[Mychael]

I'm having this problem with audio but only when it relates to video. It's happening in both my XP and my Win7 operating systems. It was happening with the old MoBo and still now with the new one (on-board sound in both).
Systems sounds or music from a CD are fine.

The problem is that when playing any type of video, be it a DVD movie or a You tube video or live to Air TV news the voices of the people speaking are muffled, very hard to hear and not in the same volume range as any background noise or music in the videos/movies.

I can find no driver conflicts in device manager and I can replicate the problem on any video player be it VLC media player or Windows player or in a broswer.

As it was also happening with the old hardware but was not always an issue all I can think of is that somewhere I've downloaded something or installed something that's causing this effect but I cant think what that would be. As I've said system sounds and music play fine with normal clarity and full volume control.

All I can think of is that there are some new codecs I don't have but that would not explain the DVD's not sounding right. Video quality is still normal. This all started happening about a fortnight ago.

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I'm having this problem with audio but only when it relates to video. It's happening in both my XP and my Win7 operating systems. It was happening with the old MoBo and still now with the new one (on-board sound in both).
Systems sounds or music from a CD are fine.

This would indicate it's not a codec problem as you mentioned but more a hardware or program issue.
By chance are you using the same speakers on both systems?

[rshaffer61]

I'm having this problem with audio but only when it relates to video. It's happening in both my XP and my Win7 operating systems. It was happening with the old MoBo and still now with the new one (on-board sound in both).
Systems sounds or music from a CD are fine.

This would indicate it's not a codec problem as you mentioned but more a hardware or program issue.
By chance are you using the same speakers on both systems?

[Mychael]

I'm having this problem with audio but only when it relates to video. It's happening in both my XP and my Win7 operating systems. It was happening with the old MoBo and still now with the new one (on-board sound in both).
Systems sounds or music from a CD are fine.

This would indicate it's not a codec problem as you mentioned but more a hardware or program issue.
By chance are you using the same speakers on both systems?

Yes I am, so the first thing I thought was it might have been the speakers. Two things though point me away from this line of thinking. I can play any kind of music CD vocal or instrumental and it sounds normal with as much volume as I want also I've tried the speakers connected to an old laptop and if I play the same DVD movie through that then it all sounds fine.
"Both" systems are one and the same as it's a dual boot from a single HDD.

I don't have any other speakers to plug in to try but speakers are pretty basic things, so I'm guessing if they work fine elsewhere they should be ok.

Edited by Mychael, 03 March 2011 - 03:59 PM.

[rshaffer61]

Both" systems are one and the same as it's a dual boot from a single HDD.

Aha you might be on to something here.
From what you are saying it is one hd with a dual boot on it. Same mobo and is it onboard sound or a actual sound card?

[Mychael]

On-board sound and I'm not sure if I mentioned this earlier as I did not want to cloud the issue but it was happening with my old MoBo as well. However as that one failed shortly after I'd assumed it was the MoBo until I discovered the issue still exists with the new hardware.

Against my better judgment( as it felt to me like buying a new car just 'cos the old one ran out of fuel)I purchased a whole new speaker system and the problem, is still there. So we can definitely rule out it being a speaker issue.

[rshaffer61]

Yep I'm wondering then if it is the soundchip itself as you said it is fine with music cd's.
The next thing to check is if the sound is setup correctly on the system.
OK then I need to see what the Audio Properties show as your default audio device.
Go to Start and then to Control Panel
Right click on the Sound or Audio Devices and then click on Properties
At the top of the window click on Audio and what does it say for Default Audio Device?
Click on Playback and same information?

[Mychael]

Yep I'm wondering then if it is the soundchip itself as you said it is fine with music cd's.
The next thing to check is if the sound is setup correctly on the system.
OK then I need to see what the Audio Properties show as your default audio device.
Go to Start and then to Control Panel
Right click on the Sound or Audio Devices and then click on Properties
At the top of the window click on Audio and what does it say for Default Audio Device?
Click on Playback and same information?

Okay, I cannot get options in win7 that way but I'll jump into XP a little later and try it from there.

[rshaffer61]

There should be a little speaker down on the bottom right by your clock .
Right click it and see if you get the properties option. If not click the icon and there should be a volume slider that appears. Then click the little speaker at the top for speaker options.

[Mychael]

There should be a little speaker down on the bottom right by your clock .
Right click it and see if you get the properties option. If not click the icon and there should be a volume slider that appears. Then click the little speaker at the top for speaker options.

Okay, currently in XP.
Default Audio for Sound Playback = Realtek HD Audio Output with no other options.
"Midi Music Playback" and it says with no other options Microsoft GS Wavwtable SW Synth.
I had ticked but have now unticked "use only default devices"

[rshaffer61]

OK do me a favor and run this program and post the requested link.
Please Run the PCPitstop.com OverDrive Full Tests

Here's how:

You must use your Internet Explorer for this procedure. (doesn't work so well in Firefox or others). If your machine is running Vista or Windows 7, you must Select IE to “Run as Administrator”. After completing PCPitstop OverDrive you can close your IE browser and re-open it Normally so that you are no longer running as administrator.

