home theater questions

[Chris.]

i have a cheap walmart brand home theater system.... cost maybe 100 bux....

ive had it for 5 years or so...
anyway... i hooked it up the other day and was messing with it.

although the sound is nice... id like better... but there are some options id like also... ill explain

i have directv...anyone who has directv will notice that some commercials are extremely loud... and others not... as well as some shows or movies are very quiet... making you turn up the sound to listen... then when the commercials come... ear bleeding noise...

id like to know if there is some type of system that will notice this change and compensate?

i would mute it everytime but... i like the noise.. just want a lower level... so is there anything that where i could just hit a button to lower the sound drastically? almost like a car stereo that has that ATT button... where it wont mute it.. it will turn it way down... this is what im looking for really. i hate to keep picking up the remote every 10 min to adjust the volume....

and you guys know.... there will be some amazing show on that both you and your spouse will be watching and your really into.... and there wont be conversation between the 2 of you until the commercials. then the commercials come.... and a conversation breaks out...but you have to turn the f**king tv down cause you cant hear over the commercials. or... when your kids are asleep and your watching a quiet movie.... then the commercials... and they f**king wake up.....

 

[buzzbombtom]

tivo? prerecord everything?

 

[Chris.]

LOL!

i have DVR.... but no.... im not gonna do that...

 

[Shiznit]

im going to go ahead and assume that when commercials are loud it is because you are on an HD channel. the reason why it gets loud for commercials then the shows are quiet is because commercials are not shot in HD. thats my reasoning anyway. as far as im aware a system that can compensate for the change in volume would be rather expensive. those are all assumptions of course, maybe someone with better knowledge can chime in.

 

[buzzbombtom]

the ads are loud because its a marketing scheme, ie it gets your attention no matter how annoying. it is not allowed on network tv. but on cable its allowed,,

 

[Matt.]

This question is better suited for Marc... I think thats his name anyways.

 

[$lick Rick]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17229281/ns/business-consumer_news/

read

 

[1999stockaccord]

Chris-
There are a few options, none that are bulletproof.
The only commercially available units are like this- http://www.smarthome.com/7848T/TV-Volume-Regulator-VR-1/p.aspx

The problem there is if you are connected to your surround sound system with a S/PDIF (digital coax, or Toslink) then its worthless, because it only works on analog audio signals. FYI- S/PDIF = Sony/Phillips Digital Interconnect Format aka digital multi-channel audio.

Sorry I couldn't have better news or help. PM me if you want one of those boxes, I might have one that is surplus... Feel free to PM or IM me any other questions, I don't frequent these parts much anymore.

 

[Billy.]

the FX channel is really bad about it. i used to have DirecTV and of all the channels FX was by far the worst for fluctuating volume

 

[bizoneoeh]

it's not only with direct tv. I have comcast and some shows/movies are very low and some comercials are very loud. You just have to anticipate it while holding the remote.



but I watch my s**t on HD and I think that's why the programs are low while the comercials are loud. I'm guessing because we have hd, they automatically assume we have a home theater setup and I don't. My JVC tv has VERY good sound quality.



My JVC HD tv has an option for that, to lower the volume automatically when it goes up but I don't like that feature. When I'm watching a movie and it gets loud with an explosion or something the volume lowers. The thing is when it goes back to the dialog, it stays low for a minute and I f**king hate that.



I just DVR everything and FFWD through the comercials.

 

[Chris.]

it's not only with direct tv. I have comcast and some shows/movies are very low and some comercials are very loud. You just have to anticipate it while holding the remote.



but I watch my s**t on HD and I think that's why the programs are low while the comercials are loud. I'm guessing because we have hd, they automatically assume we have a home theater setup and I don't. My JVC tv has VERY good sound quality.



My JVC HD tv has an option for that, to lower the volume automatically when it goes up but I don't like that feature. When I'm watching a movie and it gets loud with an explosion or something the volume lowers. The thing is when it goes back to the dialog, it stays low for a minute and I f**king hate that.



I just DVR everything and FFWD through the comercials.

if you ahve ever watched the movie U-571.... you would know exactly what i was talking about... and it is exactly as you describe