I have multiple concert tracks (at different aspect rations - hence different tracks) running through as a kiosk promo for a client. Each track is Dolby 5.1 and all at different volumes.

Is there a way I can make the different audio tracks play at a consistent volume or will I have no choice but to unpack all the Surround Sound tracks into Logic and re-master the outputs?

Andrew

Well, there is... but be prepared for some reading and frustration.
You don't do it in DVD SP. You don't do it anywhere. You flag the Dolby file with a Dialog Normalization Value and Compression Preset (not data compression but dynamic range compression). The magic (if you want to call it that) is performed in real time by the DVD player. But it's much easier to say than it is to do. You have to learn about the different compression presets, which range they use as Null band and when and how strong the compression/limiting triggers. For most people, this means unpredictable oscilations in volume.

Adolfo Rozenfeld
Buenos Aires - Argentina
www.adolforozenfeld.com

Ahhhh...

Nuts. I hate the pumping result of that setting. I discovered it on my DVD player while watching Phil Collins drumming. When I unchecked it I was much happier.

I guess I'll do a demo first un changed and see how drastic the different tracks are relative to each other. If big enough, then it's into Logic we go.


Thanks, though.

ANother way if you are exporting selected VOB files out of MPEG Streamclip is to use the adjustement volume slider I think...(Not tried personally but figured it might help someone else...)

A

Well... if you don't mind recompressions (because that's you would be doing there) there are better ways. You said in the first post that you wanted something inside DVD Studio Pro. The reason DVD SP won't let you, is because it would have to recompress the file. If you demux an AC-3 file for processing, you will have to encode it back, so you would be recompressing it. Bad idea, in my opnion.
If you demux it with Streamclip, then you could take the files to SoundTrack Pro, Peak or whatever you want to apply dynamic range processing, normalizing, etc. Before doing that, it's worth noting that DVD audio usually has a reference level around -30 db. Quite lower than a TV mix, for example. If you compare this audio with other commercial DVD, you may find that it could be not as low as you think. Did you try that?

Adolfo Rozenfeld
Buenos Aires - Argentina
www.adolforozenfeld.com

No I hadn't tried checking that,

Thanks,

Cheers,

A