Sounds

[Gunny]

Hi gang

Ever since I have been copying movies, and no matter what different program I use I get a strange sound situation. Explanation....I have both my playback DVD players going through a A/V system. Say for explanation purposes, normal sound I would set the sound level at say a # 45, when watching normal TV, when ever I play a copied DVD movie I have to turn the sound level up to say 30/35. And recorded DVD's are like this. If I leave it at the #45 say, I can hardly hear it. Is this normal or is there some thing I am missing on the sound set up with the programs.? I use DVDdecrypter, shrink, ripit4me, etc. They all are good copies in this respect, just the sound is much lower.

Thanks.........Gunny

[tinker]

You are lucky that you can leave sound level at one setting watching TV. I have to change level every time i switch channel or commercial come up.
I do not think there is anything wrong with your DVD player or any other equipment if you have a sound level control switched off. Even than it will not affect sound level lower than preset.

[guns1inger]

Television has a fairly narrow dynamic range. That is, the difference between the quietest noise and loudest noise is a lot. And the general volume levels are relatively high. Advertisements also use a very narrow range, and tend to keep it all at the loud end, which is why the generally sound louder, even though they will be no louder than the loudest noise permissible in a broadcast.

DVD has a much wider dynamic range. The difference between the quietest noise and the loudest noise is much greater than you get from a TV broadcast. And most noise tends to be at the quieter end - dialogue etc should not be as loud as an explosion, for example. This often means you do have to have the volume louder to hear these sounds.

Most players and amplifiers do have controls to manage this. They come under various names, including DRC (Dynamic Range Control), Nighttime or Midnight Listening Mode and others. They basically normalise the audio to be more like what you get out a TV broadcast. Have a look in your player manual or menus if you wish to change things.

Personally, I'd rather have the greater fidelity of the DVD audio over TV audio, however I do understand what's like having to reach for the remote when a car explodes and I'm watching after midnight.