DARK SHADOWS FORUMS

General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '26 I => Current Talk '03 I => Topic started by: Philippe Cordier on January 09, 2003, 06:27:11 AM

Title: Muffled Sound
Post by: Philippe Cordier on January 09, 2003, 06:27:11 AM
I don't know if anyone else has brought this up, but why is the sound so muffled on the show?  I don't remember it being quite this bad last time SciFi ran the series.  Or is it my tapes or recording that's the problem?

Related to this, does anyone else think Diana Millay mumbles?  I don't usually have too much difficulty understanding anyone else on the show, but she doesn't seem to enunciate and also has odd emphases and ups and downs in her delivery.
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Maria_Merriweather on January 09, 2003, 08:26:43 PM
I had to turn up the volume to hear Wednesday's eps. They were muffled. Maybe a technical problem on sci-fi's end?  Diana Millay's acting is not very good in the 1897 storyline.  I  enjoyed her performance in the 1967 phoenix storyline, however.
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: jennifer on January 09, 2003, 08:48:05 PM
i would love to see Laura muzzled Go Angelique!

jennifer
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Dr. Eric Lang on January 10, 2003, 01:47:18 AM
Yes, the sound quality has been very poor on the past couple of episodes. I've never had any trouble understanding/hearing Diana Millay with the exception of these episodes. Maybe the soundtrack on the master tape was damaged. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has these eps on DVD whether the sound is as bad.
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Afan on January 10, 2003, 02:56:32 AM
[bnghd][bnghd]I often have to run sections with Laura over on my tapes to understand.  Sometimes, not often, I wish I had closed captions!
Afan
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Cassandra on January 10, 2003, 10:34:19 AM
Yes, I've noticed since the show came back on recently that the sound from Sci-Fi has been a bit muffled,  but when I popped in my MPI tape it was fine.

As for Laura, I think it's just the way she talks. She kind of mumbles alot and talks low.  Maybe she should take some lessons from Magda!  She may talk like a gyspeeee but at least she's loud & clear!!  (I was beginning to think I needed a hearing aid) glad it's not just me. ;-)

Cassandra[/font]
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Happybat on January 10, 2003, 06:17:19 PM
Quote
I don't know if anyone else has brought this up, but why is the sound so muffled on the show?  Related to this, does anyone else think Diana Millay mumbles?  I


Glad to know that my hearing isn't going!  It does sound as if the tape audio quality has been damaged somehow.  

And I was beginning to worry about ear wax! :)
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Teresa on January 10, 2003, 08:31:49 PM
Quote

Related to this, does anyone else think Diana Millay mumbles?  I don't usually have too much difficulty understanding anyone else on the show, but she doesn't seem to enunciate and also has odd emphases and ups and downs in her delivery.

Yes, I notice it all the time. In fact, at this past October's Halloween party, I sat down next to her to talk about her trip to Romania and not only does she mumble but she speaks very quickly. I found myself just nodding alot. It must just be her natural way of speaking.
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Misty on January 12, 2003, 04:52:22 AM
Most definitely the sound is more muffled than in previous runs. I thought it was me, but since this is the only taping I'm having trouble hearing, must be the channel. Maybe they (SCiFi) are unaware there's a problem.
                                     Misty
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: doombuggy69 on January 13, 2003, 12:47:08 AM
The reason the sound is so muffled on these 1897 episodes has nothing to do with Sci FI Channel.  Worldvision Enterprises has purposely muffled the sound on this group of episodes for a reason.  These 1897 episodes from May 1969 contain a flaw in the audio that was accidently recorded on them originally back in 1969.  The DS studio technicians did not notice, or correct this flaw for almost an entire  month of shows!  The flaw is a high pitched "whine" that runs throughout the entire episode.  When these 1897 episodes first went into syndication in 1985, Worldvision noticed the "whine" on the audio track, and fine tuned these episodes when making copies for syndication.  Unfortunately, they messed up the audio way too much, so that these episodes are very hard to hear, and even understand.  This was done to meet television broadcast standards.  

For the MPI tape releases of these episodes, MPI used the original master tapes, so you can actually hear the original audio and the high pitched "whine" on these particular ghroup of episodes.  No doubt the upcoming DVD releases will contain the original audio as well.

Fortunately, the DS studio technicians corrected the audio problem around June or July 1969, and there were no longer any problems.  The audio on sci fi channel tapes will get better in the next few weeks.
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Connie on January 13, 2003, 03:44:04 AM
Thanks for the interesting information!

Addendum:
You'll notice that when the character of Hallie Stokes appears later in the series, the mysterious "whining" sound returns.

;D
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Midnite on January 13, 2003, 04:12:43 AM
Quote
Thanks for the interesting information!

Yes, many thanks, doombuggy!

Quote
Addendum:
You'll notice that when the character of Hallie Stokes appears later in the series, the mysterious "whining" sound returns.

