TV3 has been broadcasting AC3 audio for the last few days...

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richms

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#141010 27-Jun-2008 22:54

If they do that then the dynamics would be lost on the ac3 shows.

Does your reciever not have a midnight mode or similar you can turn on to get a compressed dynamic range?

Richard rich.ms

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1gkar

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#141096 28-Jun-2008 19:34

richms: If they do that then the dynamics would be lost on the ac3 shows.

I'm not a sound engineer. Why should the dymanics be lost if the sound is normalised through the front speakers, as the main source of loudness, as a guide? Wouldn't the sound levels be comparitive for all channels (5.1, 7.1 etc.) during the receiver's decoding regardless what the broadcast levles are?

Does your reciever not have a midnight mode or similar you can turn on to get a compressed dynamic range?

Not to my knowledge. Denon AVR-1803. Besides why should anyone have to constantly adjust the reciever when viewing an individual station, only to have to readjust it when channel-changing or, indeed, programme-changing within TV3? Or am I getting your intent wrong?

Do others NOT have to adjust their volumes when watching TV 5.1 shows as opposed to 2-channel programmes such as the news? Cheers.

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JKRNZ

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#141097 28-Jun-2008 19:48

I've noticed that TV3 is much louder than TV1 the last 2 days.

1gkar

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#141103 28-Jun-2008 20:10

JKRNZ: I've noticed that TV3 is much louder than TV1 the last 2 days.

Louder? Are you referring to 5.1 or 2-channel programmes? I'm still finding their 2-channel audio is quiet & tinny with no real bass. I don't have any issues with the 5.1 programmes, they are great.

In general, I find that AAC sound is louder, by volume, than the DD 2-channel counterpart.

richms

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#141105 28-Jun-2008 20:35

1gkar:
I'm not a sound engineer. Why should the dymanics be lost if the sound is normalised through the front speakers, as the main source of loudness, as a guide? Wouldn't the sound levels be comparitive for all channels (5.1, 7.1 etc.) during the receiver's decoding regardless what the broadcast levles are?

Because ther reason the ac3 is "quieter" is that it has a greater range between the standard audio levels and the maximum that the bitstream can carry. This is so that loud parts like explosians etc are not distorted.

If you have an auto gain to take the normal audio up to almost maximum as is the case with adverts on tv normally, then you cant have any greater volume without it clipping.

Does your reciever not have a midnight mode or similar you can turn on to get a compressed dynamic range?
Not to my knowledge. Denon AVR-1803. Besides why should anyone have to constantly adjust the reciever when viewing an individual station, only to have to readjust it when channel-changing or, indeed, programme-changing within TV3? Or am I getting your intent wrong?

Do others NOT have to adjust their volumes when watching TV 5.1 shows as opposed to 2-channel programmes such as the news? Cheers.

Every DD reciever I have had, has had an option, usually called midnight mode on pioneers. Not used a denon extensivly myself but I know its there on the 3805 because a friends partner ended up turning it on and making music sound crap on the system.

Heres a C&P from the 3805 manual

D.COMP. (Dynamic Range Compression):
Motion picture soundtracks have tremendous dynamic range (the contrast between very soft and very loud
sounds). For listening late at night, or whenever the maximum sound level is lower than usual, the Dynamic
Range Compression allows you to hear all of the sounds in the soundtrack (but with reduced dynamic range).
(This only works when playing program sources recorded in Dolby Digital or DTS.) Select one of the four
parameters (“OFF”, “LOW”, “MID” (middle) or “HI” (high)). Set to OFF for normal listening.

Why should everyone else put up with shoddy normalized audio like we have had for years on the 5.1 shows just so you dont have to change your audio settings to suit?

Richard rich.ms

1gkar

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#141118 28-Jun-2008 21:55

richms:
1gkar:
I'm not a sound engineer. Why should the dymanics be lost if the sound is normalised through the front speakers, as the main source of loudness, as a guide? Wouldn't the sound levels be comparitive for all channels (5.1, 7.1 etc.) during the receiver's decoding regardless what the broadcast levles are?

