Audio Clipping on Embedded VM .c11 Files 1

[WCeightoh]

Hey y'all.

We have a client who has professional recording services do their AutoAttendant - they're on 11.0.4 with Embedded Voicemail. I've taken the mp3 they provided, converted to .wav with all the typical specs (8000 bitrate, 16-bit PCM, under 30 seconds, etc.) but we keep getting strange audio clipping at the beginning or end. Either the audio is truncated at either the beginning or the end, or the last second or so of the recording replays at the end. I added a second a silence at the beginning and end of the recording hoping that would fix it, but no dice.

After multiple conversions and tests, the current version plays the recording in its entirety, and at the end they say "dot com" - then after about 2 seconds, it replays "dot com" again abruptly.

I'm not sure what to do here. The wav file we used sounds just fine, it seems to only happen after using the LVM Greeting Utility and updating the .c11 file on the SD card. Anyone run into this problem before?

 

[AACon]

It could very well be an issue with the SD card. My first thought is to do a format/recreate on the card (after backing up the LVMAIL and config of course) and try again.
What are you using to do the conversion?
Do you hear the issues internally and externally?

-Austin
I used to be an ACE. Now I'm just an Arse.

 

[WCeightoh]

@AACon - thanks for the suggestions! I'm half way across the country so unfortunately not able to check from a phone onsite, but I'll have the client try dialing a shortcode for the AA to see if it's happening internally too.

I'm using Audacity to convert their mp3 to the proper format, and then taking the resulting WAV file (which has no repeated audio) through the LVM Greeting Utility. Nothing special here - the AA is labeled "DS Menu" in the configuration, so I'm matching all the fields in the LVM Greeting Utility to be "DS Menu" as well and doing the conversion, then uploading the produced .c11 file into the AAG folder. The new recording plays, but suddenly with the last second or so repeating at the end.

 

[critchey]

I use to use Audacity to edit the files but I found I would commonly miss a setting and the file wouldn't play at all or would be distorted. I instead started using g711 DOT org to convert the files. The settings by default are correct so its very easy to simple put it in and get the right result out of it.

If you are 100% sure the file is correct like AAcon suggested could try recreating the SD card. I would also verify that the voicemail storage isn't full or nearly full since once it is it will do all kinds of weird stuff.

The truth is just an excuse for lack of imagination.

 

[WCeightoh]

I've done a lot more testing and experimentation with not a whole lot of success, unfortunately. The problem happens when listening to the recording locally as well. So it seems it has something to do with the conversion process. I tried using the g711 website @critchey mentioned but ran into similar problems from that. I tried playing the recording through my PC speakers through a phone, and though that solved audio clipping/repeating issues, the audio quality just sounds awful and they won't be happy with that, as they paid money for a VO artist to do the recording.

I'm trying to find an answer here as I've never had to recreate an SD card - will it reset Embedded VM voicemails/greetings/Attendant recordings etc. when I perform this action? The Avaya knowledgebase is pretty lacking with details and only mentions custom SMDR entries. I think recreating the SD card is my next step, but I want to be sure the client won't lose information without notice if we decide to do it.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Take the original recording and import it into Audacity.
If it is Stereo, click Tracks, Mix, Mix Stereo Down to Mono
Change the Project Rate in the lower left hand corner to 8000
Click the Down Arrow next to the track title, select Format, set it to 16 Bit PCM
Double-Click on the track's info box to highlight the entire track
Click on Effect, Amplify, set the New Peak Amplitude to -5
File, Export, Export Audio, type WAV (Microsoft) signed 16-bit PCM

Convret THIS file to c11 via Manager and upload to the SD card. See if it works properly

 

[WCeightoh]

Thanks Tommy! I went through those steps but no go. The audio actually came out really distorted which was new, but also had the same problem at the end. The entire greeting plays, then you get about half a second of random audio from another part of the recording in there, which wasn't present in the generated WAV file.

I think recreating the SD card is our next step. I'm still searching around for an answer - does this clear out anything pertaining to embedded VM?

 

[Perfs]

@Wceightoh

After following Tommys steps. Did the length of the clip extend? Because when I use Audacity, after setting the bitrate to 8k and format to 16 bit PCM. I need to increase the speed by 400% and then 10% again so it's back to the same time. Otherwise it does sound distorted.

 

[AACon]

when you exported the wav file, did you remove the meta data from it in audacity? sometimes the recording companies put their name or some info in there, and that needs to be removed otherwise you'll get that clipping.

-Austin
I used to be an ACE. Now I'm just an Arse.