Home Theater Shack Audio Video Calibration DVD - Official Discussion/Suggestion Thread

**Sonnie** · **11-22-07, 11:28 AM**

Many of you may already be familiar with Jacob's (soho54) DIY Audio Test DVD over at AVS.

Jacob will be developing a special Home Theater Shack Audio Video Calibration DVD for us which will be offered to all registered members as a free download.

The DVD will offer basically the same audio tests as the one that is offered at AVS now and we also hope to include basic video calibration similar to the THX Optimizer on some DVDs.

This thread will be for discussion and suggestions for the DVD before development. We would like your suggestions on what you would like to see on the DVD... remembering that we are limited to what we can do... nothing too complicated.

If you have not had a chance to check out Jacob's current DIY Audio Test DVD, I encourage you to do so and advise if you would like to see any minor changes to what is offered. There may some things we can change, but for the most part we want to keep it about the same.

We welcome your input!

Thanks!

**soho54** · **11-22-07, 11:29 AM**

First off, thanks for stopping by.

Things are still up in the air, but we wanted to get input from some of you guys before we buttoned things up. I'm going to run down the list of tests/tones on the board right now. Please feel free to ask any questions about the items on the list, and throw anything out there you are interested in that isn't on there.

With that said we are trying to get this done in as timely a manor as possible. If I can get it added without a major delay/reworking I will to try to get it on there. If not I'll still see what I can do to help you out.

Video
SMPTE Color Bars 75% (possibly 100%)
White Level Test
Gray Chip Chart
Several Tests for Sharpness (eia1956...)
I think Adobe Premier has a few more I can add as well.

Audio
All tests/tones in PCM 2.0 & DD 5.1 on each separate channel
Test tones from 25-120Hz in 5Hz steps. (2.0 & LFE have 1-20Hz, 1Hz steps also)
A variety of sweeps from 1-35Hz to 20Hz-20KHz 30sec (Forward and reverse)
Levels Check
Phase Check
Dialnorm Check (5.1 section only)
Pink Noise 20Hz-20KHz (yes, I'm redoing it

)
Time Alignment (2.0 only, 5.1 only if I can get it to work right.)

I want to keep Tom Danley's fireworks Finale4.wav on there as well. Per my original talk with him I think it is cool as long as it's free.

I'm thinking about extending the test tones in the 2.0 section to 1 or 1/2 octave resolution to 20KHz. I also like the 1000 Hz Reversed Polarity and the 440 Hz sine 20 minutes tests from Bink's CD so I will probably create my own.

What glaringly obvious bits have I missed?

**F1 fan** · **11-22-07, 04:59 PM**

This looks great,thanks for your efforts and sharing.

**soho54** · **11-22-07, 10:33 PM**

See Post #2.

**SteveB** · **11-22-07, 11:28 PM**

Sounds great, just wish I had a DVD burner or is the file small enough to put on a cd

**alexadams77** · **11-23-07, 01:41 AM**

You know something that would be great, but I'm sure is way too in depth to even try?

5/6/7.2 Setup
Main Speaker Balance - using basic test tones
= A movie scene utilizing the LR to test setup
Center Channel+LR - using basic test tones
= A movie scene utilizing the LCR to test setup
Surround + LR - using basic test tones
= A movie scene utilizing 5.0 to test setup

You get my drift. It'd be nice to do the level matching of each speaker in sequence and then show a movie (the same movie) utilizing the setup. After each speaker is setup, it goes to the same scene and that speaker is added to the scene. That way you can hear the different speakers at the same time to ensure everything is setup properly.

It's late, so I'm going to do a for instance;

(movie of a car driving down a road)
Balance
LR - Hear the car driving
Level Match
LRC - add Music playing
Level Match
5.0 - add wind or exhaust
Level Match
5.1 - feel exhaust

**soho54** · **11-23-07, 08:02 AM**

Quote:

SteveB wrote:

Sounds great, just wish I had a DVD burner or is the file small enough to put on a cd

The file is to large for a CD. If anyone knows how to get a CD to play DD 5.0 correctly from a stand alone DVD player let me know and I might be able to get a really limited version out for you Video CD guys. I'm not sure what is possible with CD exactly though.

Quote:

alexadams77 wrote:

You know something that would be great, but I'm sure is way too in depth to even try?

It would take some time, and I don't even own a video camera.

If someone wants to shoot the video, record the sounds separately, sync them all up to the video for me with each track on a different channel, and send the file to me in Encore or Premier format it could be done.

**eugovector** · **11-23-07, 09:14 AM**

One thing on the Avia disc that I find useful is, during the sweeps, to have the video show the frequency being generated. So you can visually verify speaker response.

I haven't checked out the current DVD (so this may already be implemented), but will as soon as I can. This project sounds exciting.

**soho54** · **11-23-07, 10:48 AM**

Quote:

eugovector wrote:

One thing on the Avia disc that I find useful is, during the sweeps, to have the video show the frequency being generated. So you can visually verify speaker response.

This was not fully implemented. The sequencing was a big time killer to me. I am very slow at video editing I'm afraid. I did add extra sweeps in staggered bandwidths that will allow you to narrow down the problem frequencies, and this enables you go to the test tones and sort things out better.

I would like to have a frequency indicator on the sweeps, as it has been asked for before. If it is possoble I would like to do this. It just depends on how much time is left after everything else that has to be done is finished. If anyone has some spare time, would like to help, and is good with video editing I would be glad to send you the source files and the wave frequency timeline. I think a 1/2 sec refresh rate would do. All sweeps are 30sec. If interested PM me.

**atledreier** · **11-23-07, 03:05 PM**

For level and timbre matching the front and center speaker you could use a simple sound effect, preferably one with some bass and full frequency.

