straydog Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 Since getting a new digital tv I have noticed that the volume of the ad breaks seem a lot louder than the tv shows. I particularly noticed it during the channel 10 news. Is it just me? I find it so annoying. It seems to be worse on digital than on analogue.
Saxon Hall Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 Since getting a new digital tv I have noticed that the volume of the ad breaks seem a lot louder than the tv shows. I particularly noticed it during the channel 10 news. Is it just me? I find it so annoying. It seems to be worse on digital than on analogue. I have been watching Digital TV for about 3 years and IMO there is no difference in ad break sound levels between analogue and digital.
Yapab Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 +1 to there is a difference, we can hear it on most ad breaks. I've even started pressing mute each time an ad appaers, its quite a bit louder. Yapa
Shonky* Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 I don't think it's any different to analogue. Just the standard audio compression used for years and years. There are actually regulations which define how loud they can be which is why they use compression since it keeps the overall sound output down, but makes it "seem" louder.
alanh Posted June 18, 2008 Posted June 18, 2008 All, You should remember that there is two possible sound tracks to Broadcast DTV. MPEG2 This is a compressed stereo channel AC3 whcih is 5.1 surround uncompressed signal. If you select this track on a STB or digital TV (Not surround amplifier) you will get a 2 channel stereo sound. It has less compression. Note not all Standard definition signals carry AC3 sound and not all SD receivers can decode it. AlanH
djOS Posted June 18, 2008 Posted June 18, 2008 It's definately worse on the HD channels imo - if watching live tv (which is mainly the news or sport) I find myself having to lower the volume during ads by around 10db!!!!!
Shonky* Posted June 18, 2008 Posted June 18, 2008 (edited) All,You should remember that there is two possible sound tracks to Broadcast DTV. MPEG2 This is a compressed stereo channel AC3 whcih is 5.1 surround uncompressed signal. If you select this track on a STB or digital TV (Not surround amplifier) you will get a 2 channel stereo sound. It has less compression. Note not all Standard definition signals carry AC3 sound and not all SD receivers can decode it. AlanH AC3 is NOT uncompressed. If you select AC3 on the box and it can decode it you will get the AC3 L/R channels or probably some mixed version of that only. "Less (audio) compression" does NOT mean the volume will be quieter. I'm not talking about lossy compression anyway. I'm talking about dynamic compression. Totally different thing. The AC3 track is definitely quieter than the regular MPEG2 track though. However once the initial volume is set the commercials aren't any louder than normal. Edited June 18, 2008 by Shonky*
Thudd1503560234 Posted June 18, 2008 Posted June 18, 2008 Yes, I'm finding the volume on ads on the digital channels MUCH louder than analogue. Whether that's perception or reality doesn't matter, the effect is me reaching for the volume control during each ad break because it's so %$^*ing annoying, especially if I have the program turned up loud to begin with.
Topdog Posted June 18, 2008 Posted June 18, 2008 Watching 10HD recently, sound on through amp and a promo for the AFL telecast later in the week came on and the sound suddenly JUMPED and my amp light up like Luna Park. It was been broadcast in 5.1 Multichannel...Nothing else, just the ad...
suprfast06 Posted June 18, 2008 Posted June 18, 2008 Yup, the ads are actually a lot noisier not louder if that makes sense !
DrP Posted June 18, 2008 Posted June 18, 2008 Its all about dynamic range. While the ads may not technically be louder than the peak of the regular programs, their audio volume range is compressed and pushed towards the upper ranges making the ads stand out more. As far as ads standing out more on digital TV its to be expected. If a TV network can provide 5.1 audio and that allows an advertiser to make the viewer's LFE speaker (or other channels) go rumble rumble 'take notice of me' they are going to do it to grab viewer attention.
