Fix for low audio on ANH and TESB

(This will only work if your AC3 decoder applies dialogue normalization. That should be the case for all DVD players and hardware decoders. Software DVD players I'm not so sure of, but it does seem to work with PowerDVD.)

1. Make 2 new folders on your hard drive (named "original" and "fixed"). Copy all the files off your original disc into the first folder.

2. Download the program VOBDNorm from here: ftp://ftp.coises.com/vobdnorm-1.0.zip, and extract the exe file into your command path (e.g. c:\windows\system32).

3. Open a command window, and navigate to where your original and fixed folders are located.

4. Type the following command:
VOBDorm original\VTS_01_1.VOB fixed\VTS_01_1.VOB 31
(Note I've used 31 here for maximum volume. Strictly it should be around 27, if I've measured correctly.)

5. Repeat step 4 for VTS_01_2.VOB up to VTS_01_5.VOB.

6. Copy the IFO and BUP files from original into fixed.

7. Now burn the contents of the fixed folder as a DVD-video with Nero, etc... (you might want to use a re-writable disc first just to make sure this method works)

Let me know how you get on!

I never got a 2950, but I did manage to pick up an old analogue-only player (LD-V4100 if I remember). One day I'll get some image comparisons up.

I've got details for the RGB mod for the D925 somewhere, but no-one ever worked out how to get a raw composite video output.

I've not had an opportunity to test the 2950 myself, but I do have a few PAL players that might be of interest.  I don't have a decent capture card to test them definitively, but from what I can tell by doing a side by side comparison, here's how they stack up to each other:

D925 - sharpest picture of the PAL players that I've seen.  Very 'digital' looking picture and lacking in detail. When you compare side by side to the other 2 players.  The picture looks like DVNR was applied to the D925 to give it a lower noise floor which smooths over a lot of the fine detail. Consequently the detail level does not look to be as high as the other two players.

V4300D - industrial player - more detailed than the D925, although quite noisy and very soft picture. The picture looks very analogue and 'natural' compared to the D925 which looks very 'digitised' when seen side by side.  The detail level is great, but the amount of noise and soft picture might be a problem.

CLD-1050 - analogue PAL only player - again, a very analogue and extremely 'natural' looking picture. Easily looks better than the V4300D and more detailed than the D925.  Less noise than the V4300D and slightly sharper picture with better colours.  The most natural looking picture of the 3 players.  More detailed picture than the other 2, although still softer picture than the D925.

The verdict: the D925 has less noise and a sharper picture, but the V4300D and 1050 seem to have more detail and a more natural looking picture over all.  The 1050 in particular has the most natural and pleasing picture of the 3, although it is lacking in sharpness.  It would be interesting to see how the 2950 stacks up to these players.

Hope this helps.