Audio distorting on CD burns

I have an iMac 7.1 with Superdrive. Whenever I try burning an audio CD (regardless of software), I get distortion on playback. Generally the first 20-25 minutes of the disc. However, when I do DVD burns on the same drive, both audio and video are fine.
Can someone help identify the problem?

I'll reply to my own question (for Googlers), since no one else has a clue. Though I don't really have a definitive answer to the problem myself. But I can say the problem of distortion on CD audio (but not DVD audio or video) burns on the Superdrive was definitely a case of a defective Superdrive. Not sure if this could be fixed by cleaning the laser assembly, or if that's even doable on the Superdrive. I solved it the lazy way: getting an external burner. Kind of a shame, cos I always liked the space-age action of popping a disc into the side of the computer.....
Very "Jetsons" feel to that.

Similar Messages

Audio distortion in Burned DVD's

I posted this in iDVD, but think it may be an iMovie issue since I didn't have the problem using the iLife 6 apps.
Anyway, just looking for some answers/thoughts.
So I get some distortion, what sounds like maxed volume through crappy speakers when I now that I use iMovie 08, iDVD 08 and Garageband (forced to use because I want custom chapter markers) & I have had the same audio distortion with several projects using various downloaded (amazon) mp3's or LAME rips 224 kbps or higher. I checked the dvd on my PS3 to Pioneer plasma...sounds distorted. Other computers and "simple DVD" players the song is high but can't tell the distortion.
So here's what I'm trying to answer
Is it my PS3-Pioneer TV?
How does the normalization in iMovie work? Does garageband undo it?
Here's why I ask...I set the volume levels for 75% on all music tracks then normalized and exported, loaded in Gband, added chapters and re-exported using share to disk. I saw something speed by that looked liked it said normalizing, and was wondering what that does to the track that is supposedly already normalized.
I plan on running a few tests so that I don't have deal with this again.
I have re-done the audio without normalization, but volume at 75%. I'll import this direct to idvd...test
same thing only run through gband then idvd..test
Any help/info is appreciated...
PS..I usually burn on TDK DVD-R's
shaun

Volume will control the sound from the main Video track. I usually set it at either 100% or 0%, but no reason you cant use other settings.
The Ducking feature controls the volume of the music tracks, extracted tracks, and voiceovers as a percentage of the volume of the main track.
So 100% in Ducking means main track and music track have same volume.
15% ducking means music track is 15% of volume of main track. 0% ducking means that music track is silent.

Distorted songs on burned DVD

I created some movies in iMovie using still photos from iPhoto, and added songs from iTunes. Then I burned a DVD using iDVD. Playing this DVD on my Panasonic DVD player and TV, some, not all, of the songs are distorted. Everything sounds just fine on the computer, previewing in iMovie, iDVD. Even playing the offending DVD in the computer doesn't have this problem, only on the TV. Any thoughts?

I was wondering if you ever fixed all the issues as I'm having similar problems. I didn't have this problem when using the iMovie HD and iDVD combo. But now that I use iMovie 08, iDVD 08 and Garageband (forced to use because I want custom chapter markers) I have had the same audio distortion with several projects using various downloaded (amazon) mp3's or LAME rips 224 kbps or higher. I checked the dvd on my PS3 to Pioneer plasma...sounds distorted. Other computers and "simple DVD" players the song is high but can't tell the distortion.
So here's what I'm trying to answer
Is it my PS3-Pioneer TV?
How does the normalization in iMovie work? Does garageband undo it?
Here's why I ask...I set the volume levels for 75% on all music tracks then normalized and exported, loaded in Gband, added chapters and re-exported using share to disk. I saw something speed by that looked liked it said normalizing, and was wondering what that does to the track that is supposedly already normalized.
I plan on running a few tests so that I don't have deal with this again.
I have re-done the audio without normalization, but volume at 75%. I'll import this direct to idvd...test
same thing only run through gband then idvd..test
Any help/info is appreciated...
PS..I usually burn on TDK DVD-R's
shaun

What can be causing inconsistent DVD video and audio distortions...

