Volume too low in Boxee, Much louder with other apps

[riegersn]

I've noticed while playing video, I have to turn the boxee volume all the way up then grab the tv remote and continue to turn it up from there. Usually with boxee i need the tv volume set to 45 or 50.

Then when i close boxee and play a video with mplayer or vlc its way too loud and I have to turn the tv volume to 10 or 15.

[shorty]

I've noticed this too-- moreso during video playback (audio seems fine) though.

[marcel]

guys thanks for the report ...this is a known issue and we will try to fix in the future..:)

[riegersn]

I've noticed this too-- moreso during video playback (audio seems fine) though.

Yes, my title is slightly off. Video audio seems to be too low. Playing music (and I think internet video) seems to be much louder, which is good.

[dave]

Remember that our Apple TV integration has "modality" on the remote. When you are in menus the disc is a up/down functioning device. When you are in playback mode of music or movies it becomes a volume. You can see the on-screen volume slider to see where you are set...

[jasondragon]

Any updates on this? I've noticed this as well for my AVI files, specifcally one using the AC3 audio codec.

Playing the file in VLC player, volume is fine. When I switch to boxee, it is extremely low.

Music and MP3 volume is spot on though, which is good.

[lamo]

I'm having the same issue here on Intrepid 64bit. Streaming video and music play fine but videos are extremely low.

[deviceguru]

ditto here. I thought it was my system, so I'm glad to know (1) I'm not the only one and (2) Boxee's supposedly working on it. tt

[dc2447]

This works for me.

Start a video, hit info, then settings, then audio.

Push the db level up to 100%.

Set as default.

HTH

[texas1emt]

I tried kicking up the audio output to the max as you suggested, but the audio is still pretty quiet, mostly with MKV files.

[jtv]

Just for another data point, while watching star trek episodes from the CBS channel, the shows are really quiet so I turn up the sepaker volume, but then when the commercials come on, they are really loud.

[damienkis]

another user with low volume issues here... i need to blast the speakers to get what im used to hearing out of them...

on an atv...

[refujee]

Also having this problem. Boxee on OS X Leopard (Mac Mini) with 720p MKVs. Volume is fine in VLC.

[marcel]

thanks guys ..is the volume issue on all content (local /networked and internet) or specifically with certain media content e.g local playback

[jaygen]

I've tested this out and it seems that it affects any content with AC3 audio encoding, much too quiet, doesn't seem to matter where the content is being played from or what container format it is.

I'm using the windows version on windows 7. Everything else is great. :D

[cthulu]

I am having similar issue in XBMC (already reported). Music playback is OK, but all video files are quite silent. In Elisa or Mplayer, volume is fine.

[babanoosh]

Same with Boxee for Win... no receiver to compensate either... and my TV volume control has some sort of cap on it whereby after a certain point (kinda low actually), it will have no effect.

I have solved this problem sometimes in DirectSound environment by boosting FFDShow volume amplification, even gives me control over individual channels. This solves the problem in MCE OTA, Zoomplayer local file playback, etc. Could PAPlayer not be adjusted to where the audio slider doesn't peak at 0Db (default)? I wouldn't think most care about audio clipping and interference when playing back a low quality online video stream anyway so...

[lagerstatten]

Ditto here for me too. Volume is horribly low through Boxee but fine using VLC.

Content is mainly 720p/1080p MKV files. Running latest Boxee as of (May 11, 2009) on latest generation Mac Mini (Nvidia Graphics) with 4GB of RAM - connected to analog Dell speakers (also set to max volume).

Specs:
Mac Mini - Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.0 GHZ, 4GB of RAM.
Media is stored on 5 x 1TB USB External Hard Drives (Locally)

Hopefully this gets sorted out soon. Thanks!

[RobSpectre]

Would like to echo the problem. Experiencing the issue on video playback only with mostly Xvid movies.

Running ALSA with intel snd hardware.

[RobSpectre]

*bump*

This figured out? Volume is normal for all other software.

[Gregvibe]

I downloaded the newest update today, but it didn't seem to address this issue at all. Most, not all of my local media experiences this problem. The audio codec that is experiencing the problem is both ACC and AC3. I am not sure what I should be encoding my video with for decent playback, any ideas? Volume is great in VLC and quicktime. Please let me know if anyone has found a fix for this MAJOR problem yet.

[RobSpectre]

*bump*

This has been going on for a while now.

[df_headhunter]

Hate to bump this thread but I am having the same issues with the sound running h.264 videos all other programs play great volume just boxee is very quiet. Any update on this at all?

[lament]

I'm not having any problems with x264 mkvs on Jaunty.

did you guys adjust your system sound settings higher?

