volume question and normalization

[lose311]

Hey I am currently watching a movie where this problem is really bad and its hard to watch in its current state, but it happens with most DivX of older films.

Basically, the voices and quiet parts are really low volume so I have to turn it up, but (and its a James Bond film) when the action scenes come on it gets really loud with fighting/explosions and the like so i have to constantly adjust the volume just to be able to hear it at times and other times make sure my speakers dont blow.

So i have fiddled with the volume normalization plugin and that hasnt helped. Does that work for video too? What settings would be reasonable? all i can adjust is # of buffers and max level.

also, are there any other plugins that are out there for download for VLC? i would love some sort of compression that would not only limit high volume bits but also amplify the quiet parts too.

i know im asking a lot here but any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks.

[Arite]

Normalization is where the overall volume is raised(/lowered) to a certain average/maximum dB level (although I think VLC just cuts out/reduces high amplitude sections). Anyway - instead os normalising the output you could try using the Equalizer - it is the second tab in VLC's "Extended Settings" (Ctrl+G). The human voice frequency range is between ~30Hz and 300Hz - so raising the first three sliders accordingly etc. should increase the amplitude of the voices.

Arite.