noise canceling codec or software to use with dxtory/fraps?

[Lavans]

So I picked up a CM Storm Sirus. Great headset. The mic is amazingly crisp in Skype and Mumble. The problem is that when recording/listening to the raw mic input, there is a fair amount of static. Its not terrible, but noticeable, even if you're not listening for it. The drivers don't have a noise suppression enhancement, nor does it have mic boost, and lowering the mic volume to the point where the static cannot be heard makes my overall mic input extremely quiet. The issue is persistent on both my desktop and Asus G53 laptop, regardless if I use the 3.5mm jack or usb.

Audacity does a great job in cleaning up the static, but only if the mic input is recorded on a separate channel from the game audio. SoliCall Pro does an amazing job of cleaning up the static on the fly, but the software is a tad pricey for just noise cancellation ($40).

Is there a cheaper (or free) alternative to SoliCall Pro that doesn't require a convoluted jimmy rig? Or perhaps an audio codec with noise cancellation that can be used with Dxtory?

 

[09jlardinois]

iZotope RX2 is an incredible piece of audio restoration software. It can easily and completely remove noise from your audio even if there are not separate tracks.

Simply preroll a few seconds of noise at the beginning of the video and tell your noise removal tool to "learn" the noise profile from that section of clear audio. Then set it to setting D and adjust the threshold and smoothing by hand.

Tell it to run a test at setting A with noise only so you can listen to what you're removing. Lower the threshold until you hear audio, then raise it until you can't.

Press process!

 

[vshah]

audacity can do it even if it's in a single track. just need to have some time at the beginning with only the noise so that it can build a signature.

 

[flexy]

ok, the solution is a little more complex, depending on your own experience/PC knowledge.

You can use any of the free or commercial noise cancelling VST plugins with a tool called VSTHOST.

You can then use software called "virtual audio cable" to create a virtual, new microphone where you route the (unfiltered) input from the "real" microphone into VSTHOST and whatever noise cancelling plugins and then out put it into the "virtual microphone".

The virtual microphone is then available to any software in Windows like a normal microphone.

This for example is also EXCELLENT since I work with Dragon Natural Speaking and need to suppress a lot of background noise.

My setup is this:

VSTHOST:

Engine Input (MME Audigy) --> FloorFish Noisegate --> Acon Digital Noise Plugin --> Engine Output (Virtual Audio Cable)

I already tested MANY, MANY noise reduction plugins incl. the above mentioned izotrope and a ton of others, but the Acon Digital Noise Plugin is the only one which does a decent adaptive noise-reduction "on-the-fly" , means I do not have to record a new profile any time my noise level changes.

The noise GATE (!) before the broadband-denoiser I use to suppress other, relatively quiet sounds such as when my wife is gaming etc.

 

[worldaround]

My setup is this:

VSTHOST:

Engine Input (MME Audigy) --> FloorFish Noisegate --> Acon Digital Noise Plugin --> Engine Output (Virtual Audio Cable)

While trying to find a solution to my noisy microphone I stumbled upon this post and I believe it's the best solution to my problem. I've spent the last few hours trying to follow your guide but I just can't make sense of it. Is there any way you could take some time to help me out?

Okay so you said you use this setup:

VSTHOST:
Engine Input (MME Audigy) --> FloorFish Noisegate --> Acon Digital Noise Plugin --> Engine Output (Virtual Audio Cable)

I downloaded VSTHOST, Acon Digital Noise Plugin, and Virtual Audio Cable and I have a very basic understanding of what they are (not what they do or how they do it). I have no idea what MME Audigy is. Does that just mean the sound card? (for reference, my sound card is built in to the motherboard) And I wasn't sure what to do with FloorFish Noisegate so I didn't bother with it (yet).

So with that, could you give me a basic rundown of how to set up each of these?

 

[flexy]

Yes let me try to describe it with a picture.

So basically you set up Virtual Audio cable first. After you installed it, you have a new "virtual" Microphone available in Windows.

What you do, you create a chain with those plugins from the REAL Microphone (which here is MME: Microphone Creative SB Audigy), then (see picture) routie this into the Noise Gate (floorfish) and then the Acon Plugin. (Of course you can skip the gate and just sue the Acon plugin if you want)

And then the virtual output (!) at the end is the Virtual Audio Cable.

I know it's somewhat confusing.

But what happens is that if you NOW use the virtual Mic (Normally called Mic1 Virtual Audio Cable in a Windows application) as INPUT from within your software it will have all the effects applied, eg. noise reduction etc. It's really very nifty.

(Note: When you load VSTHost with your chain the first time, make sure to start the entire thing first since it doesn't auto start just by loading for some reason, so you click on "Devices-->Wave--> OK" like in my example in the pic, depending on your set-up to start the chain). It then it activates the virtual Microphone)

Feel free to ask me if you need more help.

Here is how I set the Noise filter up:

In the VSTHost you can click on that small symbol which looks like a clock and it then comes up with whatever GUI the plugin offers.

(ALSO..of course all plugins you plan to use must be properly registered in Windows once, most audio plugins come in several variations, 32 bit, 64bit, VST etc..etc... normally the 32bit version works, you would load it from within VSTHost and when it comes up with the little box etc. you know it was loaded properly. VSTHost I can see being very confusing etc. but you really don't need to bother with anything, in principle the entire thing is easy to do once you figured everything out. And then all you need to do next time is load VSTHost, it autoloads the plugins and then you start the chain, send VSTHost to tray and forget about it)

 

[flexy]

HERE would be the professional solution in hardware for you:

http://www.knowbrainer.com/NewStore/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=19

There are those USB integrated soundcards which have noise suppression/cancellation built in like that Andrea Full Duplex Pure Audio USB-SA. Basically, those USB soundcards do what I do here in software.

Most "professionals" who use speech recognition software with a laptop use such an USB soundcard since the built-in notebook soundcards NORMALLY already have a very high noise level already.

http://www.knowbrainer.com/NewStore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=233&idcategory=19

Do not use any of the other, "cheap" USB soundcards, I bought one of those $5 China ones and they're rather horrible.

 

[worldaround]

Wow, thank you so much for helping me! I messed around with the programs for a while today but there's just so much to learn. I broke down and decided to buy one of those usb sound cards. I had no idea they even existed so that was incredibly helpful. I really appreciate you taking the time to explain all that to me.