Extender volume too low on both my units

[powerhousepro]

The media extender volume output is way too low on both my extenders.
When I play the recordings on the Sage Server PC the volume is plenty.
I am just having low volume issues on the media extenders. I have to turn the tv volume and extender volume all the way up. Sometimes that is not even enough volume. I tried 4 different tvs to eliminate it being a TV issue.

I was using beyond tv and jumped ship. I came to sage bought the server, a placeshifter licence and 2 mvp's. I looked for 3 hours before posting in here.

Thank you

P4 3.2ghz
2gig memory
350 gig hd
gigabit network
pvr150

[dvd_maniac]

how are your Sage recordings volume compared to say DVD's or other videos on the Server? Are the Sage recordings lower?
Maybe your cable STB needs to be turned up (if using one).

Could be that your server has a nice set of speakers compared to cheap internal speakers of the TVs you're hooking the MVP up to and the low volume recordings are not that bad with the good speakers.
Just some thoughts. I haven't noticed a problem with my MVP except for DVD's are a little bit low.

[powerhousepro]

Just having issue with Media Extenders.

+++ Ok, when i stream a dvd to an extender, volume is just as low when streaming live tv or a recording ++++

that narrows it down some.

Would that make it a transcoder issue?

I have noticed a few google videos with substantially louder volume on the mvps when compared to
streaming live tv or a recording to an extender.

Thanks for the post

[jbarr]

My MVP extender's volume is significantly lower than on my main SageTV PC. I have to keep the TV volume cranked way up, and then use the extender remote to adjust the volume through SageTV. In our bedroom, it's very watchable (listenable) but it would be nice if the overall volume could be increased somehow.

And yes, the lower volume is consistent across recordings, live TV, imported DVD's, and imported video. I haven't tested music volume. (And don't forget that live TV is no different from a recording--it IS a recording!)

[dvd_maniac]

My inquiry was to determine if all Sage recordings were lower then sources made outside of Sage.
I would however like to know if something could be done at the transcoder level to increase volume gain? Does the transcoder also encode the audio?

[malbec]

Ditto, same issue here although I never really worried about it until this thwack upside the head. Sorry no solutions I know of, will keep my eye out though.

[Para]

Originally Posted by dvd_maniac

My inquiry was to determine if all Sage recordings were lower then sources made outside of Sage.
I would however like to know if something could be done at the transcoder level to increase volume gain? Does the transcoder also encode the audio?

Sage TVs Transcoder (FFMPEG) has the capability of increasing the volume but I don't think it is used for regular recordings (or any other streams) that don't need transcoded. To use it, would probably force the "transcoding" of a stream just for the purpose of volume increase and thus require more from your system. Maybe good - maybe bad.

I believe that the MVP (while an outstanding device which is full of value) lacks in a few areas. One of those areas is its audio output level. In my view, the ideal solution for this issue should come from Hauppauge rather than SageTV.

my $.02

[stevech]

I've read many complain about low video AND now low audio. What's up with Hauppauge? Is the audio low using Hauppauge's own software? Meaning the issue is unique to Sage?

I guess I'll find out when I start using the MVP I ordered recently.

[CollinR]

My DVDs are lower but still easily adjusted for, I never need to max anything to get plenty of volume.


What capture card are you using? IIRC you can adjust the volume in the Happauge tweak tool.

[Taddeusz]

I have one of the newer MVP's with a digital out that runs to my surround sound receiver and I haven't noticed any problems with volume levels. If it's an issue with the MVP it has to do with the pre-amp they're using on the line-level outs. I've never actually had mine hooked up with the analog audio output so I can't comment on the audio level of mine.

I'm personally waiting on pins and neadles for the HD extender.

[mattdcknsn]

I have experienced this too. I have to have the TV volume up all the way and the MVP up all the way. Usually its ok but sometimes not too good. I have been looking for an inline amplifier for RCA jacks and not finding much. When I had the MVP hooked up to my home receiver it worked fine. The problem is when the jacks are plugged into the TV, the built in speakers aren't powered enough.