[RobSpectre]

This is not a problem with the system volume - it is an issue with Boxee specifically that has been demonstrated across a number of different platforms. It appears to be an issue with AC3 audio in particular and has been logged with this bug:

http://jira.boxee.tv/browse/BOXEE-2552

It still is unassigned - I'm not sure anyone at Boxee has even looked at it yet. I recommend everyone experiencing this issue to click that link and Vote for the issue. The Vote link is in the bottom left of the bug.

[df_headhunter]

Thank you, I did vote for the issue hopefully it will be fixed in next release. :rolleyes:

[williammanda]

I think I may have the same volume issue. Here is my post:

http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=11932

[andrewconrad]

I'm having the same issue in ATV, but posting/bumping this thread as it sounds to be cross-platform. I literally have to put my TV at 100% before any boxee video is audible. Sound effects in boxee are normal volume, as is the cable box and DVD player. The same video files are normal volume when played with another platform (e.g. using Miro on my laptop on the same source file)

[RobSpectre]

You should definitely vote for this issue in JIRA.

This problem is very widespread - we need to make it a priority as a community.

http://jira.boxee.tv/browse/BOXEE-2552

[AaronBBrown]

Same problem here. Driving me (and my baby, who has gotten woken up a number of times by full volume blasts after watching quiet local media) crazy. I voted for the bug, but there appear to only be like 7 people that have voted so far. People, please vote so we can get this bad bad bug fixed.

[fourgrant]

Are you using the Boxee remote (iPhone app)? I was able to fix my audio issue by turning up checking the volume on the iPhone remote and turning it up.

[AngryBurrito]

I am guessing this hasnt been resolved yet because i am having the same problem. I have to turn the stereo receiver up to 60 in order to watch a movie and then i get a feedback hum. I know this to be an issue with Boxee because XBMC and Mythbuntu workperfect with the same hardware. Is there a fix on the horizon?

Thanks in advance -

--ab

[Insomnic]

Using the <headroom> function in an advancedsettings.xml file helps allow a higher increase in volume but doesn't change the fact that AC3 files still have an issue with the latest 0.9.21.11421 release. I've also voted for the bug and commented and hopefully it will be corrected soon. Cranking the volume up to compensate makes it so I can hear it but still has the "muted" voice since the downmixing still doesn't seem clean for 2.1 audio output. I wonder if this is even an issue for full surround system users (I'm assuming not but it would be nice to clarify).

[jamesmoore]

As @fourgrant mentioned using the iPhone app resolved the issue for me (on Win7). It was set to 1/2 way and as soon as I turned it up all the way (using the app) the sound could be heard.

Still needs to be looked at though.

James

[neo.rocco]

yes that is the most accurate description of the problem however not all internet apps are free from this problem. For instance youtube works great but volume is experienced to be too low in last.fm app. Let's hope boxee team fix this. I luuuurve boxee. Switching to miro for the moment...

[neo.rocco]

hi there, I downloaded boxee for 32bit ubuntu and have found it really quite life changing. I was wondering if a newer version was out with the sound/volume being too low fixed. Please let me know so i can switch back from miro to boxee.
cheers

[se99jmk]

Hi

Same issue with Audio being quiet in Boxee - I 'think' this is affecting local media only?

Not done extensive testing, but local movies and tv shows I have to set volume very high (Boxee app, system volume + tv volume at same time), but relatively normal on streaming shows.

Oddly I find that system notifications (beeps when clicking through the menu) aren't heard unless I greatly increase volume..

[AaronBBrown]

still having this problem with local media...For like a year now.

[neo.rocco]

aaron which distro?

[AaronBBrown]

aaron which distro?

Boxee 0.9.22.13692 on a Mac Mini running Snow Leopard.

[zlmitchell]

I seem to have the same problem as well, when i play any local files the volume is very low. But if i play something for example off NBC it is like 100x louder. Is there a default volume for local files that causes this or it is that the two are using different audio codecs or something.

Bump to see a fix soon.

[dermotos]

Same here. It has just randomly started happening though :-(

[rasjani]

I didnt wade thought the thread but there's one thing that i wanted to say.

Atleast in latest ubuntu releases where pulse audio is enabled by default, there is: *per application volume settings*.

Steps that might help:

1a) If you have gnome desktop, there's usually a volume icon in the top or bottom bar. Right click on it and click "Sound Preferences" from the dropdown many that opens.

1b) If you dont have the volume applet on the bar, you can find the same application via top menu: System -> Preferences -> Sound.

2) Anywho, after either one of those steps, new window will open with bunch of tabs. Click on "Applications" and you should see boxee as one of those in the list and with the volume slider way down. Adjust that as needed.

