The problem seems to have got worse lately. We receive NTL cable on a digital television and we have the AVL on our TV switched on but some cable channels require a sudden leap for the remote control when the ads come on to prevent eardrum damage!
Could anybody tell me how to organise my TV so that the sound stays at the same level - or is it new TV time?
2006-11-02 15:11:18 · 15 answers · asked by wendy k 3 in Consumer Electronics ➔ TVs
Don't watch TV, so I couldn't say.
2006-11-02 15:18:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Good point. Seems that the advertising companies have found a way past the AVL system. They compress the audio signal so that the AVL cannot respond to short loud peaks. This way the
AVERAGE sound level can be maintained at a higher volume. They also boost the the lower midrange, and midrange sounds (the vocal range) which our ears are most sensative to. The problem is not with the set. I have yet to find a tv set that has a volume limiter that can correct this. Your best solution is the mute button. Unfortunately you multiplied your problem with digital tv (and audio too!). Sucks when you pay as much as you do for service and you have to deal with 5 mins. of ads for every 15 mins. of program time. Enough said!!
2006-11-03 19:17:19 · answer #2 · answered by scott p 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The correct answer is it's you, but it's not "just" you. Every one notices this. Here's how it works....
The dynamic range (loudest part compared to the quietest part)of a TV show and a commercial is not the same. A TV show can have very quiet parts as well as very loud parts. A commercial on the other hand, pretty much stays at a louder average level. It does NOT get louder when it goes to commercial, it just appears to get louder to average human hearing response.
Example: a show is on, when they get ready to go to commercial, they do something called "fade to black". This includes the video and the audio portion of the broadcast. So right before the commercial comes on, the TV is playing very little amount of audio, but when the commercial comes on, it's at full level. If you measure the actual signal at the speakers, you will see that the commercial is no louder than the louder parts of the TV show; it's just the contrast that you notice between quiet and not quiet. There's nothing you can do about it, there's nothing wrong with your TV, or you. Just the way human hearing is, and of course those advertising bastards know all this too, so they can take advantage of it to sell more stuff.
Hope this helps
2006-11-03 07:59:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I've got Sky and the same thing happens- God help you if you have a weak heart.
It affects some channels more than others so I think it's down to the channel controllers rather than your TV and I don't think there's anything you can do except memorise which channels are the worst and have finger on the volume button when you know there's going to be an ad break. That's what I do.
2006-11-02 15:19:35 · answer #4 · answered by Vic 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they are not supposed to change the volume for ads and the worst leap in volume seems to be on the cartoon channels!
There aren't currently any automatic settings to prevent this, but a few complaints to the watchdog will highlight the fact and may stop it in future.
Otherwise get something like Sky+ and watch the programms out of reel time so you can forward the ads when they come on...
2006-11-04 00:40:50 · answer #5 · answered by alxx 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are not alone, I found NTL worse than Sky but channels like Commedy Central were still bad on Sky.
I don't know if it's an option but I would get Sky plus if you can, then you can record all your fave programs & start watching them 5-10mins later - that way you can fast forward through the ads - kills two birds with one stone, you don't have to deal with the volume problem or watch them full stop !!!!
2006-11-02 15:42:02 · answer #6 · answered by Mari C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Isnt it annoying!!! I think you'll find that its not just cable t.v. that has a change in volume as soon as the ads come on. Is a psychological thing in order to get peoples' attention when the ads come on. Apart from a few gems, most ads are banal and aggravating dont you think? There is nothing we can do about them my friend. I always press the mute button while the ads are on.
2006-11-02 16:44:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not just your and your TV, we have the same problem, as do our neighbors. I know my neighbors dont have the same TV, and I can pretty much guess that you dont have the same one as us either. Personally I think this is done to get our attention. Most people ignore commercials or get up and walk into the bathroom or kitchen while commercials are on. For this reason they have found a way to make the volume higher, as to catch your attention.
2006-11-02 15:21:33 · answer #8 · answered by nanners040477 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Folks, its called "Equilization", it does indeed get your attention,and they want it that way. It is against the FCC Regs to raise power, but you can raise the two ends of a responce curve. Think of those "equalizers" in your HI-Fi sets and auto radio stereo's. Usually the sliders at each end of those controls are in a
down or reduced level, to "attenuate the extreme high's and extreme lows. When you raise those sliders, the sound levels tend to get louder and at the same time "Annoying", right.
2006-11-02 17:24:52 · answer #9 · answered by burtel@pacbell.net 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We used to have a Magnavox with SmartSound, and it would keep the commercials to the same level as the show, and we loved it! Well, DH just HAD to have a hi-def TV and so now we have no SmartSound and we are doing the same thing you do!!
i don't think other TVs have that feature, sadly....
2006-11-02 15:19:15 · answer #10 · answered by OK yeah well whatever 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's what we have mute buttons for. They broadcast the commercials at a different frequency to the programs, hence the higher volume. To get your attention. Or so I've been told.
2006-11-02 16:06:05 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