Does anyone have any idea why the DVD I burn using DVD Studio Pro (from a 90-min FCP QT movie) - whether it’s compressed by DVD Studio Pro, or through Compressor (with bit-rates of 4 for avg., and 7.2 for maximum) - plays with some serious simultaneous video and audio distortions on my brand new DVD player – that don’t show up at all when played on a friend's DVD player.
As a test, I burned a DVD with just the video, and it does NOT play the same distortions on my DVD player. This obviously means the video distortion is related to the audio being there, but, I don’t know why, or how to begin fixing the problem.
Any help would be tremendously appreciated!

Oh yes, indeedy!
Go into the AC3 encode tabs and have a look around. If you never used A.Pack with older versions of DVDSP then none of this will look familiar, but essentially the tabs are exactly the same as the old A.Pack application.
You can set the desired bitrate - for stereo you don't need more than 192Kbps. You can set the dialog normailsation value (for now, type in -31 and press return) and you can set the compression type - just use 'none'.
This should get you a reasonably useable AC3 file for your project, but as you might guess, there is a lot more to it than that! Head over to http:..www,macprovideo.com and see if you can get hold of the tutorials for A.Pack, or find a copy of Martin Sitter's book for DVD Studio Pro (any version). The chapter on A.Pack is well worth reading and possibly justifies the price of the book on its own.
Once you have got the audio encoding sorted out and are using it on a disc, see if the distortion still happens.
Also, can you describe the distortion that you are seeing?

IMovie Audio Distortion (When Exported)

I recently made a video in IMovie, and I am running into some troubles with the audio when i export the video to a quicktime format or when I burn it onto a CD. I preferred using IMovie HD to the version I had upgraded to with iLife '08 so I re-installed IMovie HD - version 6.0.3. The video is about 40 minutes long and includes both video's from a handheld camera (with sound), still pictures, and music from my iTunes. The video runs great on iMovie, but when I burnt it to a DVD or when I export it to quicktime, it is distorting about 3 minutes of audio at the beginning of the video. It sounds like someone sped up the voices, put a mic in a wind tunnel, and made some weird sound effects over the top of the video. The original audio is still recognizable, but it is greatly masked by this distortion.
The other issue is that when I try to open the .mp4 file created from the "share" function of i-movie, it is giving me an error message that says "An invalid sample description was found in the movie". I have tried changing the extension to a (.m4v) but had no luck. When using VLC's video player to open the file however, it worked like a charm and the video displayed just fine (except for the audio distortion as mentioned above). Has anyone else run into this issue, and if so, do you have any possible solutions? I read somewhere online about separating an ac3 file (I have no idea what that is or how to do it), but I can not find the article again. Thanks in advance!

Hi Bob,
Welcome to iDVD Discussions.
Did you import 16-bit audio from your camcorder?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=165285

Trying to get my fcp project to burn to dvd at the highest quality? Ive used compressor and then tried to put it in dvdsp put its not working. I am having problems with the audio or when i burn it , i cant play the dvd? any help would be appreciated

Ive used compressor and then tried to put it in dvdsp put its not working. I am having problems with the audio or when i burn it , i cant play the dvd? any help would be appreciated

I suspect you are attempting to burn an HD DVD, which will not play on a DVD player...
But if you provide more details such as the settings you are applying in Compressor, then we would be able to provide you more accurate information.
How are you adding the files to Compressor?
In FCP, what are your footage properties (command-9) and sequence settings (command-0)

Sporadic audio distortion on 24"iMac

Hi all,
Since buying my 24" iMac, I've had a problem while watching (for example) YouTube videos, whereby audio is fine through the internal speakers, but for about 1 second in every 30 the audio distorts and gets slightly louder, then it goes back to normal. I assumed it was maybe a browser (Safari4) or plug-in issue and could live with it.
Since upgrading to 10.6.2 yesterday morning, the exact same problem is affecting my iTunes playback, which is of course more of a problem!
Can anyone shed any light on this? The machine was a refurb, and it's still under warranty.

