BS 1.41 no longer playing AC3 after upgrade from 1.36
 

I have recently upgraded my BSplayer installation from version 1.36 to the latest version 1.41. Ever since BSplaer has stopped playing AC3 track in Xvid AVI files. Using GraphEdit I have verified that those files are rendering just fine using the Nero Audio decoder. Windows Media player has no problem playing them back nor does Nero Showtime. I also have Intervideo WinDVD 7 installed and BSplayer offers to use its AC3 filter. However, whatever the setting in the options dialog (system default, Intervideo AC3, Nero AC3) BSplayer remains mute. This new version of BSplayer is showing an extra configuration page for Intervideo AC3 but it never seems to remember the settings made there (always comes up with all options deselected, even though its radio boxes). Based on the Filter - Advanced dialog it also never seems to use Intervideo AC3 even when expressly configured to do so. Given that using the Nero Audio decoder there is no sound either even though it's working according to the Filter - Advanced dialog (and Graphedit) some more fundamental bug in BSplayer must be at work here. Any help is appreciated.

Usually BSPlayer and Nero audio decoder don't work great together. It is better to install AC3Filter (ver 0.70b is a good one) and BSPlayer will use it to decode AC3 audio streams.

Thanks. Installing AC3Filter does in fact revive AC3 sound in BSplayer. Unfortunately, AC3filter by default seems to produce rather low volume audio output which even setting its gain control to maximum cannot fully compensate for. Fortunately, BSplayer can forced to always use AC3Filter so its merit can be set very low so that other non-buggy DS based players won't use it to decode AC3.

dli>
You may have selected the "Normalize Matrix" feature in AC3Filter, just uncheck it and the volume will get increased.

No. Normalize Matrix is unchecked. I'm running it with the "loud" preset which only helps a little though. Gonna check out that thread Tizio linked to.

and don't forgat to read olso the last 2 comments by J7N and me in that topic :wink:

Saw that, But I have to increase gain to the maximum to make it usable at all and so far there's no clipping.

is it better with "Normalize Matrix" on? volume is higher without it,but generally is it better with it?

That depends on how the AC-3 files are produced and what coefficients you have written in the matrix (Normalize Matrix actually makes the volume lower). AC3Filter has playback VU meters, where you can observe the input & output audio levels.