Because ther reason the ac3 is "quieter" is that it has a greater range between the standard audio levels and the maximum that the bitstream can carry. This is so that loud parts like explosians etc are not distorted.

If you have an auto gain to take the normal audio up to almost maximum as is the case with adverts on tv normally, then you cant have any greater volume without it clipping. Is this the case even with 2-channel sound as this is what I was really referring, even though I was a bit ambiguous with my original statement.

Does your reciever not have a midnight mode or similar you can turn on to get a compressed dynamic range?
Not to my knowledge. Denon AVR-1803. Besides why should anyone have to constantly adjust the reciever when viewing an individual station, only to have to readjust it when channel-changing or, indeed, programme-changing within TV3? Or am I getting your intent wrong?

Do others NOT have to adjust their volumes when watching TV 5.1 shows as opposed to 2-channel programmes such as the news? Cheers.

Every DD reciever I have had, has had an option, usually called midnight mode on pioneers. Not used a denon extensivly myself but I know its there on the 3805 because a friends partner ended up turning it on and making music sound crap on the system.

Heres a C&P from the 3805 manual

D.COMP. (Dynamic Range Compression):
Motion picture soundtracks have tremendous dynamic range (the contrast between very soft and very loud
sounds). For listening late at night, or whenever the maximum sound level is lower than usual, the Dynamic
Range Compression allows you to hear all of the sounds in the soundtrack (but with reduced dynamic range).
(This only works when playing program sources recorded in Dolby Digital or DTS.) Select one of the four
parameters (“OFF”, “LOW”, “MID” (middle) or “HI” (high)). Set to OFF for normal listening.

Okay. I found it in the manual. Will have a play with it. Thanks.

Why should everyone else put up with shoddy normalized audio like we have had for years on the 5.1 shows just so you dont have to change your audio settings to suit?

Actually, it was phrased as a question. "Do others NOT have to adjust their volumes when watching TV 5.1 shows as opposed to 2-channel programmes such as the news?"

richms

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#141128 28-Jun-2008 23:26

Yes, thats the case with the 2 channel audio as well. But they heavily compress it on playback so that the normal audio is almost at full scale.

Thankfully tv stations dont process it as much as the likes of ZM and the rock do when playing out stuff, but without client side range compression if they played movies out as is they would have a barrage of complaints about people not hearing the words and then turning it up and having their crap TV speakers distorting everytime there is an action scene. Dolby and AC3 saw the problem with that and made client side range compression part of the specifications, so that it becomes your choice to hear it as intended or in a way suited for listening when you have limited dynamics available (crap system, or a family member who keeps complaining about hearing it etc)

Richard rich.ms

1gkar

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#141139 29-Jun-2008 00:14

Thanks for the info.

lchiu7

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#141950 1-Jul-2008 17:09

I just installed a HVR-900 and began to try capturing the DVB-T broadcasts. I am using gbpvr. When the channel scan was completed it showed two TV3 channels - one TV3 and TV3 (AC-3). Anyway did a test capture of the TV3 (AC-3) channel (but no HD content - just upscaled SD stuff) and when I tried to play it back my PC barfed (not surprising since it's a single core Sempron 64).

But I play this file on a Popcorn Hour it plays fine but with strange behaviour. The first audio channel (which I am guessing is AAC-HE LATM) has no audio but when I select track 2 the Popcorn notes the audio is DTS! However my AVR lights up the DD light. So for some reason the audio stream is marked as DTS but is actually AC-3. Strange but at least I now have a way to record and playback HD content without having to do massive upgrades on my PC.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

lchiu7

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#141955 1-Jul-2008 17:20

1gkar:Actually, it was phrased as a question. "Do others NOT have to adjust their volumes when watching TV 5.1 shows as opposed to 2-channel programmes such as the news?"

That's Dolby Volume was designed to solve. Level volumes across multiple sources so you don't have to jump up and turn the volume down as you change channels/sound sources etc.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

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