View Full Version : TV Advert Volume... ARGH!
This is becomming ever more annoying...
I get my TV to a volume thats nice... then the adverts come on and deafen me. What in the gods name. Why?
It could be that the TV's cheap and on its way out, but im thinking its more those scamming advertisers.
If i change channel to a non-showing-advert channel and flick back, the tv is at the low level, but on the next advert, wham! deafened again.
Is it just me?
CrowHitsJet
05-06-2006, 21:19
It's true, I've noticed it. I mute the television when the adverts come on though.
paradigm
05-06-2006, 21:21
You are quite right, I've noticed some of the cheapo music channels on sky really go to town with this effect.
Blackrose
05-06-2006, 21:23
me to,up and down like a yoyo :nuts:
I does happen occasionally but not to often that is bothers me, I usually channel surf when the adverts are on anyway.
snowball
05-06-2006, 21:54
i don't usually notice this, but a similar problem has been bugging me. The Disney Cinemagic channel has a habit of broadcasting on really low volume. Not sure why because it really hampers the experience of watching it ...
You are all imagining it ! The Radio Times explained this common misbelief. It is against OfCom regulations and after an extensive investigation only one set of adverts has ever been found to breach these volume regulations.
Of course I think they are lying and it happens all the time.
Ofcom recently criticised Five for the volume of their adverts during a screening of Groundhog Day earlier this year. The worst example of "loud" adverts compared to the programmes they interrupt seems to be on the UK TV channels...
Discussed here (http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?t=262479).
Reverend Scapegoat
05-06-2006, 22:15
Sky One do it all the blimmin' time!
Especially noticable moments being the doorbell in the Domino's ads during The Simpsons.
danielsesay
05-06-2006, 22:15
IIRC, it's so people can hear the adverts while making a cup of tea in the kitchen. The MTV Channels are notorious for this. It bugs the hell out of me!
All this volume increasing for adverts drives me up the wall! I usually leave the room or press the mute button in disgust! :mad:
You are all imagining it ! The Radio Times explained this common misbelief. It is against OfCom regulations and after an extensive investigation only one set of adverts has ever been found to breach these volume regulations.
Of course I think they are lying and it happens all the time.
I read that article too. I think they have a loophole though. Whereas a normal programme goes up and down within certain boundaries you dont notice the loud bits, but when it's an advert they do something so it's at the top of the boundary all the time.
They may not have breached Ofcom but surely the fact that people perceive it as louder and it ****** them off should be noted.
William Shatners Wig
05-06-2006, 22:33
This is even worse on the XFM (streaming) radio station, so much so that we now listen to University Radio for Nottingham at work, even though we're in North Devon.
MetalGearAl
06-06-2006, 05:58
I does happen occasionally but not to often that is bothers me, I usually channel surf when the adverts are on anyway.
You're not watching the adverts? You do realise you're funding terrorism, right? :mad:
i might just ditch the TV license and actually watch the stuff i download.
Mr Majestik
06-06-2006, 10:13
This is even worse on the XFM (streaming) radio station, so much so that we now listen to University Radio for Nottingham at work, even though we're in North Devon.
Why would you listen to XFM streaming when there's BBC 6 music? :thinking:
More to the point, why the hell would you listen to URN??!? I refused to listen to that crap when I actually lived 50 yards from the station on campus. I can't begin to understand why you'd voluntarily listen to it from Devon...
i might just ditch the TV license
What's the TV License got to do with adverts :shrug:
Rollocop
06-06-2006, 11:31
Yeah, annoys the hell out of me, 'specially at night when the other half has gone to bed leaving me watching tv.
I find it annoying in some films as well, the talking bits are quiet so you pop the volume up only to be deafened by theme music when some action kicks in !!
FlangeMonkey
06-06-2006, 11:37
I only really notice this on Sky 0nc - I always thought it was to do with them using versions of US shows that had origninally been in DD5.1, then downmixing them to stereo seems to normalize them lower than the volumes for the standard stereo adverts...
