TV recordings quieter than ripped media

[WoodyBABL]

This isn't strictly a Jellyfin issue per se, but since I'm watching the media mostly on Jellyfin, I thought I'd see if others had noticed this.

I record over-the-air TV using MythTV. It creates mpeg2 ts files using the HDHomerun to grab the signal. It does not do anything to the volume, it just passes the HDHomerun stream straight to disk.

I can comfortably watch ripped media (straight from MakeMKV, no further compression) on Jellyfin with the volume in the low to mid-20s on my TV. When I watch a TV recording that I've moved to a Jellyfin TV library, the volume has to be set to the 40s or 50s to have the same volume level as ripped media. I've noticed the same thing if I play the recording within MythTV,

Both the TV recordings and ripped media are mpeg2 files. Both have AC3 audio. Any idea why the TV recording would require twice the volume setting to sound the same level as the ripped media? Any way to losslessly increase the TV recordings volume using, say, ffmpeg?

Playing both Myth and Jellyfin on a Google Chromecast with audio going through the TV.
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UPDATE: Okay, I think this was due to the fact that the Chromecast audio settings were set to Auto instead of explicitly setting it to Stereo. When I did that, the TV recording were louder at the same volume setting used for the ripped media, but just a bit quieter instead of 50%.

[TheDreadPirate]

When you play your ripped media, is it being transcoded? By default Jellyfin will boost audio when audio is transcoded.

Can you share your logs via pastebin?

[WoodyBABL]

When you play your ripped media, is it being transcoded?  By default Jellyfin will boost audio when audio is transcoded.

Can you share your logs via pastebin?

I'll check the logs when I have a chance. I just updated my post to potentially point a finger at a Chromecast audio setting as the cause. The current discs I have ripped on this temporary setup were stereo, while the TV recordings were 5.1.

[WoodyBABL]

When you play your ripped media, is it being transcoded?  By default Jellyfin will boost audio when audio is transcoded.

Can you share your logs via pastebin?

Here's a link: https://pastebin.com/SR6DdgQS

This log is from before I set the Chomecast to stereo only. It looks like it was transcoding. Quieter than other media. Side note: I though the Chromecast/Android TV was capable of direct play or am I confused?

[TheDreadPirate]

MPEG2 is such an old codec, most modern device don't support direct playing it anymore. Only the video is transcoding. The audio is original. So that may be why it is quieter. If the audio for your other media is being transcoding, an audio boost is applied most of the time.

[WoodyBABL]

Thanks for the insight. Away from home, so just experimenting with Jellyfin on an old laptop with a DVD drive and access to some DVDs so that I'm comfortable with Jellyfin when I get home and set up my server.

Looking at the TV recordings and handful of rips, they're both Mpeg 1/2 video. I don't (and won't) have a space issue so if I wanted to convert them as close to lossless to a more modern codec, what codec and tools would you recommend for best Android TV compatibility?

Thanks again.

[TheDreadPirate]

It depends on the device's compatibility. Most newer devices support playing HEVC. Sometimes only 8-bit HEVC, but if they are HDR capable that also means 10-bit HEVC. And even newer devices will support AV1.

Even plain old H264 is a HUGE improvement over MPEG2 in terms of efficiency. And H264 is widely compatible and won't require transcoding.

[WoodyBABL]

Guess I'll have to start diving into handbrake some more. I tried using it for a h.264 conversion on the laptop's i7-3720QM CPU @ 2.60GHz and it was saying 1+ hrs to do a 21 minute sitcom. I'll need to explore more.

Thanks again.