# Solution to Loud Commercials...



## tiger2005 (Sep 23, 2006)

So what are the chances that DirecTV will implement Dolby Volume into their existing and new set-top boxes??? I have to say that I would LOVE this feature.



> *Dolby Volume Sneaks into Set-top Boxes*
> 
> Fri Jan 15, 2010 at 10:00 AM ET
> *Tags: Dolby, Industry Trends (all tags)* Formerly found in higher end receivers and amplifiers, Dolby Volume seems to have found its way into Motorola's new set-top boxes.
> ...


Post Link


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## carlsbad_bolt_fan (May 18, 2004)

My TV has SRS built in, so I don't get blasted when loud commercials are shown. Also helps when there is a quiet HD channel (any of my HD locals) a loud HD (NFL Network) or SD (TruTV).


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## BK89 (Sep 18, 2007)

My TV has it built in as well...but I use an AV receiver with 5.1 speakers. So this helps me none at all. I would love to see this added to the cable/sat boxes. Makes a lot of sense to me!


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## ctaranto (Feb 7, 2008)

My receiver has this built-in (Denon 1910). It's called "Dynamic Volume", and it controls the peaks of volume so commercials don't blast you.

I had it turned on for all sources, but I found that when watching a DVD with Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS, the sound wasn't as "pure" as the audio mixer intended. So I turned it off for DVD sources (the Denon remembers per source the settings).

I then was watching movies over D* (TNT, FX, etc). While for the most part it works well, I find that when there are loud explosions, trucks/planes rumbling, etc, the Dynamic Volume interferes enough that I can tell I don't get the full impact of the audio as intended. I have now turned it off for D* source as well.

It's funny though. Since I turned it off, I see my wife lowering the volume during commercials. 

The ideal solution would be for the implementation to know when there is a commercial vs. the intended program, and only lower/control the volume during commercials so it doesn't affect the audio of whatever movie/show one is watching. My Denon, obviously, doesn't do that.

-Craig


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## jodyguercio (Aug 16, 2007)

Seems like a good idea, but in the meantime I'll just keep doing what I do when commercials come on, 30skip right through them......:lol:


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## tiger2005 (Sep 23, 2006)

jodyguercio said:


> Seems like a good idea, but in the meantime I'll just keep doing what I do when commercials come on, 30skip right through them......:lol:


HA! I wish that helped with live sporting events. My local FSN broadcasts Pittsburgh Penguins games and their volume change on commercials is probably worse than TNT and TBS, as hard as that is to believe!


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## jodyguercio (Aug 16, 2007)

tiger2005 said:


> HA! I wish that helped with live sporting events. My local FSN broadcasts Pittsburgh Penguins games and their volume change on commercials is probably worse than TNT and TBS, as hard as that is to believe!


Well there is always the "mute" button on the remote right? Out here FOX is worse than either of those two.


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## armophob (Nov 13, 2006)

Since Directv is the one of the biggest offenders of the LOUD COMMERCIALS, I truly do not want them to determine which commercials get bumped up or down. My speakers cannot take any more than what they do now.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

Congress passed a law (I think it passed) so problem solved.!rolling


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## Tom Servo (Mar 7, 2007)

Mute button (or FF if you have a DVR) works wonders on those loud commercials.

Snark aside, I've always believed that consumer audio equipment should have built-in and variable audio compression hardware so the end user could tailor the sound to his or her needs. I'd much rather the dynamic range of music be preserved on, for example, FM radio or analog TV programs for those of us who are listening on headphones or on big home theater systems. With the exceptional dynamic range of movies and DD 5.1 TV audio, a compression tool would be handier than ever.

Of course, I also fully expect non-movie TV channels to eventually succumb to the loudness wars just as music radio, CDs and analog cable networks have. Rather than use the full dynamic range of digital audio, we'll be hearing everything compressed to within -3dB just like Red Hot Chili Pepper's unlistenable _Californication _album. Or how Food/HGTV HD sound now.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

The DirecTV box is the wrong place for this since it does not control the volume of anything. This feature needs to be in the TV and in the A/V surround sound receiver; these are the things which are connected to speaker systems.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

texasbrit said:


> The DirecTV box is the wrong place for this since it does not control the volume of anything. This feature needs to be in the TV and in the A/V surround sound receiver; these are the things which are connected to speaker systems.


Agree 100%, settop boxes from service providers have no business attenuating the volume from any content providers signal....Congress is trying to correct it, if you want more control than that buy your own appropriate gear


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

Tom Servo said:


> Mute button (or FF if you have a DVR) works wonders on those loud commercials.
> 
> Snark aside, I've always believed that consumer audio equipment should have built-in and variable audio compression hardware so the end user could tailor the sound to his or her needs. I'd much rather the dynamic range of music be preserved on, for example, FM radio or analog TV programs for those of us who are listening on headphones or on big home theater systems. With the exceptional dynamic range of movies and DD 5.1 TV audio, a compression tool would be handier than ever.
> 
> Of course, I also fully expect non-movie TV channels to eventually succumb to the loudness wars just as music radio, CDs and analog cable networks have. *Rather than use the full dynamic range of digital audio,* we'll be hearing everything compressed to within -3dB just like Red Hot Chili Pepper's unlistenable _Californication _album. Or how Food/HGTV HD sound now.


You really don't want full dynamic range...the soft will be too soft (often not audible due to all the ambient noise in the house) and the loud will be too loud. And that's not taking into consideration the wattage requirements, which could easily be overloaded. That is one reason cds don't exhibit the full dynamic range cds are capable of.


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## Tiger62 (Mar 18, 2008)

Well, if congress is working on the problem, we can all relax. </sarc>


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## dhines (Aug 16, 2006)

god i hope this is an option . . . . SOON!

my wife is killing me with her spanish programming. as if the shows aren't bad enough (being double the volume of english speaking networks), the commercials on spanish channels are even louder than their regular programming.

:nono2:


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

My solution is to not watch anything containing commercials.


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## dhines (Aug 16, 2006)

paulman182 said:


> My solution is to not watch anything containing commercials.


that works when i have the remote . . . but it is damn annoying to tolerate the volume differences when other folks are watching the TV.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

tiger2005 said:


> HA! I wish that helped with live sporting events. My local FSN broadcasts Pittsburgh Penguins games and their volume change on commercials is probably worse than TNT and TBS, as hard as that is to believe!


1. Tune to the channel.

2. Hit Pause

3. DLB or walk away for 15 minutes

4. Resume watching, FF through commercials.

Only sporting events I am watching with others over the phone or true happenings do I watch "live." I quote live because even then I tend to be more buffered than most of my non-DVR friends.


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## Darcaine (Aug 31, 2009)

BubblePuppy said:


> Congress passed a law (I think it passed) so problem solved.!rolling


It was only passed in the HOR so far.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/12/15/politics/main5982822.shtml


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