub uses VFW (the older, outdated, deprecated video subsystem in Windows) codecs. So you need a VFW decoder for the codec used in your source video. ffdshow probably has the decoder you need.

Your main problem is most likely the fact that AC3 levels are typically about 20 dB below typical computer audio. Just turn up the gain on your AC3 decoder.

If only the dialog is too low you have a different problem -- your speaker configuration is wrong. You're probably set up for 5.1 speakers but don't have a center channel.

[davexnet]

For 5.1 > 2.0 channels with a mix that increases the volume, I like the directshowsource ffdshow mixer method.
Doesn't take too long to setup, and you can do it in the fly in Virtualdub.

[dlbott]

ok, have obtained and installed ffdshow, how do i use virtualdub and ffdshow together to fix the audio of this avi movie.... has very low ac3 audio which you can't hear the voice very well at all. thanks

don

[davexnet]

If not installed already, install FFDshow, Lame ACM mp3 and Avisynth. (All on this site in tools/software area).

Here's a general walkthrough I did before:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/357689-Low-volume-when-loading-external-audio-file-...=1#post2256520

Open the movie in Virtualdub and set video/direct stream copy.

If you'd like PCM/WAV audio, the above instructions will achieve it.
If you'd like to compress the audio to mp3, do these additional steps.

Set audio/full processing (instead of audio/direct stream copy)
audio/compression - select Lame mp3 and configure on the right to one of the higher bitrate CBR modes.

File/ save as avi