Loud commercials are getting louder.

[3HaloODST]

HI, BILLY MAYS HERE.

 

[cave1376]

HEY BILLY, WHAT PRODUCT DID YOU USE TO BRING YOU BACK FROM THE DEAD? AND CAN I GET IT FOR UNDER $20?

It's not jush Dish, Directv and Time Warner, have loud commercials. Most of the loud commercials are on the local channels. Some of the national channels have loud commercials, but not as loud or many as the local channels.

 

[sam_gordon]

There is down sides to volume leveling such as bomb blasts etc. I have also noticed when watching some older films such as Gunsmoke that during a scene that is quiet you can hear the volume level go up to the point you hear noise from the old sound tracks. Then when someone does talk it is loud for a couple milliseconds.

I would prefer they fix the loud commercials. I do mute them and have noticed they have more graphics with messages like you would use for the deaf. So they know what they are doing and compensate for those of us that mute by providing visual information about the commercial.

The problem is if you look at a commercial's level on a standard VU meter, it is correct. The commercial (with rare exceptions) does have proper levels. The 5.1 content also has proper levels. The problem is the switch between the two. There are boxes that will convert 2.0 content to 5.1 and pass a 5.1, but they do cost $$.

For what it's worth, I notice if I play a 5.1 movie on my DVD player, I need to turn up the sound. If, after the movie, I go to watch a 2.0 channel (satellite or OTA), I need to turn the sound down.