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Old 09-16-2007, 02:12 PM
JonesH JonesH is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Sweden
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Default Reference levels for DV output?

Hi gals and guys,
I've mixed the sound for a documentary and delivered it to my client. I'm loath to say, but he says that when he listened to it in the theatre, there was distortion. Now, I'm a bit unsure of what levels are required here. My mix is suitably limited and does not clip, but in the original files from him, I had a tone at -12dB FS. Do you know if I'm supposed to consider this my reference level roof and never let my mix reach -12dB or higher? Or can you provide me with another clue as to what level it should be?

Also, he said that when the playback from the DV tape clipped, they tried the old DVD mix that did not clip.
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Old 09-17-2007, 12:47 AM
joey santos joey santos is offline
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Location: Makati City, Philippines
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Default Re: Reference levels for DV output?

Did you do your DV transfer yourself? Did you transfer to DV digitally (firewire port)?

Here we transfer to DV all the time and i experience conservative levels to full meter level (i.e. 0db) and we havent encountered any clipping because we transfer tru a "firewire port". We also play all DV contents via firewire port and the clipping we encountered are because of transfer done tru analog input with transients htting the ceiling of the audio level. and also tape problem.

DV should be able to handle your level when transferred digitally but when analog input is used you should refer to the machines manual for the technical specification of the audio level.

Js
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Old 09-17-2007, 07:13 AM
Carl Kolchak Carl Kolchak is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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Default Re: Reference levels for DV output?

Hi,

I don't know how much experience you have in this field, so please forgive any presumptions on my part.

As a rough guide, line-up levels for audio post are -20dBFS = 0VU (often -18dBFS = 0VU in Europe with dialogue peaking at -9dBFS).

You haven't made any mention of the clients delivery requirements / QC broadcast standards that you need to meet.

Also, have they given you any indication of where abouts in the signal chain the distortion is occuring (is it in the audio files themselves, or a product of overloading their system as a result of you mixing with too high a reference level - which could also make it dangerously loud).

If possible, listen to the mix in their theatre. It maybe that the artifacts from limiting are not as evident in your monitoring environment as they are in the destination environment.

Unless your documentary is about that new Russian Vacuum "father of all bombs" Bomb, featuring a ground zero POV of the detonation, I can't imagine what would require you to have audio anywhere near 0dBFS for any sustained period of time.

First of all visit this page , then look at getting accurate hardware meters.

You might also want to post this on the Audio Post board .

Hope that helps.
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