HI and Welcome to Apple Discussions...
Try the 10.6.2 combo update available here.
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL959
Then repair disk permissions.
Quit any open applications/programs. Launch Disk Utility. (Applications/Utilities) Select MacintoshHD in the panel on the left, select the FirstAid tab. Click: Repair Disk Permissions. When it's finished from the Menu Bar, Quit Disk Utility and restart your Mac. If you see a long list of "messages" in the permissions window, it's ok. That can be ignored. As long as you see, "Permissions Repair Complete" when it's finished... you're done. Quit Disk Utility and restart your Mac.
You could also try uninstalling and reinstalling the Flash player plugin.
Uninstall Flash
Reinstall Flash
Restart your Mac.
Carolyn

RE: Macbook Stuttering, Audio Distortion

FYI
As discussed in Macbook Stuttering, Audio Distortion,
The solution to this problem is as follows:
The fix is to blow out nearly four years of dust (in my case), using the instructions given here (for replacing a fan...)
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/Installing-MacBook-Core-2-Duo-Fan/522/1
You don't need to remove the fan, but go as far as removing the keyboard, and then you can simply use an air-duster to remove every bit of dust you can find.
If your macbook's heatsink (as in my case) was cleaned by a professional in Apple Store, and you still keep having problems with youtube, ichat, skype and have stuttering, audio and video distortion and your 2+ghz intel macbook behaves as if it's an early iMac G3 - you have to do all steps described at ifixit.com.
When I have taken out my macbook's fan (the heatsink was perfectly sterile) I have found a 5mm thick layer of compressed dust blocking 97% of the air exit.
Removing the blockage has helped and my macbook is operating like it's new.
PS: It's sad that people at Apple Store do not do their job properly.

Your processor is momentarily saturated. It's not really a 'defect' that is covered under warranty.
Flash is a widely-known resource hog. It's one of the reasons that Steve Jobs has 'banished' Flash from iPhones and the new iPad, and uses H.264 format video.
Have you also noticed that the fan becomes loud when this is happening? Almost any time the fan starts running at high speed, it's because your processor is working hard and needs additional cooling.
If you look at Activity Monitor when the stuttering occurs, you probably have a combined CPU utilization of the top two or three processes running of more than 100%.
It's also quite possible that the Free memory 'green slice' of the of the System Memory pie chart is quite tiny.
Work-Arounds
1. Run fewer processes/programs. Close and Quit every application that doesn't need to be running while you're watching Flash.
2. Try another browser. Some are better than others at running Flash. I use Safari primarily, but Firefox, Google Chrome, and Opera are also available.
3. Add RAM memory, especially if you still have just 1Gb RAM memory installed. Upgrading to 2Gb or 4Gb (MacBook 2,1 actually only recognizes and utilizes up to 3Gb) will help somewhat. It doesn't cure the processor saturation, but it does give the programs running more 'breathing room' until it reaches the saturation point.
4. ClickToFlash gives you options for how Flash is handled. Free download here --> http://rentzsch.github.com/clicktoflash/
5. H.264 format videos may be less processor intensive.
6. Buy a new Mac with a faster processor and more RAM. Even a 2.26Ghz MacBook Pro does much better than the 2007 2.16, because it uses a low power microprocessor, has 2Gb RAM standard, has a more advanced video chipset, and an unibody aluminum case to help dissipate heat.

Adobe Premiere Pro audio distortion

Hi,
I have Adobe Premiere CS2 and some audio distortion problems. I captured a footage from my Sony DV Digital-8 camcorder. It's a standard DV footage with 16-bit PCM audio. When audio is nearly-peaking (not peaking), it gets distorted in Premiere, but doesn't in other applications (VirtualDub, Media Player Classic, Windows Media Player, mplayer). I'm sure this is because an internal conversion (called conforming) from 16-bit PCM to 32-bit floating point PCM. Project Setting of the Audio Track is 48000Hz 32bit floating point - Stereo for a DV project, despites DV standard supports 16 or 12 bit Audio tracks. In user manual they write the following:
"For maximum editing performance and audio quality, Adobe Premiere Pro processes each audio channel, including audio channels in video clips, as 32-bit floating-point data at the project’s sample rate. To do this it must conform certain types of audio to match the 32-bit format and the project sample rate."
Well, if I'm a professional video editor, I can (and have the right to) decide whether which sample rate and bit-depth are the best for me, but they don't let me set audio other than the default, there is no option like bit-depth available not even when creating a NEW project. No problem if Adobe's genius developers thought 32-bit mixing provides much more quality, but if they forget to implement 16-bit to 32-bit internal conversion correctly, please let me decide to use at least a fallback method.
Thanks for your help
stringZ

