PLEASE Include a GRAPHIC EQUALIZER

[eniwetok]

Yesterday I was trying to improve the voice clarity of a movie I was watching. It would have been easy except the company that makes my audiocard driver limits my options to various music types.

About 20 years ago I believe it was Sharp that introduced an idiotic scheme for audio settings for audio devices. Gone was the simple graphic equalizer to be replaced with THEIR arrogant notion of what settings should be applied to rock, classical or jazz. Gee… MY settings for each would all be the same! Where a simple 3 band equalizer would provide a minimum of 9 audio variations... the settings were reduced to 3 or 4 and a no matter how many music styles were introduced a user NEVER really knew what the hell each setting did.

So it is with great frustration that I see VLC has bought into this idiotic audio scheme.

PLEASE put in a graphic equalizer!!!!

Thanks!

[Arite]

There is already a customisable graphic equalizer - the settings for e.g. "Jazz" etc. are just presets for that.

The equalizers settings can be customised in the preferences or via the Extended GUI. For the latter press Ctrl+G or go to:
Settings >> Extended GUI

Arite.

[eniwetok]

Thanks Artie... I don't understand why VLC hides a separate set of audio settings apart from the audio settings.

As for these damn presets... there is a certain amount of arrogance in making one person's... or even a committee's choice for listening to "jazz" or any other form of music... a default setting. It reminds me of those radios that come with “voice tuned” speakers. That typically means there’s no way to improve bass or treble. I prefer listening to talk radio with the treble on high... not muted.

So since graphic equalizers became popular in the late 70's I've loved their flexibility they offered over even the old bass/treble controls. Ever since Sharp... or whomever, introduced these music presets in the mid-80'd it's been downhill actually providing users LESS flexibility while keeping them ignorant of what the presets actually do. I hate to see VLC buying into this ridiculous scheme while hiding the graphic equalizer.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Are you kidding us or what ?

You don't see the complete equalizer in extended panel ?

[Arite]

Thanks Artie... I don't understand why VLC hides a separate set of audio settings apart from the audio settings.

It is not really hidden - is in the extended settings since it is not really commonplace to tweak the equalization settings, whereas volume etc. is. Also equalization can also be done via the soundcard/external amp too, depending.

As for these damn presets... there is a certain amount of arrogance in making one person's... or even a committee's choice for listening to "jazz" or any other form of music... a default setting.

Audiophiles don't believe in equalization. The defaults are all normal. As for the presets - most users don't want to modify each freq. range so e.g. to give the bass a quick boost "Full bass" can be selected. If you want to modify them then you can.

Arite.

[eniwetok]

Are you kidding us or what ?

You don't see the complete equalizer in extended panel ?

Are YOU kidding or what? No... why would one even bother to LOOK for extra audio settings that were not under the AUDIO tab!!! Is there some unwritten rule that we all should be aware of that an AUDIO tab is meaningless?

You seem determined to blame a user for what clearly seems to be a poorly thought-out design. Or perhaps it has not occurred to you that some use the VLC media player for VIDEO and not music. Given that reality, having a graphic equalizer as the MAIN audio option and those dumbed-down audio presets as a second option makes more sense than hiding the graphic equalizer.

Don’t you think? Or don’t you?

[eniwetok]

Thanks Artie... I don't understand why VLC hides a separate set of audio settings apart from the audio settings.

It is not really hidden - is in the extended settings since it is not really commonplace to tweak the equalization settings, whereas volume etc. is. Also equalization can also be done via the soundcard/external amp too, depending.

Sadly my sound card only has these idiotic music presets. I soooo miss my old PC.

I think it's that acceptance of dumbed-down of audio tweaks that's got us here. Why should VLC join it? Audio presets may be widely used but they are meaningless since they do more to DEPRIVE users of audio information than they convey.

As for these damn presets... there is a certain amount of arrogance in making one person's... or even a committee's choice for listening to "jazz" or any other form of music... a default setting.

Audiophiles don't believe in equalization. The defaults are all normal. As for the presets - most users don't want to modify each freq. range so e.g. to give the bass a quick boost "Full bass" can be selected. If you want to modify them then you can.

Are you suggesting that the average VLC user is of such low intelligence they would never figure out a simple 5-8-10 band equalizer? Tell that to WinAmp. And it's not as if I'm saying get rid of the presets. Some that actually describe what they do, like “less bass”, may be useful to those afraid of a graphic equalizer. But I have to say such dumbed-down presets should never be the MAIN audio option... but a secondary one.

Oops… just noticed: sorry for calling you Artie.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Oh, yes...

You want to have a COMPLETE EQUALIZER in the AUDIO menu ? You must be kidding me...

This audio tab that you call is a menu. Can you explain me how you want to control a 10+2 bands equalizer from a menu ?
Yes, extended modification of audio and video filters is NOT possible from a menu.

Access to those modifications are easier in next version, but wanting them in a menu is completly stupid.

[Arite]

Audiophiles don't believe in equalization. The defaults are all normal. As for the presets - most users don't want to modify each freq. range so e.g. to give the bass a quick boost "Full bass" can be selected. If you want to modify them then you can.

Are you suggesting that the average VLC user is of such low intelligence they would never figure out a simple 5-8-10 band equalizer? Tell that to WinAmp. And it's not as if I'm saying get rid of the presets. Some that actually describe what they do, like “less bass”, may be useful to those afraid of a graphic equalizer. But I have to say such dumbed-down presets should never be the MAIN audio option... but a secondary one.

I was not referring to the intelligence of anyone. They are presets - if you choose not to use then then there is no need to. The presets aren;t bad since each bar needs to be adjusted by the correct amount to model the preset described - balancing out the bass frequency so that it natually raises the lower frequencies without to much dostorition of the original sound can take a while to get right. Anyway - as j-b said the equalizer is a part of the new "Adjustments and Effects" dialog box/window. Both the presets and slider bars are located there (making it easier to select presets and adjust them accordingly. Or not select them and do it manually ).

Cheers, Arite.

[Alexsource]

I'm guessing he meant an "Advanced audio options" entry in the audio menu, wich would make sense...

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

I'm guessing he meant an "Advanced audio options" entry in the audio menu, wich would make sense...

I doubt that.

[eniwetok]

Looking for a cure for excessive pixelization I found my old v.8.6 was seriously out of date.

I downloaded v1.0.0.0rc2 and I have to say I love it. I much prefer the controls at the bottom. But integrating the audio options in one place is a big improvement. Having easy access to a real graphic equalizer and not just those annoying dumbed down presets is VERY much appreciated. And with the video settings someone suggested in a post from last October, the image quality from VLC now looks really good. There may have been some way to deal with the pixelization with the older versions but I never found it.