Playstation Problem with audio volume while palying PS1 games on a PS3

[Thule Esperada]

So this isn't a major issue, but it is a really annoying one. When I'm playing downloaded PS1 titles on my PS3, the volume keeps changing itself; when there hasn't been background music for a few seconds the volume get's really low for some reason, and then slowly increases when things start happening again ingame, and then it decreases again, repeat x whatever. This only occurs with PS1 titles for some reason, and I have no clue what might be causing it. It's extremely noticable while playing games like Resident Evil or Silent Hill. None of my console's - or TV's sound settings seem to affect it.

Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[ZaXo Ken'Ichi]

I haven't, and I've got... I think like ten PS1 games downloaded. Disc games haven't done it either. I've had strange audio inconsistencies, but these were caused by the fact that the PS1 hardware is emulated on my PS3 model. I haven't played any games like Resident Evil -with areas of much sound, and other areas of complete silence- from a downloaded copy though; I played RE1 and 2 from the discs last year. I know that's not a console setting. So if you can't find a setting on your TV that's causing it, I'm not sure what it could be. I would say maybe it could be something with your sound system, assuming you actually use more than just the television speakers. I've never done so, so I wouldn't know if they have integrated software for things like that nowadays.

You might try another HDMI cord. It could be an issue with the cord itself, how it's seated, or if the HDMI slots on either the TV or the console are damaged. Since they're a digital signal, HDMI is rather good at ignoring interference, but it could still be damaged. For a control test, you could also connect something other than the PS3 into that same HDMI cord/slot on the TV. That doesn't explain why it's only PS1 titles on the PS3 though...

Hmm, this is a rather strange issue... My PS3 used to do that before I got an HDTV, but that was entirely because the speakers in the TV were garbage, and so was the Composite cable I was using. As such, it happened on everything plugged into that composite slot/cable.

 

[greenyxi]

Have you checked the sound settings on the PS3? There's a checkbox that asks for splitting audio (or something). Try making that the opposite of what you have now. Play around with those sound settings withing the PS3 menu .

 

[ZaXo Ken'Ichi]

Have you checked the sound settings on the PS3? There's a checkbox that asks for splitting audio (or something). Try making that the opposite of what you have now. Play around with those sound settings withing the PS3 menu .

Actually, that could be the problem. That setting is for if you want to have the video through one source, and the audio through another (say video through HDMI, and audio through Composite). It's usually used for if you have a sound system that also doesn't double as a video pass-through box. Having that setting on limits the audio quality going to other sources besides the one you choose as the main one. But I'd assume that'd mean the audio would still be consistent, it just wouldn't sound terribly great. Plus, that'd require that you choose to set the audio and video output to different sources, because the system will set them both to HDMI automatically when initially connected through HDMI.

If I get some time today, I'll mess around with it on some games, and see if I can find a difference.

EDIT: I should be clear by the way. There is a Dynamic Normalizer setting under Music Settings. But that's only supposed to effect stuff under the Music Tab. I've had it on since I got my PS3, and it hasn't effected anything else.

EDIT 2: I can't get the Audio Multi-Output thing to stay set to On when I try to switch the main audio to another channel like Composite; at least, not when I don't actually have said other channel plugged into anything. And obviously, when the audio is going through a channel that isn't plugged in, and Audio Multi-Output defaulting itself to Off as soon as it sense that, it makes no sound whatsoever. Obviously, it's also not making any difference when I have the setting On, but have both audio and video set to HDMI. That basically -as far as the Audio Multi-Output setting goes- means that the only thing left to test, would be how it changes when I do plug in a Composite cable and try to use the setting. We'll see.

EDIT 3: Nope. I set the video to HDMI and the audio to go through Composite (with a Composite cable hooked up this time), and set Audio Multi-Output to On, and I can't hear any difference. I even messed with the Dynamic Normalizer setting too. I used downloaded copies of Spyro 1 and Twisted Metal 1 to test, since Spyro allows you to adjust Effects and Music independently, as well as switch from Stereo to Mono. Twisted Metal meanwhile is the only other game I can get to be fairly quiet, and then suddenly really loud. No matter what I do, the sound is consistent. They're both plugged into the TV, and not into a sound system though.

Honestly, the only way I can see the problem being console settings, is if OP has Audio Multi-Output set to On, and has video going to the TV, with audio going to a different set of speakers... which is something I cannot test. If they have the console set to go through those speakers, but have those speakers off, the sound should go through the TV instead, but be of lower quality since it's not the main audio channel. That's what the PS3 manual online says anyway.

Otherwise, something is damaged, or there's a setting on the TV or something that's causing it. My television has picture Contrast Normalization which can screw the picture up if not set to Off. And I know some TVs have audio Normalization options which can kind of suck. Not sure what to say otherwise

 

[Thule Esperada]

Ah, I figured it out. Turns out my "SMART TV" wasn't being very smart (once again). There was a setting for automatic volume adjustion when changing channels, and for some reason this was messing with the audio on my PS1 games. Really weird. But I haven't had any more issues since I turned it off.

Anyway, thanks for all the help and suggestions.