Just looking at the waveform confirmed my initial reaction: Way, way
oversteered. Everything is clipped and your best approach is to
reshoot. That some players can handle this seriously mistreated audio
may be caused by audio limiters. They should, otherwise you would blow
up your speakers.
Well, you can say that and if this sample was a music maximized with compressors, it would distort too. Sony Digital-8 camcorder has an internal limiter, so only soft-peaking can occur, but no serious distortion. Media Players (eg. mplayer) don't have limiters unless you specify an external limiter filter. I've already told this isn't the clip you want me to re-shoot. This is a sample I created to show you the problem. I sent this to one of my friends who has Ulead MediaStudio Pro 7.0. It doesn't distort there either. Have you tried loading it to an audio editor like Audacity or Adobe Audition? You can see no hard-peaking or distortion if you zoom in the waveform.
Waveform at 00:00:00:21. No distortion, only high levels can be seen on this waveform.
Waveform after 00:00:00:21. Soft peaking in right (bottom) channel.
I'd appreciate if someone took this seriously instead of repeating "reshoot it" and "high levels".

Why is audio distorted and pulses after I import from Adobe Organizer to Adobe Premiere Elements 11

All the videoes I have collected this year from my iphone video, sony video camera an fuji water video camera work fine in the Adobe organizer but when I import to Adobe Premiere Elements 11 after a couple of clips max four the audio distorts and pulsates. I just purchased the software and have updated all the software. Thank you in advance I am so frustrated I feel I tried everything.

1st, Iphone won't easily edit http://forums.adobe.com/thread/881246
-and http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1011411?tstart=0
-and a fix http://forums.adobe.com/thread/934466
2nd, What are you editing, and does your project match your video?
Read Bill Hunt on a file type as WRAPPER http://forums.adobe.com/thread/440037
What is a CODEC... a Primer http://forums.adobe.com/thread/546811
What CODEC is INSIDE that file? http://forums.adobe.com/thread/440037
Report back with the codec details of your file, use the programs below... a screen shot works well to SHOW people what you are doing
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/592070?tstart=30
For PC http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en or http://www.headbands.com/gspot/

Problem with Audio Distortion

I have a large iTunes (v7.2) library with over 110,000 tracks, which I run through the digital line out of a Mac Pro running OS X 10.4.10. For some reason, I'm suddenly getting serious audio distortion on many of the tracks. Some tracks play with distorted, crackling, others play extremly softly. Others play fine. What makes the problem strange is that it occurs with different tracks encoded in different ways: MP3, unprotected AAC, protected AAC, and Apple lossless tracks are all affected. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to which tracks are affected. Furthermore, I've verified that it's not the tracks themselves...if I run the same tracks through iTunes on another computer (via library sharing), they play fine. Finally, I've turned off Sond Check, Sound Enhancer, and the Equalizer, but the problem persists.
It's very frustrating! If anyone can please help me, I will be extremely grateful. Thanks so much!
Mac Pro Mac OS X (10.4.10) iTunes 7.2
PowerBook G5 Mac OS X (10.4.2)
PowerBook G5 Mac OS X (10.4.2)
PowerBook G5 Mac OS X (10.4.2)
PowerBook G5 Mac OS X (10.4.2)
PowerBook G5 Mac OS X (10.4.2)

It is set to 256 by default and even with an higher buffer size it doesn't change at all

HT6114 I'm still getting audio distortion when I input audio through the minijack.

I updated to Mavericks, and now when I plug my iPhone in with the miniplug with a male-to-male cord, I get a pitch shift that happens randomly through Quicktime audio recording.
Since I don't have my music backed up on this computer, I input my iPhone's music through a cord and use the audio recording feature. It's worked great for over a year until I upgraded to Mavericks, and I hoped this update would have fixed it since it said "• Fixes an issue that my cause audio distortion on certain Macs."

