Universal Media Server | Forum

Hello,

I'm using UMS to transcode 1080p movies from my PC to the DLNA system integrated in my Panasonic TX-65GZ1000 TV, via my WiFi network. All in all, it works great : good job and thank you for this lovely tool

My TV is linked to a Yamaha YAS-106 soundbar through HDMI-ARC. Thus the soundbar is considered an extension of the TV : when I use TV remote to turn it on, off or to change volume, it does so directly on the soundbar.

When I use UMS, I'm experimenting trouble with sound. The volume gets strongly "un-normalized". What I mean by that is :
- when volume is down (ex : people whispering, quiet scene with low background noise...), I can hardly hear it, I have to turn volume up ;
- when volume is high (ex : people suddenly shouting, explosion...), it suddenly is VERY noisy, I have to jump on the remote to turn volume down.
This huge sound dynamic span forces me to correct volume very often, which ruins a bit the experience.

On TV, all options related to sound normalization are greyed out as "Home Cinema" is selected to play through the soundbar.
There is no normalization option on the soundbar itself.

My question is : do you have any options to recommend in UMS, to help normalize the sound that arrives into the DLNA of the TV ?

Thank you !

UMS doesn't modify the media at all, it either streams them as is or transcodes them while trying to keep them as close to the source as possible.

I know the problem you describe, and it's a stupid one IMO. The problem is with the sources, how many commercial videos today tweaks "everything for effect", and it can seem like the target system is a low-quality one where most of the dynamics is lost so that they exaggerate the source to compensate. To be able to "live" with this with better quality equipment (not a mobile phone speaker or at TV built-in speaker), receivers have to try to "unexaggerate" it again (aka. "normalize"). This is just too stupid to believe IMO, and consumers should let them know that it's not desirable. Unfortunately, too few care.

My solution to the problem is simple: I always use subtitles, and set to volume level so that it's comfortable in the "loudest parts". When the "quiet parts" come, I obviously can't hear what's being said, so I just read the subtitles.