Help In Cleaning Up Audio Files

[Blex Ink]

I have an old VHS tape with cinematography that is so amateurish it is beyond redemption. The sound track, however is good (in content, not audio quality), and I want to try and rescue it to use in a slide show to accomplish what the original VHS tape intended. I converted the VHS to DVD, stripped off the sound track, but my problem is that the middle portion has somehow picked up an annoying 60 hz hum (It was on the original VHS tape, not something that got added in the conversion process). I have tried different combinations of editing filters in Sound Editor, but have not found a combination that does the trick. Any thoughts on how to proceed? Maybe this is asking too much from EMC10 -- is there another software product out there that can accomplish this? I am always amazed at the depth of knowledge you guru's have!

 

When I watch those CSI shows on TV, they have technicians that can do this type of stuff with no problem. How can I get with the program?

 

Blex Ink

 

Running (and I have to say I am amazed at how well this hardware works):

Computor: HP Pavillion a6000n w/ AMD 64 LIVE! processor

Sony Handycam DCR SR42 w/ 30GB Hard Drive

Panasonic D-KR10 DVD Recorder

[Blex Ink]

Depends. Also don't believe everything you see on TV or perhaps you can't afford it.

 

1) If you have the orginal VHS you could try captuing the audio again making sure that all equipment is properly grounded to each other.

2) You can use Sound Editor to try to remove that hum.

3) You can try Goldwave or Dart XP Pro (both have free trials)

4) If you want an automatic clean up of that audio file, you can use Sound Soap from Bias. No free trial.

[gi7omy]

If the hum is on the original recording it will be a LOT more complicated - you will need a 60 Hz notch filter

 

It may be possible to get a high end audio program that has notch filter capabilities, but you are looking at

 

VERY expensive bits of software

 

Check this article for an explanation

 

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=bbNfr_b...esult#PPA213,M1

[Blex Ink]

sknis

 

Thank you for the quick and informative response. To answer your questions:

 

1) Yes, I still have access to to the VHS, but the noise was on the original, and is not an artifact of conversion.

 

2) I have tried with Sound Editor, but am not satisfied with the results. It seems to sound a little better, but still has way too much 60 Hz hum.

 

3) & 4) I reviewed the info on the three Web Site Links you provided, and it appears that Sound Soap 2 is what I need, if it can do what it advertises. The portion of the clip with the hum is almost 30 minutes long, and I'm sure I can find enough "dead space" so the software can "learn" the noise pattern. I'll let you know how it works out after I track down a good place to buy the package. We're probably talking weeks here rather than days the project is important, but not necessarily urgent.

 

Peace, & Thanks again!

Blex Ink

[jeanrosenfeld]

In Sound Editor, instead of (or as well as) using the clean, try the equalizer, pull the 64Hz down (-10dB max). Not exactly a notch filter, but more selective than the clean setting.

[sknis]

I have an old VHS tape with cinematography that is so amateurish it is beyond redemption. The sound track, however is good (in content, not audio quality), and I want to try and rescue it to use in a slide show to accomplish what the original VHS tape intended. I converted the VHS to DVD, stripped off the sound track, but my problem is that the middle portion has somehow picked up an annoying 60 hz hum (It was on the original VHS tape, not something that got added in the conversion process). I have tried different combinations of editing filters in Sound Editor, but have not found a combination that does the trick. Any thoughts on how to proceed? Maybe this is asking too much from EMC10 -- is there another software product out there that can accomplish this? I am always amazed at the depth of knowledge you guru's have!

 

When I watch those CSI shows on TV, they have technicians that can do this type of stuff with no problem. How can I get with the program?

 

Blex Ink

 

Running (and I have to say I am amazed at how well this hardware works):

Computor: HP Pavillion a6000n w/ AMD 64 LIVE! processor

Sony Handycam DCR SR42 w/ 30GB Hard Drive

Panasonic D-KR10 DVD Recorder

 

Depends. Also don't believe everything you see on TV or perhaps you can't afford it.

 

1) If you have the orginal VHS you could try captuing the audio again making sure that all equipment is properly grounded to each other.

2) You can use Sound Editor to try to remove that hum.

3) You can try Goldwave or Dart XP Pro (both have free trials)

4) If you want an automatic clean up of that audio file, you can use Sound Soap from Bias. No free trial.