SOLVED Sound quality on youtube &TV shows.

[Mychael]

Has anyone noticed lately that some Youtube clips have trouble with the sound? I'm seeing this on some online TV programs as well.
What I'm experiencing is the background noise or music in a show or add is overpowering the talking. It's like the actors speech is muffled.
Not happening and in every link and ( I think) not hard- wear related at my end as I noticed it before I upgraded all my stuff.

Windows sounds or playing music CD's are all fine so ability to play correct sound per se does not seem to be the issue.

I'm wondering if it's new codecs or Flash or something like that embedded in some video now which is causing the problem.

The fact I'm getting the same thing happening in both XP & 7 makes me think it's not an operating system setting/issue.

 

[Ian]

I've not noticed any change at this end, but perhaps the audio problem occurs at source? Most youtube videos don't use particularly high quality audio streams (I think it used to be 22KHz 64kbps Mono until fairly recently).

 

[Mychael]

Well I played a DVD movie on the computer and the same thing happened, background sounds/music overpowers the actors talking. The video aspect of things is fine, just the sound. Like I mentioned system sounds or music cd's play fine and with full volume/tonal control.
It happens irrespective of which program I use to play the videos, VLC, browser, Windows media all the same.
I'm thinking that something not too long ago must have been installed that is causing this and that I installed it on both systems.

 

[Ian]

Ah, if a DVD does it too then something must be amiss. Have you got any audio control panel installed along with your sound card drivers? Sometimes these come with loads of options such as bass/treble control which may be out of line. Or, it could be a problem with the speaker/surround options - forcing surround audio into stereo and overriding the centre channel normally used for speech.

 

[Mychael]

Don't have surround but tried all the option settings I could find.
It's set for stereo desktop speakers. But you could be on the right track, something is perhaps telling it to play in some other mode during video playback.. Cant find anything in settings though. don't you think it odd though that it was doing it with the other Mobo as well?

 

[Mychael]

I have noticed though that when I do the test sound it's supposed to go left then right but does both at the same time.

 

[Ian]

Yeah, it is unusual if the other motherboard was also doing this (considering it's onboard sound). Have you done a clean install since changing the mobo?

If you plug headphones or a different pair of speakers in do you get the same problem?

 

[Mychael]

Did not do a clean install, really wanted to avoid that if I could with 2 O/S's to have to set up again.
Never tried headphones, never had the need but worth a try.
I could try other speakers but all the system test/operating sounds are fine and I can play Cd's without issue. It's only in video play that the problem occurs.

 

[Ian]

It just seems strange that the audio test panel throws up problems with the left/right channels. Are you using drivers that came with Windows/Windows Update or the ones provided by the mobo manufacturer?

 

[mr.magoo]

I've had trouble with YouTube vids having jerky playback. I know I have too much crap on this computer, but I don't know enough yet to do anything but make sure I scan it frequently. If it's available, sometimes reducing the res helps. Not a big fan o' YouTube anyway, but sometimes it's nice to see friends' work.

 

[Mychael]

It just seems strange that the audio test panel throws up problems with the left/right channels. Are you using drivers that came with Windows/Windows Update or the ones provided by the mobo manufacturer?

From the Mobo. The trouble was not always there but I don't use youtube a lot and I probably first just thought it was a bad clip.. Then when it happened as I was trying to view a local TV stations news online I became suspicious when I experienced the same trouble.
Playing music was fine so that led down to thinking it was just something embedded in Browser type video but when a movie DVD had the same problem and my saved video clips did the same thing I knew it was something else.

 

[Mychael]

There Are So many formats it's hard to test all but I have established that .cda .wma both play as they should sound wise.
.mp3 .mp4 .wav .ts have the sound issues.
Tried looking for file associations in Windows media player and VLC but cannot see any settings to allow that.
I've deleted VLC and will see if it makes any difference

 

[Mychael]

*Bump* Any solutions guys??? I've established the speakers work fine on another computer.
All I can think is that there is some type of Codec conflict causing the issue but don't know what it would be.
The only players I have are VLC and the ones that come with the O/S.
Must be some residual something left over but where to look.??

 

[Mychael]

Solved. Win7 tricked me when I took my eye off the ball. I'd visited my MoBo web site and downloaded the latest audio drivers. Saved them and deleted the older ones and re-booted, I 'thought' Win 7 was then installing the later drivers I'd saved but it was in fact just re-installing the ones it thought were best.
I should have checked but so many Red Herrings were happening I'm afraid I lost it. (Sob) Failed Geek Rule drivers 101 install and check for latest drivers. Let the side down guys.