;D

Snort!
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: doombuggy69 on January 13, 2003, 04:26:47 AM
Your right Connie, I had forgotten that the "whine" on the audio had returned in the summer of 1970. It is most noticeable on the episode where the zombies attack Collinwood in mid September.  Fortunately, Worldvision had stopped trying to correct the problem at that point and just let it go.  

There is also episode # 1008 from PT 1970 that features a terrible crackling noise throughout. I can't believe ABC allowed that episode for airing!
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: VictoriaWintersRox on January 13, 2003, 05:01:37 AM
Quote
Your right Connie, I had forgotten that the "whine" on the audio had returned in the summer of 1970. It is most noticeable on the episode where the zombies attack Collinwood in mid September.  Fortunately, Worldvision had stopped trying to correct the problem at that point and just let it go.  


Oh, I've noticed that with episodes from that period. I bought some episodes from MPI (Volume 174) and while #1107 had normal audio, the one with the destruction of Collinwood (#1108) had a loud whining sound. It got so irritating that I had to change it from Mono (which I usually watch DS with) to Hi Fi.
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Philippe Cordier on January 14, 2003, 06:48:55 AM
Quote

not only does she mumble but she speaks very quickly. I found myself just nodding alot. It must just be her natural way of speaking.


And here I thought it was all part of her Method acting ...

BTW, are you the former Teresa (whom I know) with a slightly different name?  Has anyone else on board changed their name?

*******

Wow, doombuggy69 -- how do you know all this?  Thanks for the explanation!
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Midnite on January 14, 2003, 07:14:11 AM
Quote
Has anyone else on board changed their name?

Once in a while you'll see a poster change his/her username.
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Cassandra on January 14, 2003, 12:07:58 PM
doombuggy69 Wrote:
Quote

For the MPI tape releases of these episodes, MPI used the original master tapes, so you can actually hear the original audio and the high pitched "whine" on these particular ghroup of episodes.  No doubt the upcoming DVD releases will contain the original audio as well.


So this is what I actually hear on the MPI tape.  I can hear the audio of the show much better than I can on Sci Fi but there's always this definete whine noise that lingers on there in the tape. I honestly thought that it was about time I get my VCR heads cleaned.

Thanks for this informative information doombuggy!

Cassandra[/font]
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Gothick on January 15, 2003, 01:42:46 AM
When I was bothering to watch DS on Sci Fi (when available) a couple of runs back, mainly because I didn't yet have most of the shows on tape, I remember muffled sound frequently on Sci Fi's broadcasts of DS, not just for this month of 1897.  

I also have noticed on the MPI tapes episodes where some other soundtrack was playing behind the existing soundtrack. There's an episode from the 1968 storyline when Julia comes staggering in from Tom's feast in the woods where my MPI tape has a jarring, harsh noise that lasts a couple of seconds. Richard Holt said this was on the master tape. And then there are all of those shows where one of the cameras seemed to have some kind of weird fisheye lens on it and nobody bothered to fix it!

I guess we can just count our blessings that so much of the show survives and looks and sounds as good as it does.  If you want comparisons, try another mid Sixties soap. I have 5 shows from the 1966 Days of Our Lives and it's soooo dull.

Gothick
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Teresa on January 15, 2003, 02:49:42 AM
Quote


And here I thought it was all part of her Method acting ...

BTW, are you the former Teresa (whom I know) with a slightly different name?  Has anyone else on board changed their name?

*******


Yes Vlad, it is me Teresa. I am on a Bruce Springsteen fixasion right now and have changed my name to Teresalita in honor of the Bruce song Rosalita. Bruce is one of my favorite people. This past December I have passed the 80th show mark for concerts of Bruce. Not a day goes by that my friends ask me if I am going to another Bruce show. Nothing planned right now but I hope to see him again in the early spring.
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: RingoCollins on January 15, 2003, 07:11:01 PM
Quote

I am on a Bruce Springsteen fixasion right now ...... This past December I have passed the 80th show mark for concerts of Bruce. .


ANOTHER overboard waco! [coolb]

check out my Beatles room if ya wanna see 'moderation!'

http://www.mindspring.com/~winston9/The%20Pad/


and the wifey just added some new photos of our 'foundling home' puppies at

http://www.mindspring.com/~winston9/DoggyPhotos/Matilda%20and%20the%20Ollies/

look at the most recent dates, and put on yer 'seatbelts for cute-ness!]

only a couple more weeks and they are available for adoption, if you are in the Atlanta area!!!!

Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: onyx_treasure on January 15, 2003, 07:34:18 PM
Awwww, Ringo   Polly looks just like a teddy bear.  I just love your photo with Sir Paul.  Did you remember to kiss his ring?
Title: Re: Muffled Sound
Post by: Cassandra on January 16, 2003, 11:22:03 AM
Quote


and the wifey just added some new photos of our 'foundling home' puppies at
look at the most recent dates, and put on yer 'seatbelts for cute-ness!]
only a couple more weeks and they are available for adoption, if you are in the Atlanta area!!!!



Awww, Ringo, they are ADORABLE!!  I bet you just hate to see them leave!
I think what you're doing for these pets is wonderful! [thumb]

Cassandra[/font]