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Films on TV, music too loud, speech too quiet!
mr henderson - 30/10/08 at 02:25 PM

It's been going on for years and it's not getting any better. I watch quite a few films but it is quite a nuisance having to keep using the remote control to increase the volume til we can hear what the characters are saying to each other, only to get our ears reamed when the sound track includes some music.

Why do they do this? Do they consider the music more important than the words?
Does this annoy anyone else?

Thank you for reading my rant

John


donut - 30/10/08 at 02:28 PM

Yep we have the same problem, bloody annoying it is!!

The only way round it was having 5.1 surround so you can increase the middle speaker which does the speech. Each speaker can be individually altered for volume which helped!


Mr Whippy - 30/10/08 at 02:31 PM

many telly’s have a equaliser like function that you can increase the treble etc so that speech is clearer and you can also reduce the base from music. Strangely enough cheep and nasty tv's like I have (it's got a big tube and cost £100 new ) don't have this problem at all. But many folk I know whole have new fangled ones also have complained about this.


02GF74 - 30/10/08 at 02:33 PM

subtitle button?


mr henderson - 30/10/08 at 02:42 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
many telly’s have a equaliser like function that you can increase the treble etc so that speech is clearer and you can also reduce the base from music. Strangely enough cheep and nasty tv's like I have (it's got a big tube and cost £100 new ) don't have this problem at all. But many folk I know whole have new fangled ones also have complained about this.


Our's is a quite old, big Sony stereo. It's got all the EQ stuff but it hasn't helped, unfortunately. I'll have to look into the 5.1 stuff. Do the films on TV have the surround stuff? Can I get some kind of adaptor, box or something?

John


Mr Whippy - 30/10/08 at 02:49 PM

how about getting a set of external speakers instead and plugging them in, even use your hifi, you may find that the original tv speaker is well past its best, most old tvs have very basic ones, but usually have either the L & R connectors or at the minimum a headphone jack.


jabbahutt - 30/10/08 at 03:02 PM

if you watch through your video channel and connect the audio out from your vcr/dvd to the stereo you should notice a decent improvement in speech.

I did this and the things you notice that you didn't before is unbelieveable.

What bugs me is when the program is low in volume then goes to an advert and nearly blows the windows out because you forgot you'd cranked it up to listen to the program.


flak monkey - 30/10/08 at 03:19 PM

Its a surround sound thing, annoying when watching on a normal TV. When watchin a 5.1 recording through stereo speakers the mix is wrong.

Make sure your DVD player is set to output in stereo only and in the audio options for the DVD you are watching set it to stereo. Same on the TV if necessary. This should make the levels come right again.

Most DVD players have a volume equaliser which reduces the difference between the loudest and softest point in the range.


Mr Whippy - 30/10/08 at 03:23 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jabbahutt
What bugs me is when the program is low in volume then goes to an advert and nearly blows the windows out because you forgot you'd cranked it up to listen to the program.


Barry Scott must Die



matt_claydon - 30/10/08 at 04:24 PM

Adverts are broadcast louder as they know people leave the room to make tea or go to the bog so they increase the volume to make sure you can still hear the drivel.


Jasper - 30/10/08 at 04:39 PM

Yeah - I find it when watching movie's on the 5.1 surround sound. Really loud during action sequences (have to turn it down for the neighbours) then have to turn it up when they start mumbling again....


joneh - 30/10/08 at 05:00 PM

Sounds like the sound settings are wrong for your TV.

Are you watching through Sky or a freeview box? Chances are you have the settings in the box set to 5.1 / Dolbly etc instead of simple stereo.

HTH.


Shadowcaster - 30/10/08 at 05:01 PM

Just found this Link which explaines why but there is something on the way to combat the problem


Aboardman - 30/10/08 at 05:33 PM

same thing is the sound louder on the porno channels than normal film channels,

I have to keep changing the sound whilst flicking between the 2 whilst watching in bed.