This is across the board, DVDs, Music, TV, pretty much everything. I remember previous threads about this and I don't think there is much that can be done. Except pump it through a receiver.

[stefano540]

I was fighting the low volume issue myself until I got so fed up that I ripped into the MVP and inserted a simple 1-transistor per channel buffer that increases the level by 3X and everything is MUCH better.
I snipped the wires going from the PCB to the RCA sockets and inserted the buffer in between. I found 5V near the IR receiver, and used double sided tape to stick the perf-board circuit where the wireless board is supposed to go (I am running wired...).

Now if I could just get the transcoder to not peg my AMD 4200 overclocked to 2.4GHz when watching Hi Def and therefore generating random stuttering life would be perfect....

Stefano

[stevech]

how 'bout posting pix and schematic for the amplifier?

[stefano540]

Allright here goes:
I decided against op-amps, despite having lots of them around. Did not want to deal with decoupling, single VCC rail, etc, so I am using bog standard 2N2222 generic NPN transistors. 2N3904 should work as well.
Schematic is drawn with LT SPICE, which I used to also simulate the device. Distortion should be less than 0.1% at 2Vpp out.
Bias resistors ( 100k) are not critical. In fact optimal value is 47k but my spare parts bin did not have them, so I simulated 100K and it was good enough (goal in this case is having the collector at 2.5V DC, I am measuring 3.1 on mine)

Of course this needs to be duplicated for stereo.

Gain can be increased a bit if necessary by dropping the resistor in series with the input. 4.7K should work.

- Proto board in final assembly is upside down for no particular reason, but unfortunately it hides the "components side".

- To install the amp, you will need to snip the wires coming from the RCA sockets that go to the PCB, and solder the in/out of the amp to the stubs.
- You will find 5V on the unpopulated capacitor near the IR receiver.
That's about it. Good luck !
Stefano

[stevech]

Thanks. I build a lot of circuits and I know how it takes a lot of time to cram those components onto that small board.
what are the 1Meg resistors for (R6/7)?

I notice there no pot. for gain - I suppose you decided how much shortfall the MVP has.

I've read the stories here about low video and low audio in some MVPs. The EIA standards for video/audio levels are well known; I wonder how this could be hosed up - I assume the problem exists no matter the software, Sage nor not.

I just purchased one and struggled with the foolish DHCP/TFTP scheme that is a mystery to all. I have Humpty-Dumpty back on his wall for now.

[stefano540]

About the 1meg resistors ? they are there as a matter of habit when using electrolytic caps... I want to ensure that the caps have always the correct bias on them.
Not knowing the internal circuit of the MVP, if it does have a cap on the output, this electrolytic and that cap, probably also electrolytic, would share leakage currents and self-bias to some inappropriate (reverse ?) voltages.
I am not worried about shorting it out, but about distortion.
Stefano

[jksmurf]

Stefano or anyone else who tried it... how is the low volume audio hack? My wife is an EE (I'm too stupid :-) ) and can solder this up OK for me, but I want to make sure it's not blown anythng up...no heat problems..additional power draw affecting video?

k.

[stefano540]

Working just fine so far!!! The additional current draw is about 0.005 A and the power supply and internal regulator can supply 1A.
Stefano

[mrrrl]

I found this :

Here's a way to modify the input volume level on the Hauppauge card:

Create the registry setting:
HKLM\Software\Frey Technologies\Common\MSPAudio\Scart1Volume

as a DWORD value. Then set it to be 7301 in hexadecimal. The 73 part of it
controls the volume. 7F is the highest settings (7F01) and 00 is mute
(0001). Here's a few other examples:

7F01 : 12dB gain
7301 : 0dB gain
7201 : 1dB loss
0101 : 114dB loss
0001 : Mute
__________________
Jeffrey Kardatzke
CTO & Founder
SageTV, LLC
Reply With Quote

Anyone try this out to increase the audio levels in the recordings?

[jpaddock3000]

My problem is similar, but I don't have a problem with all audio, only audio from the imported videos section. My live TV audio levels are perfect from the MVP. Not only is the volume low on the imported videos folder, but it also has a lot less quality.