Loud commercials actually not that loud, just startling
[Image courtesy of Derrick Logan]
Filed under: Misc, Regulatory, Advertising
[Image courtesy of Derrick Logan]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
NoAndThen @ Jun 30th 2008 8:31PM
I despise the volume of commercials, and really hate having to turn the volume up and down all the time. I've learned to mute the receiver during commercials, it helps slow the brainwashing some. It would be nice to have some option other Dynamic Range Compression, though, as it really sucks having it on, but it sucks having effin loud commercials.
Mike4 @ Jul 1st 2008 10:18PM
Commercials are definitely louder and it really pisses me off because I always have to go scrambling for the remote. With most shows, I can fastforward because of the DVR, but I also either mute the TV or I just flat out change the channel.
andy @ Jul 1st 2008 10:29PM
I have a great idea; normalize the volume in the shows themselves. It's just as annoying to turn it up to hear someone whispering and then get blown out by a scene switch.
IseWise @ Jul 1st 2008 11:53PM
Dolby is working on something to but an end.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070118-8654.html
IseWise @ Jul 1st 2008 11:54PM
Dolby is working on something to put an end to this.
(its one of those days when you just cant seem to type correctly)
Sean T. @ Jul 2nd 2008 1:04AM
As far as network affiliate broadcasters go, I have yet to work for, build or visit a studio that doesn't have a compressor/limiter (either Dolby, Orban, CRS or FMSystems) on the last output stage before heading out to the transmitter. Every broadcaster has been fed up long ago getting phone calls from the public about it - but, in reality people still call in because they "perceive" them as being louder.
Unfortunately, as the article says, programs have low audio levels (especially for dialogue) compared to action scenes or when the commercial comes on and runs full tilt with music and narration to grab everyone's attention.
One place where limiters are not in widespread use is at many cable company headends. The cable companies can insert, on non-local network channels (e.g. HGTV, Sci-Fi, TNT, etc.), a couple or more spots in a given hour on most of their channels once they receive a "cue" tone from the network provider. Their inserted commercial audio can be all over the map even between the spots they insert and it will vary from market-to-market depending on their level of quality control.
It's good to see a pretty well written article on the topic.
dj496 @ Jul 2nd 2008 7:49AM
for me: what ads? I don't watch TV, and I use adblock. And I don't stare at billboards. Works for me...except Tekzilla is annoying the heck out of me...I'm not used to it
ds @ Jul 2nd 2008 8:43AM
This story was incredibly pointless, and not very accurate at all.
Commercials can absolutely be louder than the shows they are injected in. If you watch an entire segment of a show that is dialogue, and then get blasted by commercials that are at the max possible volume, then they will be louder than the show segment you just watched -- this isn't perception it is a fact.
If you happen to watch the one action sequence in the show, then you will also be blasted by it in the same way the commercials blasted you because they were both louder than the other 99% of the show. It isn't perception it is decibels..
Was the point of this article to say the loudest possible volume of a commercial cannot be louder than the loudest possible volume in a tv show? if so im shocked people were surprised to learn this.. but that also isnt entirely true thanks to cable companies like Sean T mentioned.
Michael @ Jul 2nd 2008 9:27AM
The advertisers are just hurting themselves here, when the commercials come on I either mute the TV or change the channel, as do most other people. So by maxing out the volume the advertisers are just pushing the their audience away, in effect dropping their viewer rate.
So listen up advertisers, you want more people to actually watch and listen to your commercials, then stop hurting people's ears.
William C Bonner @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:08PM
So, since I watch nearly all of my TV in a room with a digital 5.1 channel surround system, and most of the sound comes out of the front three channels, I notice differing volumes just up there.
If I was an advertiser, and encoded my sound so it came out in equal parts from all 5 surround points, I'd certainly get the viewers attention.
lakersin2025 @ Jul 2nd 2008 12:25PM
I think the quirt funny commercials are the best because you don't mind watching them. If they blast me with loud volume, stupid people, fast objects that blink and crazy things I am going to get pissed and ff or just turn the damn channel. I really hate that crap.
Bryan O'Bryon @ Jul 2nd 2008 1:11PM
OOOHH so its only the PERCEIVED volume, not that actual volume.
I feel much better now.
genaldar @ Jul 2nd 2008 5:57PM
Didn't RCA or Zenith have a TV that would do some form of automatic volume control so that commercials weren't so loud?
JeffDM @ Jul 4th 2008 1:11PM
Pardon me if I'm incredulous, this "sounds" like a mouthpiece by the ad industry to me. All anyone really needs to do is get one of those sound pressure level meters and watch where the needle hovers during the show, then during a few ads. Perceived or not, if I can still hear it clearly by turning the volume knob down half way when I can't hear the show at that setting, then it's louder as far as I'm concerned.