Low volume with SDR# Version-1332

[rbm]

With SDR# Version 1332, a problem has shown up with very low volume.
You may not be able to tell that if you're piping your audio via VB-cable or something similar.

You now need to run your volume close to, or at maximum.

I used to get better decodes using WFM, set for the same bandwidth.
Now, there isn't enough audio in WFM mode and just barely enough in NFM mode

Until that's resolved, I've gone back to Version 1331 which doesn't have that problem.

So, if you’re having similar problems, you may want to go back to an earlier SDR# version until that problem is resolved.

Rich

 

[moonbounce]

With SDR# Version 1332, a problem has shown up with very low volume.
You may not be able to tell that if you're piping your audio via VB-cable or something similar.

You now need to run your volume close to, or at maximum.

I used to get better decodes using WFM, set for the same bandwidth.
Now, there isn't enough audio in WFM mode and just barely enough in NFM mode

Until that's resolved, I've gone back to Version 1331 which doesn't have that problem.

So, if you’re having similar problems, you may want to go back to an earlier SDR# version until that problem is resolved.

Rich

Hey Rich, I don't know if this will help but you might want to read my post that I posted here back on the 9 Feb titled SDR Sharp version 1332, I had no volume. now I have no problems with version 1332.

Moonbounce

 

[rbm]

Hey Rich, I don't know if this will help but you might want to read my post that I posted here back on the 9 Feb titled SDR Sharp version 1332, I had no volume. now I have no problems with version 1332.

Moonbounce

Hi Moonbounce,
I gave it another try.
I just reinstalled 1332 to second folder and gave it a try.
I thought maybe they had updated one of the files.

The audio is still very low.
So, three different folders with 1332 show the same results.

With 1332, if I set the volume control all the way up, I don't see much indication on either VB-cable or from the speakers.

When I go back to 1331, I have enough volume to 'clear the room'.
That also gives me enough audio to get better decodes of digital signals.

In fact, since I keep folders with every version of SDR#, I tried the five versions prior to 1332 and they're all good.
It's only 1332 that gives me low audio.

I see that the dB level on the earlier versions starts at 16 dB and maxes out at 40 dB, 1332 goes from to 26-50 db.
With older versions, a setting of around 30 dB worked well.

With 1332 even at 50 dB, it isn't nearly as loud as the 30 dB setting on the prior versions.

Rich

 

[fourthhorseman]

You possibly need to DL and install this,

http://rtl-sdr.ru/uploads/download/freqscanner.zip

This is the fix moonbounce was referring to in his other post.
which is here...

http://forums.radioreference.com/software-defined-radio/307401-sdr-sharp-version-1332-a.html

 

[rbm]

I just gave that a try.

Even though I don't use the 'Frequency Scanner' plugin, I downloaded and installed it anyway.
It didn't help and the volume scale is still 26-50 dB.

In the folder I've been testing with, I have just the plain, vanilla (bare bones) SDRSharp install with no plugins whatsoever.

I would expect that to work without any additional plugins required.

If I get some time over the weekend, I'll try digging a little deeper.

Rich

By the way, I just did a fresh install to another hard drive.
The audio is broken there too.

 

[RonnieUSA]

I just gave that a try.

Even though I don't use the 'Frequency Scanner' plugin, I downloaded and installed it anyway.
It didn't help and the volume scale is still 26-50 dB.

In the folder I've been testing with, I have just the plain, vanilla (bare bones) SDRSharp install with no plugins whatsoever.

I would expect that to work without any additional plugins required.

If I get some time over the weekend, I'll try digging a little deeper.

Rich

By the way, I just did a fresh install to another hard drive.
The audio is broken there too.

Did You read this from the change log?

------------------------------------------------------------------------
r1332 | mm6dos | 2015-01-21 22:27:04 +0100 (Wed, 21 Jan 2015) | 1 line

Modified the audio gain scale. As reported by David GM8ARV
------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://sdrsharp.com/changelog.txt

 

[rbm]

Did You read this from the change log?
http://sdrsharp.com/changelog.txt

Hi Ronnie
I did see that the other day.
I think that change broke the audio.

That's why I mentioned the difference in the volume dB range in the two versions.

Rich

 

[RonnieUSA]

Hi Ronnie
I did see that the other day.
I think that change broke the audio.

That's why I mentioned the difference in the volume dB range in the two versions.

Rich

I guess the reason I don't notice it is because I use VB Cable to listen to digital.
Might give a shot at analog today.

 

[rbm]

I guess the reason I don't notice it is because I use VB Cable to listen to digital.
Might give a shot at analog today.

The digital signals are where I noticed the problem.

For casual listening I have relatively large, amplified, speakers so I can reach almost deafening levels no matter what.

With NOAA APT signals, I used to set VB-Cable well into the green (around 60%) with WXtoImg.

Now, there are times I can barely reach 38% and can never get into the green.

The other digital modes show the same problem.

Rich

Edit:
Here's a sample from NOAA-18 using Version-1330 (1331 is the same but I don't have a screen capture at that level):



I'll try to be in here to catch pass today using Version-1332 to show the difference.

 

[RonnieUSA]

[/URL]

I'll try to be in here to catch pass today using Version-1332 to show the difference.

I don't understand what into the green mean.

I just tried analog, and everything is fine.

 

[rbm]

I don't understand what into the green mean.

I just tried analog, and everything is fine.

Look at the full resolution of that image.

In the bottom, right hand corner you'll see the volume level that WXtoImg is seeing.

In this case it's at 56.0%. If your volume level is too low, you'll start getting marginal decodes.
The same is true for DSD+, MMSSTV, PDW, and other decoders.
Each one has a 'sweet spot' for input level.

Rich

Edit:
I should have mentioned that if the volume level is too high, you can get marginal decodes also.

 

[RonnieUSA]

Look at the full resolution of that image.

In the bottom, right hand corner you'll see the volume level that WXtoImg is seeing.

In this case it's at 56.0%. If your volume level is too low, you'll start getting marginal decodes.
The same is true for DSD+, MMSTV, PDW, and other decoders.
Each one has a 'sweet spot' for input level.

Rich

Thank You, I didn't know that.

Do You have anything checked under Digital Noise Reduction, I played with it, and the bottom one, I had to slide it to the left to make the volume louder.

 

[rbm]

Thank You, I didn't know that.

Do You have anything checked under Digital Noise Reduction, I played with it, and the bottom one, I had to slide it to the left to make the volume louder.

Nothing is checked under digital noise reduction.
I'm aware of one case where it was all the way to the right and they had NO audio at all.

For digital modes, I let the decoding software see the 'raw signal'.

There may be cases where that could help, but I've never tried it.

Rich

 

[rbm]

Here's the most recent NOAA-19 APT image captured with SDRSharp v1332.

Notice that the volume is at maximum and WXtoImg indicates only 38.6% volume.
Well below where it's recommended to be.

Rich

NOAA-19 02-14-2015



And, the resulting image:

 

[BM82557]

I have the same issue with 1332, low volume on VB Cable output no matter what I do. DSDPlus and Unitrunker won't decode P25 and DMR signals due to the low volume. I also went back to 1331 and the P25 and DMR signals that would not decode with 1332 decode fine with 1331.