PS. Im not 100% sure but one might need to have boxee running before adjusting the "per application" volume.

[jtholb]

I hate to not add anything of substance, but that's what I'm going to do. I have the same problem--local files are quiet and when I play from other sources I nearly kill my ears because I've forgotten to turn it down. I'm also on a mac mini in Snow Leopard and with each small update I hope for the best, but no luck so far.

[b.colborne]

I am at work right now so details are a little difficult to remember but...

I had this problem on my Ubuntu 10.10 Boxee box. While I was farting around in the guisettings.xml file in the boxee directory (help me out with the path, gang) for another unrelated issue I noticed that one of the lines in the audio section was set to -3000 or something ridiculous. I ended up changing this to something like -500 and the audio for the local video seemed consistent with the online/music audio levels.

Test out different values to match your audio preference and report back if it works. If a kind person could fill in the blanks of the specifics I have left out it may make it easier to resolve for others.

Just remember to close Boxee, edit the file then restart Boxee to properly test this method. Can anyone confirm if you need to SuperUser to edit this file?

Hope this helps...

[Melotten]

Yes, your solution seems working at least on ubuntu 10.10.

the path of the file to is /home/USERNAME/.boxee/UserData and the line to modify is the following:

<volumelevel>-200</volumelevel>

the value I had was like "2860". BUt I think this value depends from the configuration of every machine, so try to find the one that fit you.

I need to check one thing, but probably every time boxee is restarted the value come back to the original one or so, would be nice to have some feedback about it.
so What I need to do at the moment is to modify the file, save it, open boxee, enjoy my movies and if my machine reboot, I have to modify the value again.

I will try to figure out a solution, thanks for the suggestion m8 :)

P.S.
No, you don't need to elevate your privilege to modify and save the file :)

[b.colborne]

I have not had the problem with restarting and the settings reverting back. Perhaps this could be because you did not escalate your Superpowers prior to editing?

[Melotten]

TO be honest, just happened once. Now boxee run like charm without problem of volume, with all formats audio and video. even after restarts!:)

[xemino]

had this issue since i starte using boxee half a year ago. i always have to turn up the volume before i jump on the bed. it sucks if an audio notice goes off, it's a pain in the ear. i'm gonna ditch boxee and see if they've fixed it in 1.0. seems they're really focused on their new baby...
i'm on osx 10.6.6
hello xmbc here i come

[santiago79830]

This worked great. The volume had been OK, then suddenly dropped to unacceptable levels. Changing the value in the XML script did the trick. Thanks!

[taysan]

Thanks for posting this fix up - I did some searching (finally resorting to the Windows search function) to find the guisettings.xml file, which is in a totally different location on Windows installs.

Once I found it, I found the volume setting entry at -3160 and modified it to -200. Seems to have worked. We'll see if it lasts.

I might look at 'normalizing' the volume levels in my various video files, as there is still a lot of variance, but I no longer have to max out the volume on my receiver to hear shows, and then get blasted when playing content through VLC or other players.

I'm running a Windows machine with optical audio out to a receiver, for what it's worth. But none of that seems to be the issue - it's this oddball volume setting parameter.

[b.colborne]

Naturally, video files will be at different volumes depending on the source you downloaded them from. Not much you can do about that with Boxee or any other player short of normalizing the audio for every single one of your videos. It's been some time now and my audio seems to be working wonderfully still since I tried this fix. Add to Boxee knowledge base?

[beer2007]

TRY ANY VIDEO ON KMPLAYER, THEN TRY ON BOXEE. THERE IS NO COMPARISON. KMPLAYER VOLUME AND CLARITY BLOWS BOXEE AWAY.:confused: THIS IS WITH ANY VIDEO. I HAVE TRIED ALL AUDIO CONFIGURATIONS ON BOXEE. WHEN SURROUND SOUND IS PRETTY IMPORTANT WITH ANY HOME THEATRE SETUP, I WONT SETTLE FOR SUB STANDARD QUALITY. BUT ILL REVISIT BOXEE FOR UPDATES, ALTHOUGH FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, THESE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, WITH THEIR FOCUS APPARENTLY ON HARDWARE BOXES.I AM RUNNING BOXEE 0.9.23.15885 SOFTWARE ON WINDOWS 7 ULTIMATE WITH AUDIGY 2 SOUNDCARD.

[rridgway]

guys thanks for the report ...this is a known issue and we will try to fix in the future..:)

So, more than 3 years later, how is that working for you guys out now?

[deragoku]

ACC and AC3 audio codec, has encountered a problem. I do not know I should be coded decent player, any idea of the video?