Go to: http://www.pcpitstop.com
Click on "Free Computer Check-up" listed below PC Pitstop OverDrive
In the User Login - Click on "Sign up FREE!"
You'll need to submit a valid email address and create your own password, then click - Create Account(button)

Now enter your email address and password to Log in, Select - Scan this system Now!(button)
You will then be asked to download an ActiveX component and allow it to install.
It is safe and does not compromise your privacy.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install the ActiveX and to allow the Full Tests to be run on your machine.

The Full Tests take about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes on most machines.
When complete, a Results - Summary - Recommended Fixes will be displayed.

Please post the URL internet address, from your Results, back here into this Topic Thread so that we can review the configuration and present performance levels of your machine.

Note: During the graphics 2D and graphics 3D testing, your screen will display some rapidly moving objects.
If you are sensitive to visual flashing, it may cause dizziness. Therefore, look away from the screen during that portion of the testing.

After reviewing the results we will be more informed and may be able to provide better recommendations for you to work towards improving your machine's performance.

While PCPitstop does offer a variety of Paid Products, the PCPitstop OverDrive testing is FREE. Please ignore the references to Paid Products. We prefer to provide manual solution instructions that you can apply directly to your machine.

Best Regards

[Mychael]

[quote name='rshaffer61' timestamp='1299284989' post='1976553']
OK do me a favor and run this program and post the requested link.
Please Run the PCPitstop.com OverDrive Full Tests

Here's how:

You must use your Internet Explorer for this procedure. (doesn't work so well in Firefox or others). If your machine is running Vista or Windows 7, you must Select IE to “Run as Administrator”. After completing PCPitstop OverDrive you can close your IE browser and re-open it Normally so that you are no longer running as administrator.

Go to: http://www.pcpitstop.com
Click on "Free Computer Check-up" listed below PC Pitstop OverDrive
In the User Login - Click on "Sign up FREE!"
You'll need to submit a valid email address and create your own password, then click - Create Account(button)

Now enter your email address and password to Log in, Select - Scan this system Now!(button)
You will then be asked to download an ActiveX component and allow it to install.





Here is the URL as requested. Thanks.
http://www.pcpitstop...?conid=24231248

Edited by Mychael, 04 March 2011 - 06:52 PM.

[rshaffer61]

Ok short of a couple of craplet programs you could stop from auto running I see nothing to cause a problem there.
OK moving on to some deeper diagnostics and scans. First is in XP.

Go to

Start and then to Run
Type in Chkdsk /r Note the space between k and /
Click Enter ...It will probably ask if you want to do this on the next reboot...click Y
If the window doesn't shutdown on its own then reboot the system manually. On reboot the system will start the chkdsk operation
This one will take longer then chkdsk /f

Note... there are 5 stages...
It may appear to hang at a certain percent for a hour or more or even back up and go over the same area...this is normal...
DO NOT SHUT YOUR COMPUTER DOWN WHILE CHKDSK IS RUNNING OR YOU CAN HAVE SEVERE PROBLEMS
This can take several hours to complete.
When completed it will boot the system back into windows.

Let me know if this fixes the problem



IF in Win7 then do the following:




Tutorial for running chkdsk in Win 7 located HERE.

[Mychael]

Ok short of a couple of craplet programs you could stop from auto running I see nothing to cause a problem there.
OK moving on to some deeper diagnostics and scans. First is in XP.

Go to

Start and then to Run
Type in Chkdsk /r Note the space between k and /
Click Enter ...It will probably ask if you want to do this on the next reboot...click Y
If the window doesn't shutdown on its own then reboot the system manually. On reboot the system will start the chkdsk operation
This one will take longer then chkdsk /f

Note... there are 5 stages...
It may appear to hang at a certain percent for a hour or more or even back up and go over the same area...this is normal...
DO NOT SHUT YOUR COMPUTER DOWN WHILE CHKDSK IS RUNNING OR YOU CAN HAVE SEVERE PROBLEMS
This can take several hours to complete.
When completed it will boot the system back into windows.

Let me know if this fixes the problem



IF in Win7 then do the following:




Tutorial for running chkdsk in Win 7 located HERE.

I happened to be in win 7 so ran chkdsk with all options selected. Did not flag any errors that I saw but it rolled off the screen pretty quick. NO change in sound problem. Do you also want me to run a full chkdsk in XP??

[rshaffer61]

Nope while still in Win7 please do the following.

Go HERE and read the tutorial that shows how to do SFC or System File Checker and running in a Elevated Command Prompt in Vista and Win7.

Also can I ask are these movies retail or downloads?

[Mychael]

Regular purchased DVD's. From retail shop (as opposed to online).

Edit. Tried a couple of different movies just in case it was a bad one. However in any case they play fine on the TV and on the laptop.

Edited by Mychael, 04 March 2011 - 08:41 PM.