Is it just sites like YouTube? Can you play music files-mp3/cd ,hear Windows system sounds,etc?
******Clicking the Thumbs-Up button is a way to say -Thanks!.******
**Click Accept as Solution on a Reply that solves your issue to help others**

Audio book cd's burn with text

Even with the "include cd text" box unchecked my audio book cd's burn with text and when I try to put them on my laptop to listen to them I can't import them into media player because the text is on the first cd.
How can I get it to stop putting the text on the audio books when I burn them?

There doesn't seem to be a way to do this just using iTunes. However, I'm aware of 2 approaches to overcome this limitation either by using a 3rd party app on the Mac or the iPod:
a)Use a utility program on your Mac to join all the track files into a single file and transfer the generated merged file to your iPod. One such utility is called AudioBookBuilder and it's available in the Mac App Store.
b)If by iPod you actually mean an iPod touch, you can transfer all the individual tracks to your iPod and then use a player app to listen to the audio book, ideally an app that is capable of keeping track of where you stopped listening so that you can resume listening later. One such app is called AudioBookCD and it's available in the iPhone App Store. Disclaimer: I developed the AudioBookCD app to address this need.

HP Stream 13 has weird audio distortion on youtube videos.

I just got a hp stream 13 and for some reason when I play a youtube video the audio will have strange audio distortions that will happen for a moment on the video. The video itself is smooth but the audio will hiccup. I have the most up to date audio driver. This happens in internet explorer and chrome. I even restored the laptop to original settings and its still happening. I played pandora and that was fine. I would appreciate any help on this one.

Hi
I had a similar issue on a HP 15 Notebook PC andh recent s/w updates and a manual cache clean for flash the issue has resolved.
While investigating I noted if I download a youtube clip this played normally, no issues with sound playback namely a "garbled/cracking/compressed distortion sound". This suggested the issue is not in fact with the hardware.
I noted forums on dells web site for similar issues and some high end laptops for other manufacturer's. I noted also firefox was not so impacted as IE using HTML verses Flash player and not all you tube clips displayed the issue. I saw the issue on some BBC news items but not on others from the BBC. I found streaming radio and music no issues issue only occured with Video content when streamed.
I am aware your model is different but the issue appears to be not model or manufacture dependant.
My O/S Windows 8.1 64-bit
Activity:
1. Adobe upgraded to lastest version (http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/)
2. clear adobe flash player cache run the program "Flash Player" and from the popup "flash player setting manger" select advanced delete "browsing data and settings" i cleaered everything.
Using the HP support assistant search for updates and install "Audio and sound" TAB I have the following drivers installed
For the record my pc
Device: Intel Display Audio Version: 6.16.0.3154
Device: Reltek High Definition Audio Drivers : RTKVHD64.sys 6.0.1.7156
Since new I have recieved also updated to the bios
Andy

Audio distortion during/after capture in Premiere Elements10

Why is the audio distorted (sounds like a cell phone that keeps losing a signal and every other word is garbled) when capturing a video from a DV camcorder in Premiere Elements10? I'm using a IEEE 1394 cable from the camcorder to the computer and DV camcorder is selected in the Premiere Elements setup menu. Any help.........please!

Capturing from a tape-based miniDV does not change the audio or video information in any way, Unkie. So if you're capturing from a miniDV camcorder and getting distortion, that distortion is happening in the camcorder itself.
But if you're getting distortion when you output your video, it could well be because your audio levels are too high.
As I say in my books, whenever you edit your video, you should go to the Window menu and open the Audio Mixer. Watch your audio levels as you play back your timeline. They should peak at Zero. If they're up in the yellow and red or are overloading the mixer, you are going to get distortion in your video output.
But if you're saying you're hearing distortion while capturing your video -- that's a whole other issue. You need to adjust your computer's audio levels or turn down your speakers. As I've said, capturing over FireWire does absolutely nothing to change the audio or video information that's coming in from the camcorder. It's just your computer playing it too loud.

Audio distorting on CD burns

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for