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Audio quality and volume of recorded dvd's is horrible, please help

post #1 of 7
12/4/09 at 4:54pm
Thread Starter 
I have a cheaper dvd recorder($99.00).  The brand is sylvania. It only has composite in (3, red, white, yellow) ,S-video in and out and component out.  I have the composite audio out directly from my receiver to this recorder and then the component out to the t.v. to view menus.  I do not use this as a player, just a recorder. I had the volume on my cable box all the way up.  Everything I record suffers from very poor volume. I am wondering if it is just my cheap recorder or if I am missing something.
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post #2 of 7
12/4/09 at 5:47pm
Can you change the audio outputs on your cable box from variable (volume controled) to a fixed line level in the menu? 
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post #3 of 7
12/4/09 at 6:38pm
Thread Starter 
yes, I just found that, it is set to variable.  Can you tell me exactly what this means? 
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post #4 of 7
12/4/09 at 7:58pm
That means the volume control on your cable box remote works the volume control on the cable box.  Most of us with satellite, or 3rd party cable boxes like TiVo, don't have this ability nor do we want it.  We want to use the proper volume control which is the TV.

Changing it to a fixed level should put it to the correct output voltage that will properly record on the DVD.  That is if the cable company has their volume levels correct.  You will also need to change your remote so the volume control buttons work the TV now.  That is commonly called volume punch through.  Most cable company remotes come from the same universal remote company, URC, so the instructions are pretty easy to find.  If you aren't sure, look in the battery compartment for a model number.
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post #5 of 7
12/5/09 at 7:21am
Thread Starter 
With my box set to variable it seems that it does indeed control the television volume now.  If I turn down the t.v. volume with the controller the volume on the cable box remains all the way up.  The only way that ever goes down is if the cable box is turned off.  If this is the case, then I was correct in assuming that only the cable box volume should matter, correct? 
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post #6 of 7
12/5/09 at 8:53am
I don't think I did a good job on my previous message.  Your cable box should be set to fixed.  You don't want to control the volume on the cable box.  It should be output a line level signal.  That would be the same signal as if you connected a cassette player, CD player, DVD player or any other source unit to your system.  Those pieces of equipment don't have a volume control and I am baffled to understand the cable company's thinking in adding the same to their equipment.

Now with the cable box set to fixed, it should output enough voltage from the audio outputs to properly record on your DVD.  I say should because not all cable companies are the same and yours may adjust the volume levels they get from the different networks (both broadcast and cable).
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post #7 of 7
12/5/09 at 6:10pm
Thread Starter 
I will try that next time, thanks for your time.
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