2.1.0 Audio completely corrupted - level too high

[saxopado]

Hello, the other day I installed 2.1.0 over my previous 2.0.8 using the update feature (and then, at a later stage, manually uninstalled and reinstalled 2.1.0) on my home pc, whith an nForce 4-based motherboard (the nVidia Audio Mixer application reports "nVidia Sonata APU").
During installation I removed preferences an reste everything to default.
Plus, berfore the second install (done because I suspected something went wrong in the first one), i cleared the registry of alla VLC entries.

-ANY- audio played is completely corrupted: audio levels are astronomically high, and changing audio device in every relevant settings menu is ineffective. No effect also on any volume gain control I've found. I'm back to 2.0.8, which is a shame, because VLC has worked fine for so many years.

On my work PC, ASus mobo with VIA Vinyl audio, 2.1.0 64 bit runs great.

Any help?
Cheers.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Change audio output to Waveout or try the fixed point output.

[saxopado]

Ok, thanks, will have a go and report back.
Sacha

[saxopado]

YAY! Thanks, Problem SOLVED setting Audio output toWaveOut and then the nVIDIA Audio Device instead of the MS Soundmapper.
Click Save, close and reopen VLC.
Thanks again.

[Puppy8]

It is still broken in VLC 2.1.1 (Windows XP SP3 32 bit - NVidia nForce 4 Ultra motherboard)

The proposed workaround works but it has very bad side effect. The VLC volume control slider affects global wave output volume setting for all applications. Pressing the mute button does not mute the VLC output only but all sound on the machine. The 2.0.8 version did not have the issue using 'Automatic' audio output module settings.

Using Advanced settings I found a solution:

Code: Select all

Audio \ Output Modules | Output module - Automatic \ Direct X | Output device - NVidia(R) nForce(TM) Audio [ ] Use float32 output Speaker configuration - Windows default Audio Volume - 1,00

Unchecking the Use float32 output fixes the sound corruption. Similar issue discussed here viewtopic.php?f=14&t=115056&p=390172

[Moose Malloy]

It is still broken in VLC 2.1.1 (Windows XP SP3 32 bit - NVidia nForce 4 Ultra motherboard)

I have the same problem. I tried 2.1.0 and 2.1.1 and a nightly build (vlc-2.2.0-git-20131121-1102) but the audio sounds awful on each.

I have reverted to 2.0.8 which works.

Other media programs like ClassicMediaPlayer and PowerDVD work fine.

Also, like the above user I am running XP-SP3 on an aging Nvidia nForce motherboard.

[Moose Malloy]

It is still broken in VLC 2.1.1 (Windows XP SP3 32 bit - NVidia nForce 4 Ultra motherboard)

I have the same problem. I tried 2.1.0 and 2.1.1 and a nightly build (vlc-2.2.0-git-20131121-1102) but the audio sounds awful on each.

I have reverted to 2.0.8 which works.

Other media programs like ClassicMediaPlayer and PowerDVD work fine.

Also, like the above user I am running XP-SP3 on an aging Nvidia nForce motherboard.

The problem is still here on 2.1.2.

Have implemented the solution above (disabling "use float32") and it now works well -- but most users aren't going to browse fora to find a fix for this IMO.


EDIT: Only 2.1.2 now has a new problem - some video files are crashing the player -- crash reports have been sent. Back to 2.0.8 I go.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

So it works in integer, but not float?

[Moose Malloy]

So it works in integer, but not float?

Yes, unchecking "use float32" (in Audio \ Output Modules....) makes everything sound fine once again (stupid old motherboard )

Thanks.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Can you go above 100% ?

[Moose Malloy]

Can you go above 100% ?

I apologise for the late reply.

Yes, I can go above 100% -- fully to the 125% maximum. At this level there is no distortion - everything is normal at all volume levels.

I re-installed 2.1.2 to check the sound issue, but just FYI, the video bug is still there. Out of 4 random video files on my desktop, 3 immediately crash VLC Player 2.1.2 --- but all 4 play fine on 2.0.8. I know this point is off-topic, but I hope you will not mind too much. More crash reports were sent.

EDIT: Re-video issue: tried these 4 video files on 2.1.1 -- they all worked correctly. The sound also works correctly (having disabled "use float32").

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

But does going above 100% actually go above 100% ?

[Moose Malloy]

But does going above 100% actually go above 100% ?

Yes, going from 100% to, for example, 150% produces a large volume increase. Thanks!


Also: new audio bug noted: https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=116227

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

OK.

[Moose Malloy]

Small note: I do not know if this is important, but I discovered something slightly interesting. With 2.0.8, I ensured that "float32" was selected, I clicked "save" and continued using the program apparently successfully.

Today, I noticed that although I clicked "save", when I then quit the program, and re-ran it, in audio->output modules->directx the "float32" box is always unchecked. Perhaps 2.0.8 was/is wisely disabling this feature (by not initialising/saving my request) based on my poor motherboard's capabilities.

[alfmm]

Not possible to get audio from voice to a balanced level with the background music of movies on my older Windows XP pc. This is not the way it used to be before 2.0.x

Anyone have a good alternative to VLC ? I give up here...

On my new Windows 7 pc this problem does not exist.

[Moose Malloy]

Not possible to get audio from voice to a balanced level with the background music of movies on my older Windows XP pc. This is not the way it used to be before 2.0.x

Same speakers? Same sound-card?

Do you have any funny Graphic-Equalizer settings on VLC or your sound-card/chip's software?

You probably have these things checked ... but ... just checking

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Not possible to get audio from voice to a balanced level with the background music of movies on my older Windows XP pc. This is not the way it used to be before 2.0.x

Try to disable float output in the directsound preferences.