Loud Commercials make me MAD!

[Harrison476]

Does anyone know technically how the broadcasts medium are able to raise the sound level of the commercials. Even back before AC-3, before amp, receivers were catching on to show how good sound improved the television event. I had trouble with increased sound volume from commercials. Even listening to my regular TV stereo speakers I was frustrated by loud commercials. Now that I have excellent A/V equipment to listen to a fine satellite broadcast, I am extremely annoyed to the disturbing commercials increased loudness. The only thing I can do is hold the remote in my hand an mute the commercials. I heard some of the new receivers are finally tackling the problem.

I would just like to understand:

1. Why they have the rights to increase the sound levels?
2. Technically how is it done?
3 Is there equipment that consumer can purchase to give his right back to control his volume?

 

[jostenmeat]

2. Compression up the yin yang.

3. New receivers are now coming with Audyssey Dynamic Volume. Also, if you can get a DVR, you can fast forward thru commercials, but I see you already have remote in hand for muting.

*sorry. Or you can do like me, and just forgo TV viewing.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Makes me mad too....

 

[croseiv]

Me too man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mouettus]

Have you ever saw the Discovery HD channel commercial on discovery? Claiming better sound and image? Noticed how much louder the sound was?! That is just to fool some people into thinking... WOW! IT'S LOUDER... MORE DYNAMIC!!!

pffff!


My Sony tv has an option for the loud commercials... it automatically adjusts the peaks. sorta like the audissey thing (or other names for other companies). I'm not sure my yamaha does. I think it's called night mode.

 

[Nawlins]

Audyssey Dynamic Volume Control

I was reading up on the Audyssey Website....

What AV Receivers are coming out with this,

and do they also come with the Audyssey Dynamic Equilization as well ???

 

[Adam]

Don't get mad, get even. Yell at the TV.

 

[Alex2507]

My cable box has a DRC (dynamic range compresion) feature aka night mode as mentioned by mouettus. My receiver has one also that has a mid and max level adjustment but only works with a digital signal. That one is where it's at for me.

Awhile ago I read a post by a member who worked for an ad agency I believe. There aren't any rules and reg's covering volume and the ad guys crank it up so that their costumers don't come back to them and complain about brand X having a louder commercial.

Yelling at your TV will get you nowhere. However giving your sub a good kick in the woofer ought to show the other speakers who's boss.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I don't watch commercials. If I want to see a TV show, I buy it on DVD.

 

[fmw]

Technically, they use a severe amount of compression. That raises the quiet parts and lowers the loud parts. That allows them to increase the gain back to red line with more volume since the peaks are less severe.

It must work on someone because they continue to do it after decades. Personally, I tune them out when they get loud because they make me angry too. We must be in a minority.

 

[cornelius]

That's exactly what happens... The whole mix is just slammed with compression/limiter, and it doesn't budge.
Some mixers are more cut throat than others - it's also in the EQ - a lot of commercial mixers haven't worked on albums much, so that mixing subtlety isn't there. A guy that I like to use just keeps things sounding right without being too harsh. Some of these guys still mix like we're hearing commercials through cheap TV speakers, which I don't think is the case anymore.

 

[emorphien]

Technically, they use a severe amount of compression. That raises the quiet parts and lowers the loud parts. That allows them to increase the gain back to red line with more volume since the peaks are less severe.

It must work on someone because they continue to do it after decades. Personally, I tune them out when they get loud because they make me angry too. We must be in a minority.

Right, they can't raise the peak level but they have increased the average sound level for the commercial. It's incredibly annoying. A friend had downloaded some show from the UK and the show actually faded in apparent volume between commercial breaks. Since the commercials had been edited out it would just start loud then fade fade fade then all of a sudden it was louder again and then it would start fading all over again.

Incredibly annoying.

 

[3db]

Depends on the commercial. If they make me laugh, doesn't bother me. If they are annoying as hell...then..