Sound level problem
Hoggins!
I'm confused, as I've been producing little DCPs by simply converting work from other people for a few years now, and it's always been OK.
Today, the venue manager to whom I sent my last DCP reported that the sound was very low, almost inaudible.
I haven't changed my workflow ; the only thing that might have changed is the OpenDCP version (now using 0.30) due to a reinstall of my Ubuntu workstation (my Windows workstation for actually producing contents has not changed at all).
Anyway, do you have any idea that might explain such a phenomenon ? I was thinking about wrong bitdepth settings in my WAV files, but they are correctly set @24bits.
I always test my DCPs with EasyDCPPlayer (as I'm too far away from the venue), and I just did that, also comparing with older DCPs that I had made, and I cannot notice any difference, I always normalize levels.
Would any of you mind testing any of these, maybe if you host an actual venue, with a certified DCP reader, etc. ? Here is the link : http://we.tl/e1pI1bbjyV
I'm out of options, now.
Thank you for your help.
SL film
Hoggins!
Thanks *a lot* for your time and your testings.
What confuses me is that the venue I send my DCPs is always the same. So maybe they have upgraded their configuration from last year, hence maybe breaking that compliance.
Regarding your remark, do you think I should have created an InterOP DCP ? I always stick to SMPTE, so here again, if nothing changed at the venue or at my place, things should remain compliant.
Anyway, thanks again for that answer. That's kind of a relief.
It's good to be able to exchange quickly on that list.
Hoggins!
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Stephen van Vuuren
I don’t have a DCP server to test on but in general, SMPTE is still not yet 100% supported, why, I don’t know. I thought The Hobbit Trilogy would drive it but not sure why it’s not mandated yet.
As for DCPs, I never make a stereo DCP even when source material is stereo. DCP Theaters are almost never stereo venues. Even older venues generally have a center dialog track. I always multiplex stereo into a 5.1 soundfield, heavily front and center weighted. I have 5.1 setup in my studio, calibrated to theatrical levels, to preview.
Stereo DCPs generally react poorly with many cinema playback setups resulting in too loud (system sends stereo to all six channels) or too soft (system sends stereo to only two channels). Some venues due have proper, calibrated real-time multiplexing like a
good home theater receiver, but it’s not wise to assume that will happen.
But stereo in general sounds poor, it’s advisable to make at least a 3.1 mix for anything playing in a theater (e.g. voice/narration/dialog in center, music/ambience in LR and panned a bit to surrounds for pseudo 5.1).
stephen van vuuren
http://www.insaturnsrings.com/
A film is – or should be – more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what’s behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later.
–Stanley Kubrick
Hoggins!
But stereo in general sounds poor, it’s advisable to make at least a 3.1 mix for anything playing in a theater (e.g. voice/narration/dialog in center, music/ambience in LR and panned a bit to surrounds for pseudo 5.1).
Stephen van Vuuren
If you downmix stereo to mono center, you risk phase cancellation. What I do is take stereo tracks into a 5.1 project in a DAW or surround NLE and place them in soundfield. Depending on source mix (how much stereo and center-locked mono is in the mix) I will weight it starting with 75% front, 50% center and then listen to see how it works and adjust to take.
If possible, I ask producers for music track separate from voice/dialog and then that is 100% voice in center, 100% music etc. in L.R and 10 to 50% music in surrounds depending again on mix and balance.
Of course, doing a proper 3.1 or 5.1 mix always is much better but for many people they don’t have budget and/or sources files to do that.
stephen van vuuren
http://www.insaturnsrings.com/
A film is – or should be – more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what’s behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later.
–Stanley Kubrick
From: ope...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ope...@googlegroups.com]
On Behalf Of Hoggins!
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 12:45 PM
To: ope...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Sound level problem
Le 10/03/2015 17:40, Stephen van Vuuren a écrit :
But stereo in general sounds poor, it’s advisable to make at least a 3.1 mix for anything playing in a theater (e.g. voice/narration/dialog in center, music/ambience in LR and panned a bit to surrounds for pseudo 5.1).
Thanks ! What would be the key settings for downmixing my two L+R tracks to a mono C, and then populating the 3.1 mix ?
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