The VideoLAN Forums

I can't get the equalizer to work. The headphone filter works, the "smooth" slider works, the checkboxes can be checked, and the frequency band sliders work, but they have no effect on the sound. The button to reset the frequency band sliders has no effect. I've gotten the equalizer to work in the past, and once or twice, when it failed, I got it working again somehow, but now I forget what I did. I've reset all my preferences and deleted the cache, but that doesn't help.

I don't know what other information about my computer might be related to the problem.

I'm using the latest version of VLC, as of May 15, 2007.

I only use VLC to listen to audio files, and the only reason I use it is because I need the equalizer.

Try 0.8.6b dated 4/24/07 available from VLC's main page.

[quote="DJ"]Try 0.8.6b dated 4/24/07 available from VLC's main page.[/quote]

That's the one I mean. (The troublesome behavior of the equalizer is unchanged from the older version.)

It's NOT dated 4/15/07! It's dated 4/24/07.

I have never experienced a problem with the EQ as it is a real filter set. So I'm not quite sure what to suggest. I'm also unaware of anyone else sharing this problem.

[quote="DJ"]It's NOT dated 4/15/07! It's dated 4/24/07.

I have never experienced a problem with the EQ as it is a real filter set. So I'm not quite sure what to suggest. I'm also unaware of anyone else sharing this problem.[/quote]

That's good to know. It explains why I couldn't find anything about it here. Perhaps I've found a new issue. I'm using a laptop computer with a sort of Intel emulated "sound card," if I understand it correctly.

Sound Files?

On one occasion, I encountered this problem (with the last, pre-April version) and managed to fix it somehow. It recurred when I played a sound file, but I couldn't fix it afterwards. I wonder whether it might be related to the type of file I tried, and if so, whether there might be a collection of various different sound files I might download for testing. The file which caused the problem *may* have been a sort of uncommon 4-bit WAV files produced by my MuVo voice recorder.

Java?

More likely, the problem might be related to a support application required by VLC. Does it require Java, JavaScript, ActiveX, or some other software related to wxWidgets or another aspect of the GUI? If so, I might have messed that up somehow.

32-bit?

Also, it may be that my virtual sound card has trouble with 32-bit floating point math. Which preferences affect that?

Preferences, Audio, Output modules, DirectX "Use float32 output".

Also you could try the older method of addressing the audio card.

Preferences, Audio, Output modules from the pull down select "Win32 waveOut extension output".

[quote="DJ"]Preferences, Audio, Output modules, DirectX "Use float32 output".[/quote]

That's unchecked.

[quote="DJ"]Also you could try the older method of addressing the audio card.

Preferences, Audio, Output modules from the pull down select "Win32 waveOut extension output".[/quote]

Under "Output modules", I have "Default".

In the list under "Output modules", at "DirectX", I have "Use float32 output" unchecked, and the "Output device" is "0".

In the list under "Output modules", at "File", I have "Output format" "s16", Number of output channels" "0", "Output file" "audiofile.wav", and "Add WAVE header" checked.

In the list under "Output modules", at "PortAudio", I have "Output device" "0".

In the list under "Output modules", at "WaveOut", I have the "Use float32 output" unchecked.

Could any of these explain why the equalizer isn't working? Should I change the output module from "Default" to "Win32 waveOut extension output"? (I have no idea what "Default" does or what default is used.)

The default is DirectX. But if you are using Vista you may need to explicitly set this to DirectX. I suggested trying the older method of addressing the audio card.

[quote="DJ"]The default is DirectX. But if you are using Vista you may need to explicitly set this to DirectX. I suggested trying the older method of addressing the audio card.[/quote]

When I tried that, I got no sound at all. I'm using Windows XP Home edition, SP2.

My problem seems to be related to the type of file I open first. Unfortunately, I have no way of knowing anything about the files, except for their file extensions. Windows' "Sound Recorder Accessory" gives a lot of information about .WAV files, some of which exhibit the troublesome behavior, but as for .MP3 files, some disable the equalizer and some don't.

The simplest test occurs when I enable the equalizer, move one of the sliders, and press the "Restore Defaults" button. If it doesn't work, the equalizer is disabled. If it does work, the equalizer sometimes works. If I start VLC without loading an file, it always works, but opening certain files seems to "break" it.

Also, my file associations seem all messed up. Some files are associated with Winamp, which I've removed, and some open with an old version of Windows Media Player, which I'd like to keep, but don't want associated with any sound files. Many sound files appear with the VLC icon, but open with other media players!

