Bringing down the volume of loud commercials

This was one my many business ideas I had when I was younger. I wanted to create what's called a "ducker" in the audio industry. My device would automatically bring down or mute the volume of advertisements in between the regular programming. Should it be a top priority? definitely not, but I support it.

I don't watch a lot of TV and when I do I rarely watch anything live, so this is really a non-issue for me.

However, I agree completely with the idea. I won't get anywhere though, and I do think there are more important issues than TV ad volume.

Perspective on this one... if a loud commercial is the worst thing that happens to you today, you're having a really good day...

Its great, that we have a government that fully satisfies our populace with honest, straight to Washington representation. ;)

This is good, at least something is being done for people, not just for the rich politicians. Though it really isn't very important.

I can't stand when the commercials are so much louder than the program so you have to hear them from the kitchen. It sucks. I want to shove my face in front of the refrigerator in relative silence. Hell, even the alarm on the refrigerator door can bee so annoying. Everything seems to have an alarm these days. The coffee pot announces when the coffee is done and when it is shutting itself off, so you can run to the pot to get that last hot cup. Or like the dryer when it is done, and done, and done (you know how it keeps tumbling after its done so your stuff doesn't get wrinkled and beeps intermittently?) There are so many sounds and noises everywhere. Some are interesting but some are just down right assaulting.

try watching tv with my parents, I'd have the volume at around 10-15 by myself and I'm half deaf.

they like it at 35.

Then the ads come.....if i ever see an add for shiela's wheels again...

It works my last nerve ... a commercial comes on and it's seemingly several decibals louder than the show I was watching.

Luckily I DVR much of what I watch, hence I can bypass the commercials. I heard somewhere (Thom Hartmann's radio show?) that companies who manufacture DVRs want, in appeasement to advertisers (and their dollars), to disable the ability to fast forward through commercials.

One word: Aaaaaargh!

(is that really a word?)

I just mute them.

God I hate that! One of the most annoying things about watching TV

DVR baby....I'd rather pause live tv for 5 minutes and fast forward through the commercials.

I guess the politicians will do anything to keep people's mind off the recession, the war, or any of the real issues.

Oh well, as long as the volume on my TV stays the same. Everything else seems so trivial in comparison.

I that it is annoying as heel. I have noticed some channels are worse than others when the commercials come on. I believe that the porpoise of the television channels is to generate advertising revenue. I wish it would be to provide entertainment.
Some televisions have "Smart Sound" that are supposed to address this issue of volume increases. I do not like when I am watching movie and I have to turn the volume up to hear what the people are saying, and then whenever the music starts playing WAY TOO LOUD! Why is is that ? Can people who produce DVD's make it so you can hear the characters talk, even when they whisper, and at the same time not have t he music so loud? IS that to much to ask?

if this doesn't annoy you, try it with a 5.1 surround sound home theater.

First, it's too little and too late. This is something that should have been done years ago when it first became a problem.

Second, this matter pales in comparison to other more pertinent issues such as net neutrality and the outright highway robbery being done to online radio stations for royalties to the recording oligarchy, especially when terrestrial radio doesn't pay a penny (and they are often guilty of being paid BY the studios instead of the other way around). THESE two issues should have been dealt with first and foremost.

This is just nothing more than a stalling tactic by the do-nothing, know-nothing Congress.

Quick way to solve the problem. Don't watch TV.

LOL wow...

Well, this is a small step to common sense.

I can relate. One second it's "we'll be back after the commercial" and then suddenly "NEW FREAKIN' WHATEVER COMMERCIAL." The problem though is bigger government, due to the legislation.

Do we really need a law in place to stop loud commercials? I mean, really?

Press mute. Or change the channel.

Yes, there are larger, more important issues in the world, but the government has already proven they're incapable of dealing with big problems, so we're kinda hoping maybe they can handle this little one.

How 'bout a law against annoying commercials, like the new E-surance one?

If this is the best an elected Senator can do, I recommend he be eliminated immediately. It's sad that more people can't see the reality of what is happening with these trivial initiatives.

I think I'm a noise polluter. None of this stuff bothers me and I think Im one of those people that add to the problem. I'm the person in the car that drives up next to you blasting my music for your annoyance. It can't be loud enough. I guess I suck.

