No Mono function available

[mediajunkie]

Hi, I couldn't find a proper answer anywhere on the internet, forums, or youtube.
My problem is that I cannot find any accessible mono function. My computer is hooked up to external speaker, but only the left speaker works, would be fine, except for when watching movies the occasional person speaking only on R channel leaves me missing out.
using windows vista, VLC v2.1.3
I've heard people say that :AUDIO > AUDIO DEVICE > MONO

but this is simply not true, as the only option available is "default" and "speakers: realtek high definition audio ", when going into tools - preferences - all settings - audio - filters - audio filter for stereo to mono filtering, this does nothing, no mono function available, and it still does not allow me to hear what should be playing through my right speaker.

I also tied audio - stereo mode , but this only gives the options of "stereo", "Left", "Right", and "Reverse Stereo". I tried all of these functions. Choosing "Right" did allow me to hear what was going into the Right channel, but I don't want it to block anything that is suppose to be going into say just a left channel.

So to recap, there is no specific "MONO" function available that I have seen. IF anyone is also having this problem let it be known, and if anyone has helpful information please tell me, thank you.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

You can force mono in the VLC preferences and/or in the OS preferences, depending on the audio output used.

Another -more tedious- option is to configure the channel remapping filter.

[mediajunkie]

Thanks Remi, please explain how to force mono, because I have exhausted all other tutorials with no success.

[mediajunkie]

It is obvious that no one knows how to resolve this problem. They can not simply explain the process to turn the speakers into mono function. Simply telling me that you can is no help, as it does not explain the procedure in doing so. If you feel that you indeed do know how to do this, do everyone a favor and explain it. Thank you. STILL UNRESOLVED.

[mediajunkie]

You can force mono in the VLC preferences and/or in the OS preferences, depending on the audio output used.

Another -more tedious- option is to configure the channel remapping filter.

Hey, guy, did you also know the sky is blue?

[iusuallylurk]

Hi all,
I am having the same problem as mediajunkie on Windows 8 with VLC 2.1.3. I haven't been able to use mono for some time now. I used to quite happily use AUDIO -> AUDIO DEVICE -> MONO, but this changed several months ago with an update to be a list of my actual audio devices (as mediajunkie explains.)

I periodically google for a solution, and the only other thing I can find is https://trac.videolan.org/vlc/ticket/9872 which goes about the same as this thread - An extremely brief reply that says "Force the audio device channel to mono in preferences," with little explanation of how to do it.

TOOLS -> PREFERENCES -> ALL SETTINGS -> AUDIO -> FILTERS -> AUDIO FILTER FOR STEREO TO MONO CONVERSION also does nothing for me.

Another -more tedious- option is to configure the channel remapping filter.

As far as I can see, the channel remapping filter is not a viable solution because each channel can only be remapped to a single output channel. I would like the following setup, which can't be achieved this way:
left => (left, right)
right => (left, right)

Can anyone please provide more detailed instructions (Along the lines of click here->here->here)? This is what I consider a simple problem, and I feel pretty foolish for not being able to figure it out

[NorwegianOrganist]

This has been a problem for me too. However, I think I have solved it. Since I use a Norwegian language version of VLC, the exact wording of the menus I describe may be slightly different. However my translation here should not be too far out.

Click on the button that brings the graphic equalizer up. This is only available if you're not viewing in full screen. Alternatively go to the tools menu, and choose "effects and filters".

Click on the third tab for the sound effects - not the graphic equalizer but the "spatializer". You'll have to play around with the settings here to get the exact sound you want - I suggest having all the sliders on 0 apart from "dry", which needs to be maxed to the top. Once you enable this by checking the box provided at the left, you have your mono. If you think that only one channel is being used to obtain this, read on and follow the instructions below.

The sort of mono that is used (I think!) is set by going to TOOLS - SETTINGS - SOUND. Here you must enable ALL the settings (bottom left of the box that comes up). Browse to SOUND-FILTER-MONO. Now HERE is the very important bit. I stand ready to be corrected if someone knows better, which is entirely possible, but FORGET ALL ABOUT "select which channel to keep". Just mark the checkbox "downmix algorithm". That is all you should need to make the mono filter, in effect, give you what you have been looking for above. Do remember to mark for ALL the settings like I said above, otherwise you won't see this "mono" option.

Try this. Please come back here and tell me if it works, because I'm no expert - I was looking for a workaround myself.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Thanks Remi, please explain how to force mono, because I have exhausted all other tutorials with no success.

I have never done it myself. I just know what's supposed to be able to do it.

[NorwegianOrganist]

Well just try doing what I posted. I think you will find it works!

[FoxH]

I had a video with left stereo sound only and was also looking to configure VLC to output in Mono.

The only way I was able to achieve this was to enable the audio filter "Audio channel remapper" in Tools -> Preferences -> Audio (show settings all) -> Filters, and then in the "Remap" option under Filter I mapped the Left channel to the Right one. So now the left channel is coming out from both the left and the right speaker.

VLC 2.1.6 - Ubuntu

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

There are two ways to change the audio channel mapping: the Windows audio settings, or VLC audio output plugin preferences.

You don't need to use the remapping filter, though that's also possible.

[Ludrax]

How Windows audio settings will allow L+R on both channels

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Any reasonable OS will downmix (stereo) to mono if you select the monophonic speakers configuration.

[monoman]

Foxit says: "The only way I was able to achieve this was to enable the audio filter "Audio channel remapper" in Tools -> Preferences -> Audio (show settings all) -> Filters, and then in the "Remap" option under Filter I mapped the Left channel to the Right one. So now the left channel is coming out from both the left and the right speaker." Thank you, Foxit. Haven't tested it yet but it sure sounds like it worked. The problem I had in other threads was that I have a narrow monitor but I didn't know I had a short one, so I didn't know that "All" was hiding under the task bar. I had to install version 1.11.1 to see the All setting, and then I found it in version 2.

This isnt' perfect, in that it won't put mono out both speakers, and I gather some people want that, but it will put left and right out of one or the other, which is what I personally need, for my friend.

Remi, I have a reasonable OS and it has no way to convert stereo to mono. Maybe you're thinking of soundcard software, but I stopped running that years ago since there was never anything I wanted to change. I'd have to do research to start it up again; and I don't even remember if it can do this.

[monoman]

Plus if I do it with the OS, it will happen all the time. Doing it with VLC or some other software limits the effect to that software.

[monoman]

Replying to Foxit and myself, it didn't work!!!! I tried the remapping. I remapped left to right, and then I played a "Stereo Demostration" mp3 that I found online, copied from a 1950's demo record, and it was just as much stereo as ever. Then I remapped EVERYthing to right, including left, center, rear left, rear center, rear right, side left and side right, whatever they have there except for Low-Frenquency effects, and the stereo was still as prominent as it was!!!.

And of course this all implies that sound came out of both speakers.

I went back to the remapper and everything was still set to Right.

Then I went to Audio / Output Modules / DirectX and I set Speaker Configuration to Mono. It had been Windows Default, so plainly this setting is meant to override the Windows default. Again, it made no difference, but it was still set that way when I got back to the preferences. And of course this all implies that sound came out of both speakers.
Then I used the Reset button to put everything back as it had been.

Either some of us don't understand what the authors intend by mono, or more likely, it doesn't work right. No offense.

[monoman]

BTW, it does a great job of stereo, but at the moment, I want mono. I hope someone reads all this.

[monoman]

And checking the stereo to mono converter did nothing either. Actual testing is better than relying on what settings are labeled.

[monoman]

Unless closing the sound file and starting again, or restarting VLC would have made a difference? Sorry