A fix for low volume level in MCE 2005 LiveTV

I bought a media centre a while back (they're fantastic, by the way, once you get the EPG working you can't go back).  It runs Windows XP Media Center 2005.  The only problem I've had with it is that the volume level while playing live tv (and recorded TV) is hopeless.  On my setup, normal cable piped straight into the TV, the volume only needs to be around 12 or 13 to liseten to comfortably (with other noise going on).  When played through MCE I need the volume on 35-40 just to be able to hear it!  Then you also get the inevitable electrical/mechanical background noise from the sound card.  But tonight I found the solution.  ffdshow! ffdshow is a open-source, DirectShow decoding filter.  What it lets you do it normalise and adjust the volume levels of most video/audio types including MPEG2 and given that live tv in MCE is just an MPEG2 video stream….  Voila!  The good thing is it supports normalisation so it doesn't blow the volume of played DVD's (which was fine) through the roof and since it works on the MPEG2 stream and not the system volume, all the beeps and boings that MCE makes when you use the remote don't get boosted either.  Fantastic!  All my problems solved in one fell swoop.  Thanks ffdshow guys!!!!  You have my undying gratitude.

Link: http://www.free-codecs.com/download/FFDShow.htm 

I’m back!

Back online again! My previous hosting provider decided to cancel the account and delete the site. Rather annoying but considering it was a free account I can't really complain too much. I hadn't been blogging much anyway. Too busy with my new company (which is going from strength to strength).  I've managed to recover most of the old posts, but I missed a few after early October.  Oh well…..