I would suggest uninstalling and reinstalling VLC. Be sure to delete VLC's Preferences files.

If the problem persists, try going back to VLC 0.8.5

[quote="DJ"]I would suggest uninstalling and reinstalling VLC. Be sure to delete VLC's Preferences files.

If the problem persists, try going back to VLC 0.8.5[/quote]

I've tried all these suggestions. As I said, I had the same problem with VLC 0.8.5.

I wish I could find a simple, free, sound file player with an equalizer. I have no use for any other features of VLC.

I'm a dial-up user and stop videos as soon as they start. I rarely even download sounds. Usually, I make them on my two voice recorders and sometimes on the computer, either through the microphone or from CDs. But the ones from the voice recorders sound pretty bad usually, and the music my father recorded on old 78's in the 1920s needs to be run through an equalizer, too. :(

The default is DirectX. But if you are using Vista you may need to explicitly set this to DirectX. I suggested trying the older method of addressing the audio card.

When I tried that, I got no sound at all. I'm using Windows XP Home edition, SP2.

This should not happen! Try updating your audio drivers.

Out of curiosity, what is the audio card?

The default is DirectX. But if you are using Vista you may need to explicitly set this to DirectX. I suggested trying the older method of addressing the audio card.

When I tried that, I got no sound at all. I'm using Windows XP Home edition, SP2.

This should not happen! Try updating your audio drivers.

Out of curiosity, what is the audio card?

I'm using a laptop with an Intel software-emulated sound card -- I think! This might be it: "Conexant AC-Link Audio". I'm not really sure.

Update your audio drivers. I have yet to see a audio card that didn't support the older method of addressing the sound system. DirectX having problems is also drivers.

Update your audio drivers. I have yet to see a audio card that didn't support the older method of addressing the sound system. DirectX having problems is also drivers.

I also have this problem (as I've posted earlier elsewhere). I'm using direct X with XP. On several machines. It just doesn't seem top work. These are standard sounblaster cards (nothing special)

Can you provide a sample?

[quote="DJ"]Can you provide a sample?[/quote]

Sure, I can submit a 50kb .wav file, but I don't know how to upload it.

Post it anywhere you want and provide the link here.

I was having the same problem with equalizer not working earlier today. It only didn't work on the files that I created using VLC saved from streams. ALL other mp3's on computer worked fine. So for some reason VLC prog equalizer doesn't cooperate with it's self created mp3's OR mpga's or mp4's . those are the only other extensions i tried and it failed.

I have todays most recient ver8.6 . XP sp2, creative labs audio card, quicktime disabled, as many other apps not in use disabled.

I was having the same problem with equalizer not working earlier today. It only didn't work on the files that I created using VLC saved from streams. ALL other mp3's on computer worked fine. So for some reason VLC prog equalizer doesn't cooperate with it's self created mp3's OR mpga's or mp4's . those are the only other extensions i tried and it failed.

I have todays most recient ver8.6 . XP sp2, creative labs audio card, quicktime disabled, as many other apps not in use disabled.

I have quicktime disabled, too.

And it's not just a few mp3s, but also certain audio files created on my voice recorders. I've got an Olympus I got at Radio Shack and a MuVo. I forget which ones it has trouble with, but the really frustrating thing is that once VLC fails, it's ruined until I exit and restart it.

I haven't tried VLC's streaming thing yet.

In a private message, somebody recommended "foobar" as an audio file player with equalizer, and it's not very sophisticated, but works great. No problems at all.

Incidentally, my file associations may be messed up. Not only do the wrong icons show up in Windows Explorer, but some of the files show up as winamp files (and I got rid of winamp a long time ago), and many of the ones with VLC icons open in different programs.

The equaliser DOES work well, with Southcast for instance but not it seems with simple playback of video file (in my case) and where is the configuration held in VLC, please? as the settings of the equiliser have been set to an extreme and I can't seem to be able to unset them.

Post it anywhere you want and provide the link here.

Believe it or not, I don't even know how to do that!

Try http://rapidshare.de/ or another service like this. They will provide a link to the file. Post that here.

I am having similar problems but have some additional information.

The EQ works fine on MP3. WMV, MPG, MOV, ASF, and some AVI files.

It does not work at all on WMV files.

It works on some AVI files but not all.

This is a brand new install of the d release (the most recent one) and was preceded by uninstalling the prior release.

Any suggestions on how to make EQ work for WMV files and for the AVI files on which it does not work?

Thanks