Although I agree that commercials in general are way louder than the featured programs, I can't help to think why it has to come down to government regulation. It just seems strange to me. Don't we have other things to worry about regulating? Are my taxes really paying for a debate on TV commercial volumes?

I agree KaT Trina,

Like I said before, if loud TV is the worst thing that happens to you today, you need to find a hobby or something to pass your time.

If that's your biggest problem today... YOU'RE HAVING A GREAT DAY!!!



But I still think it's an interesting discussion.

I am a mute-button ninja. Adapt or die.

finally someone is taking care of this

mute-button ninja

uber cool

so gonna use that (title)

Guess it helps to point out that all broadcasts are at the same level. It already is an FCC regulation.

Both the programs and ads are set to a defined level, that loud beeeeeep that accompanies bars. Everything corresponds to that tone and plays back the same relative to it.

What tends to happen is the show is quiet to increase dramatic effect and the commercial is designed to grab your attention. Unless the ad is recorded into a server improperly it cannot be "louder". What you would think of as louder is actually over-modulated and would distort.

I spent years working Master Control at television stations I've seen how this works and had to answer this question repeatedly.

Wow seriously? As if there aren't other things in the world to worry about, people are complaining about the commercials being louder? I have the perfect solution- pick up the friggin' remote and turn it down, or mute it!

Finally congress is doing important work.

As kafkaesque pointed out, commercials are NOT LOUDER than the program. It is against FCC regulations. But let's pretend volume is on a scale from 1 to 10. As we all know, volume varies with what is in the program. Kissing scenes nearly never go over 5, so when the scene jumps to a busy street, the volume jumps along with it. But at some point in the show, the loudest sound is reached & left behind. But that one loud point determines the volume of the rest of the show. So every show has one point it is at 10. But shows never run full blast all the time. Most shows run from say 3 to 10, spending the bulk of the time in the 6 to 8 range. But talk shows & news programs tend to run a little louder on average, more like 7 to 9. But your average (especially locally produced) commercial will only range between 8 to 10, averaging something like 9.5. So the problem is not commercials too loud, it is programming that is too quiet. But try watching a program that averages 9.5 in volume, you won't like it. (Which is why not many people buy the volume leveling devices.)

As for DVD's being too quiet, again the problem is not some easy fix. Most DVD's of movies use the vastly increased volume range available in a movie theater. If TV runs from 1 to 10, movies would be more like from -10 to 100. Again, for a proper audio recording the peak volume is recored as the loudest and everything else drops away from there. Now if you're watching a DVD on a TV set, you're using one, maybe two, speakers less than 4" in diameter. Just how well do you think they will be able to reproduce sound that goes from listening to people breathing to the roar of combat? They are not. So if the DVD was created for TV speakers, it would be fine. Unless someone else has a better TV than you. Or they have a home theater with 5.1 stereo surround. Since DVD makers know the people who own stereo systems purchase far more DVD's than people with just a TV. So how do you think they are going to mix the audio on the DVD?

So knowing all this I ask, why in the hell is a US Senator proposing a law to regulate something already regulated just the way he proposes? And why in the holy hell does he not know his proposal is in direct opposition to the 1st Amendment?

I can tell you why. He's wants to get his name known with an irrelevant issue that cannot be changed (due to physics, like you can't outlaw gravity) where he can claim he's out to serve the little people. It is a great ploy to convince people he's on their side while he gets piles of money from legislating against the best interest of those very same people. Either that or he's dumber than a dog. (He can be trained but has no idea what's going on.)

There already are laws about commercials volume relative to regular programming. Do you really expect this FCC to enforce any laws that are not PRO big business?

Just look at the drivel on the major networks from ABC to FOX and now sadly PBS which seems fixated on encores of encores of encores of Lawrence Welk necrophilia. It you're looking for old people doing middle of the road music then PBS is your station. What will happen to PBS when all the nursing home residents finally die?

Three letters: DVR!

If you're going to watch TV there is simply no better way. Tune in, turn on and drop the commercials! :-)

It's just one more in the long list of what is wrong with tv these days. I do find it very irritating, though. I use my mute button a lot. It does have one saving point, though. IF I fall asleep in front of the tv, a loud commerical will wake me up long enough to shut off the tv - thereby, reducing my energy use!