BribieG Posted June 18, 2008 Posted June 18, 2008 It's not just the ads. I was in my computer room this morning and the whole unit was going "donk donk donk" like there was a hoon passing in the street with a subwoofer in the car boot. It went on for over a minute so I emerged from my den to see what was going on because it was a tad early for hoons - It was actually coming from the 5.1 in the lounge room, the Australian Network News or Asian news or whatever they call it, doing their wrap up around the region of the weather in Mumbai, Honiara etc and had this supposedly busy and exciting music going on in the background.
straydog Posted June 19, 2008 Author Posted June 19, 2008 Its all about dynamic range. While the ads may not technically be louder than the peak of the regular programs, their audio volume range is compressed and pushed towards the upper ranges making the ads stand out more.As far as ads standing out more on digital TV its to be expected. If a TV network can provide 5.1 audio and that allows an advertiser to make the viewer's LFE speaker (or other channels) go rumble rumble 'take notice of me' they are going to do it to grab viewer attention. Regardless of the technical method of making the adds appear louder it is particularly annoying and I think it it more likely to have the opposite effect for the tv stations/ advertisers because viewers are more likely to mute/turn volume down/switch to another channel during the adds instead of just sit and watch the commercial breaks. I think people should complain to the broadcasters and put pressure on them to have a consistent volume level for shows and adds.
tre30 Posted June 19, 2008 Posted June 19, 2008 If you use AC3Filter you can use normalisation and or AGC too manually control dB levels, works reasonably well.
Hosko Posted June 19, 2008 Posted June 19, 2008 Regardless of the technical method of making the adds appear louder it is particularly annoying and I think it it more likely to have the opposite effect for the tv stations/ advertisers because viewers are more likely to mute/turn volume down/switch to another channel during the adds instead of just sit and watch the commercial breaks. I think people should complain to the broadcasters and put pressure on them to have a consistent volume level for shows and adds. Using a peak program meter broadcast TV should have a maximum level of PPM5. You might get the an occasional peak higher but it should usually sit on or below PPM5. A TV program doesn't want to always sit at the maximum level, for instance you would want an explosion to sound louder then someone whispering. so normal dialogue might have a level of PPM4, whispering PPM3 and explosions right up at PPM5. During normal dialogue different words will have different audio levels, if you emphasise a word it is usually louder. What compression can do is raise the audio level up so it is all at an equal level. This is then added to music and another other effects that are also compressed up to an average audio level and the final audio level is set at PPM5. What this means is where a program will go from quiet moments to loud moments where as a commercial will have one audio level at the upper limits of what is allowable. There is strict rules about what levels are allowable and dynamic range, its called OP48 and all commercials have to be compliant.
Guest marcusg6 Posted June 27, 2008 Posted June 27, 2008 Since getting a new digital tv I have noticed that the volume of the ad breaks seem a lot louder than the tv shows. I particularly noticed it during the channel 10 news. Is it just me? I find it so annoying. It seems to be worse on digital than on analogue. Adds are designed to be louder to grab your attention. It is a marketing skill used by the netowrks, more so during kids programs to attract the kids attention. They are also generally more colorful too, all about making money.
ssar Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 Regardless of the technical method of making the adds appear louder it is particularly annoying and I think it it more likely to have the opposite effect for the tv stations/ advertisers because viewers are more likely to mute/turn volume down/switch to another channel during the adds instead of just sit and watch the commercial breaks. I think people should complain to the broadcasters and put pressure on them to have a consistent volume level for shows and adds. +1 This has been a pet peeve of mine as well, for many years. And this ongoing practice should now be penalized by much stricter legislation and technical requirements for the effective audio volume of all ads - it should now be markedly less than that of the programs. As it is, let's hope that it is actually having "the opposite effect for the tv stations/ advertisers because viewers are more likely to mute/turn volume down/switch to another channel" - this, and more complaints about it should be encouraged.
Felix.. Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 (edited) Another reason why I avoid watching much live FTA at all, except for some news and sport. They ads are actually remarkable quiet when you hit the FF or skip buttons on your PVR's remote. Edited June 29, 2008 by Felix.
alanh Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 All, The higher the volume is turned up the greater the difference between loud and soft. Some will be able to use a lower volume if the subtitling on page 801 is used as well. AlanH
Anarchi Posted July 1, 2008 Posted July 1, 2008 Yup, the ads are actually a lot noisier not louder if that makes sense ! So true, those annoying harveynorman and domayne ads come to mind lol. Some ads I can bare, but when these ones come on, the Mute button is my best friend. Many programs are not as loud (especially movies) because the volume is designed to suite the scene, i.e. in an action scene, the volume is double. Ads are so loud because they are set to max volume to grab the attention of the listener and boost profits, but it has the reverse effect on many people. No one wants to shop at a loud and obnoctious store that has ADD
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