(SOLVED) Output audio level is low compared to others

[Rick Strong]

PTE Deluxe 8.0.1

I was at an AV meeting tonight that presented over 20 programs from PTE and Pro Show Producer. All the programs except mine ran at a good, solid sound level. Mine was so weak I had to ask the computer operator to crank it up. Any ideas why the audio from my show might be low?

- I had normalized all the tracks (3 of them) in Audacity before they went into the show which was published to MP4.

- The show had a good sound level on my system.

- Would putting a tone in front help the operator to get a proper level for playback?

TIA.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Sam

That's a tough one, there are so many imponderables to consider. I've been using PTE & Audacity since 2007 done loads of public shows using outside equipment & can only recall two instances where the sound level of my show had problems. One was where the jack connection to the speakers was loose & not giving a stereo connection & one where I had inadvertently recorded the show in mono & was trying to play back in stereo.

You mentioned that you had normalised your 3 tracks, did you then produce a single track from the 3 tracks, or use the 3 tracks separately in PTE. I have attached a copy of my Audacity/normalise settings, do yours look like these? Finally

why did you normalise the tracks, were you getting signs of clipping? see my Youtube tutorial.

Yachtsman1.

[davegee]

Were all of the shows mp4?

If not then yours was being subjected to two volume controls - the vol control of the media player and the master volume.

Exe files are only controlled by the master volume control.

DG

P.S. I make the assumption that your show was, as you said, properly set up.

[Rick Strong]

Yachtsman1 : I normalized the tracks because the original audio levels varied greatly and I amplified one of them (wind in trees). It was done the same way you show: to -1.0 dB. The 3 tracks were separate in PTE.

Hint: If PTE could export the sound track compilations, complete with envelopes, into one track that could be processed in Audacity, that would be a plus.

davegee: I don't know what the other shows were published to but with one other exception, I suspect they weren't mp4s. In fact the "experts" in this case refuse to run PTE EXE shows saying only a Mac computer can run shows and their bias is Pro Show published to a Mac. To run PTE shows on their gear, I and one other person had to publish to mp4. His show seemed OK (I think it was an mp4, I'll check.).

I have put together several PTE shows before and sound was never a problem. But then they were published as EXE.

[Lin Evans]

Hi Sam,

There is some confusion here. First, Proshow Producer executable output can only be run on a Windows based computer or on a MacIntosh running Windows. Proshow has no ability to create native MacIntosh executable code like PicturesToExe can. So if a MacIntosh computer is running a Proshow creation, it's either a video created by Proshow or the MacIntosh system is actually running Windows.

I think Dave is correct - it's the fact that a video is subject to both the volume controls. In this case, and if a MacIntosh is being used to play the show, my suggestion would be to output your shows in both Video and Native MacIntosh executable format. That might open the eyes of the "experts" who appear to be deluded in their bias.

You might also explain to the "experts" that PicturesToExe has the ability to also output a "digitally signed" executable file. Proshow does not have that ability either.

Best regards,

Lin

[davegee]

Sam,

Some questions that need to be answered:

1. If it was a MAC was it running Windows "emulation"?

2. What format were the PSG/PSP files?

3. Was the other PTE File an EXE or an MP4?

4. Can you get together with the other PTE guy and compare notes?

5. What was the Media Player on which your MP4 was being played?

The volume controls in Windows Media Player and the prefered Media Player Classic-Home Cinema (and even Quick Time) are easily found and if, when they were last used, the volume was turned down then they would have to be turned up again for the next show. This seems like a likely answer to what went "wrong" but without knowing all of the other variables it is a difficult one to pin down.

DG

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Yachtsman1 : I normalized the tracks because the original audio levels varied greatly and I amplified one of them (wind in trees). It was done the same way you show: to -1.0 dB. The 3 tracks were separate in PTE.

Hint: If PTE could export the sound track compilations, complete with envelopes, into one track that could be processed in Audacity, that would be a plus.

I have put together several PTE shows before and sound was never a problem. But then they were published as EXE.

Hi Sam

I have never used Normalise to adjust the volume of a track, in fact I didn't know until this thread started that Audacity mention it in their tutorials. I prefer to do the fine tuning manually using the + or - sliders on individual tracks in Audacity, using the loudest track as default, then adjusting the others to suit the content of the show. There is a similar function in Audacity, Equalise, can't comment as I've never used it, there is a lot of info in Audacity's tutorial see

file:///C:/Program%20Files%20%28x86%29/Audacity/help/manual/man/equalization.html

Since commenting I remembered another instance where I had sound trouble in a PTE show published as an MP4, in this instance there was no sound at all. I had published an Exe, then an MP4, the MP4 had no sound at all. Eventually, I sussed if I changed the name on the main show, then published as an MP4, all was well, one of life's mysteries, like my motherboard battery???

Yachtsman1.

[Rick Strong]

Explain to the "experts"? Pfftt !

I have produced (and got paid for) AV shows for television (13 x 15 minute shows in 13 weeks, photographing, writing and voice-overs), and a show with English, French and bilingual audio tracks (in 2 weeks including writing and translation). The difference is that I was able to use the services of good studio audio people.

But sound is not my field. That's why I like PTE and Audacity.

I appreciate all the suggestions and will go back to see if I can ascertain who was using what and when.

Thanks again. Will let you know if I come up with an answer.

[Rick Strong]

davegee had it right:

My MP4 show went through two volume controls and the control on the computer was low. Whether a show starts at a good level or not depends on quick operator response.

Thanks all.