Audio dropping

[obrian93]

I've been playing with both reClock and RockSteady (via ffdshow) in an attempt to even out the playback volume of my umpteen different video sources (many of which are divx/xvid). Both get set up in windows first, then get selected from Sage's audio deco settings.

The trouble is that bits of audio completely drop out. In lieu of just calling it random, it does seem to happen most often with the first word of a spoken sentence after a brief silence. Maybe it's too loud? No idea since, you know, it's just gone.

Not knowing anything about compression beyond general theory, I've tried just randomly switching presets (hard, soft, none, etc.) in both without any noticeable change in the problem.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Is there deeper digging to be done in the compressor config or within Sage?

My next step is a $30 soundblaster card that comes with its own compressor software. I just thought I'd toss it out here first since I'm so cheap.

[obrian93]

follow-up Q:

Anyone have any experience with the soundblaster x-fi boards and software? They boast a "Smart Volume Management" component, but it seems a bit too good to be true. (And I lied. It's $50 not $30.)

thanks

[obrian93]

Rawr!

I actually tried the CL X-Fi card, in hopes of taking advantage of the "Smart Volume Management." At least on the card that I bought (bottom-rung PCIe), SVM is only available in the Creative Media Player. Which won't work.

So I trolled ebay and scored a Behringer Dynamics Compressor for a little under $50. I shall have my smoothified audio!

It's only stereo, so audiophiles might not be as interested. I'll post any interesting results here.

I just want to stop turning everything way up or down depending on the source.