Their loss, our gain.

[the_original1]

One of our semi-local1 video rental stores is getting rid of their VHS stock. This is disappointing, because it means they'll only have DVDs, and the sound quality is worse on DVD2.

But they're getting rid of their VHS catalog by selling it for $1-2 per tape!

In the last ten days or so, we have acquired:Barbie as Rapunzel3
The Adventures of Elmo

Comments

[bateleur]

I assume the sound is only better on VHS if the tape is in very good condition?

[sosoclever]

I would say that's an incorrect assumption.

[bateleur]

So what does make the difference? Most of my DVDs sound better that most of my VHS tapes (though admittedly I don't have the same programme on both in many cases to compare fairly).

[sosoclever]

You mean besides that it's digital, and anything digital is not going to have as good a sound quality as an analog recording?:-P

[bateleur]

I don't know about you, but I don't have anywhere close to 24-bit sensitivity in my ears!

[sosoclever]

Maybe you don't think you do, but a lot of people seem to think they only use about a quarter of their brain power, too.

Okay, there are plenty of people I think only use that much.

Just because you are not conscious of the difference does not mean there isn't a difference, or that your brain doesn't notice.

[the_original1]

I don't know the technical stuff, just the effects. There's something screwy about the way the sound is reproduced. On every machine I've heard, the frequencies that include the normal human vocal range are very susceptible to interference. Having a single fan on in our living room or in the movie room of a con muffles the dialogue. Add this to the tendency for the music and explosions to be louder on DVD than on VHS for some reason, and turning up the volume to hear the dialogue over the disruption caused by the fan makes the music uncomfortably loud, and inconvenient when the kids are supposed to be trying to sleep. The sound - which is controlled through the TV, not the VCR or DVD player - needs to be turned up much higher for a DVD than for a tape.

[bateleur]

There's something screwy about the way the sound is reproduced.

Assuming this is correct, it's more likely a decision made by the studio than anything intrinsic to the medium.

(I have software on my pooter here than can record DVD audio tracks and - as you'd expect - all the usual mixing options are there with respect to changing volume at different frequencies, compression levels and so on.)

[the_original1]

What do you mean by "assuming this is correct"?

Here is the observed behavior:

Normal volume setting to hear dialogue comfortably for either VHS or DVD without fan -
( | | | )( | | | )(X| | | )( | | | )( | | | )( | | | )( | | | )

Normal volume setting to hear dialogue comfortably for VHS with fan -
( | | | )( | | | )( | | | )(X| | | )( | | | )( | | | )( | | | )

Normal volume setting to hear dialogue comfortably for DVD with fan -
( | | | )( | | | )( | | | )( | | | )( | | | )( | | |X)( | | | )

Whether it's the medium or a studio decision, it's annoying either way.

[bateleur]

Hmm... it sounds like you're suffering from the side effects of dynamic range compression.