Play it like this:
Left -Right - Both - Center - both - Left front - left surround - left front/surround - right front/surround - right surround - right - all

Or some other sequence that make sense. A simple effect can be placed anywhere in the sound field easily in Premiere when outputting to 5.1. just go pair by pair for level and timbre. Should be easy to implement, and very effective.

**drf** · **11-23-07, 03:23 PM**

great idea.

While I was reading through this thread I was thinking that When I first got into audio/video, as well as having access to test tones etc, that it would have been very beneficial to have a small video explaining the basics of sound, FR and the like. with this disc I think that people who are new to the hobby will not only have the tools to tune their systems but a basic understanding of how it works and why it is setup a particular way. The same could be done for explaining video: levels, refraction, etc.

**BigPines** · **11-25-07, 12:27 PM**

soho54,

Glad to see the new version in the works here!

I'd like to help somehow. I am pretty good with video/audio editing but I have never used Premier. I may have to give that a whirl. I am also decent with Photoshop. Maybe I could do QA for you? I found at least one problem with the video on a test tone section of v2 that does not match the tone played. I'll have to look agin to find out exactly where the problem is but I think it was one of the 5.1 LFE tones.

Mike

**soho54** · **11-25-07, 02:22 PM**

BigPines, let me know if you find that problem link again. I want to say I found something off around the 40Hz LFE test tone a few months ago. The disk seems to skip a tone. Maybe that was what you found as well.

Quote:

I am pretty good with video/audio editing but I have never used Premier.

You wouldn't have to use Premier if you are interested in what was talked about in post #9. It is a easy enough thing to do. It just takes time.

**BigPines** · **11-25-07, 07:40 PM**

Quote:

soho54 wrote:

BigPines, let me know if you find that problem link again. I want to say I found something off around the 40Hz LFE test tone a few months ago. The disk seems to skip a tone. Maybe that was what you found as well.

You wouldn't have to use Premier if you are interested in what was talked about in post #9. It is a easy enough thing to do. It just takes time.

Yes, I went back and checked and you are right about where the problem is. The 40Hz tone in the LFE section says it is a 35Hz tone. The tone is actually correct, it is just the video frame is wrong for that tone.

I'll PM you for details on what you need done and see if I can help.

Mike

**eugovector** · **11-25-07, 09:18 PM**

Quote:

drf wrote:

great idea.

While I was reading through this thread I was thinking that When I first got into audio/video, as well as having access to test tones etc, that it would have been very beneficial to have a small video explaining the basics of sound, FR and the like. with this disc I think that people who are new to the hobby will not only have the tools to tune their systems but a basic understanding of how it works and why it is setup a particular way. The same could be done for explaining video: levels, refraction, etc.

I think that's a good idea, but in my opinion, i would put it further down the priority list. DVE and AVIA already do great jobs as that, and to re-invent the wheel might not be the best use of energy. However, if someone has a bee in their bonnet for the idea, I say "grab a camera and go to it."

**Sonnie** · **11-25-07, 09:44 PM**

Quote:

BigPines wrote:

I'll PM you for details on what you need done and see if I can help.

Mike

Thank you Mike for offering to help Jacob...

**soho54** · **11-26-07, 10:17 AM**

Quote:

The 40Hz tone in the LFE section says it is a 35Hz tone.

Thanks, it's sorted now.

It was working in my DVD authoring software, but not on a burnt copy.

I deleted and reinserted it. It will work right now. Buggy software.

The dvd is setup to only play the 5.1 section as individual videos. Kind of like the 2.0 section. In debug mode before burning it works that way. After burning it it plays the right video, and then plays all the rest from that section in order like Avia. It refuses to work exactly like the debug.

Going from one to the next is cool for the test tone section, but scary with the sweeps.

I'm going to increase the dead space on those.

Enough rambling...

PMs away.

**BigPines** · **11-26-07, 10:26 AM**

Quote:

soho54 wrote:

Thanks, it's sorted now.

It was working in my DVD authoring software, but not on a burnt copy.

I deleted and reinserted it. It will work right now. Buggy software.

The dvd is setup to only play the 5.1 section as individual videos. Kind of like the 2.0 section. In debug mode before burning it works that way. After burning it it plays the right video, and then plays all the rest from that section in order like Avia. It refuses to work exactly like the debug.

Going from one to the next is cool for the test tone section, but scary with the sweeps.

I'm going to increase the dead space on those.

Enough rambling...

PMs away.

Hehehe, yeah more than once I have unexpectedly got an LFE sweep and it is frightening when you are at or close to reference level!

Another thing I thought I'd mention is that at first when I saw all your warnings all over the place I laughed to myself. However, after using 20Hz to 40Hz tones for an extended period of time to check for air leaks, I started to smell my woofers cooking. Not good!

People, take these warnings seriously.

Mike

**soho54** · **11-26-07, 10:44 AM**

Quote:

People, take these warnings seriously.

Yes, please do. Especially on the <20Hz stuff.

I killed half of an IB installation the first week I finished the last disk on one of the sweeps to 10Hz. I forgot to factor in the large distance from the drivers when probing the high SPL safe limits.

**soho54** · **12-21-07, 04:01 PM**

Things are progressing nicely, despite the Holidays. I have most of the graphics in place, and the video calibration section is partially up and running.

Preliminary work on adding a hertz indicator to the sweeps has been promising. I am working on outsourcing this now that it has been tested to get things done ASAP, and so that I can focus on the other sections I can't farm out.

Happy holidays guys.

**Sonnie** · **12-21-07, 05:09 PM**

Thanks for the update Jacob

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