What's the TV License got to do with adverts :shrug:
Well, BBC1, when they're interupting trailers/adverts for themselves to show programmes, have a tendancy to reduce the volume, so you crank it up then get deafened a few minutes later.
jeffstarr
06-06-2006, 12:19
IIRC you can complain to OFCOM as there are guidelines at how much louder adverts can be when compared to the main programming.
What's the TV License got to do with adverts :shrug:
no tv license no tv to be bothered by, no big monopolies making money from me.
What's the TV License got to do with adverts :shrug:
No TV License and then BBC will have to show ads too! :oh-hum:
No TV License and then BBC will have to show ads too! :oh-hum:
Exactly although i do agree with the comment above that the BBC trailers do sometimes exhibit this.
andybhoy
06-06-2006, 13:19
No TV License and then BBC will have to show ads too! :oh-hum:
Good.
William Shatners Wig
06-06-2006, 13:37
Why would you listen to XFM streaming when there's BBC 6 music? :thinking:
More to the point, why the hell would you listen to URN??!? I refused to listen to that crap when I actually lived 50 yards from the station on campus. I can't begin to understand why you'd voluntarily listen to it from Devon...
I find XFM and URN the best radio stations to cover everyone's taste in the open plan office of 20+ people... If we have Radio 6 on just for us 3 in IT we get moaned at, and we can't stick the repetitiveness of Radio 1 / Virgin (or Jo Whiley) or the naff-ness of the BBC or commercial Local radio.
I read that article too. I think they have a loophole though. Whereas a normal programme goes up and down within certain boundaries you dont notice the loud bits, but when it's an advert they do something so it's at the top of the boundary all the time.
Yup - if you think of your average TV drama, conversation occurs at a fairly middling level, so when someone shouts there's room to make it louder, and when there's an explosion or something, there's still room to go louder still. Because TV shows need to use a large range of volumes, the average volume for a normal conversation is fairly low.
Now consider a 30 second advert. In most cases it's just one person telling you about some offer or what not. There's no need to have louder or quieter bits, as there's no big explosion that you want to make louder than the rest. As such, you just make all of the advert as loud as the explosion.
Drysolder
07-06-2006, 02:39
Now consider a 30 second advert. In most cases it's just one person telling you about some offer or what not. There's no need to have louder or quieter bits, as there's no big explosion that you want to make louder than the rest. As such, you just make all of the advert as loud as the explosion.
Ah, but that becomes a problem, because advertisers will want their ad to be just that bit louder than a competitor.
I find this 'loudness' is a real problem on Sky promos, especially the one they've got running for Sky Movies (the one that's got the "Everyone loves Saturday Night" theme) - it's so boosted and then compressed it just distorts on the TV set I watch it on, that I have to stick it on mute.
Pablo_Escobar
07-06-2006, 05:20
Discussed here (http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?t=262479).
also here: http://www.thedvdforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=377630&highlight=groundhog
It's funny I found that thread yesterday when doing a search for groundhog day.
No TV License and then BBC will have to show ads too! :oh-hum:
They show enough ads for their own programs anyway.
also here: http://www.thedvdforums.co.uk/forum...light=groundhog
That is from almost a year ago, you have a good memory.
Pablo_Escobar
07-06-2006, 07:28
They show enough ads for their own programs anyway.
That is from almost a year ago, you have a good memory.
I never actually read it the first time it was started! It was just by chance I found and read it yestreday while doing a search for Groundhog day! I was surprised I hadn't seen it first time round, as the loud adverts really get on my nerves. Nothing seems to have been done about it though!!
Raigmore
07-06-2006, 08:22
The worst is the #@%$&*#! AXA insurance advertisement that comes on during the cricket. Every time that woman runs screaming into the wedding, I keep wishing that someone shoots her and claims the insurance. :help: :gag: :help: :doh: :brickwall
MrHat001
07-06-2006, 08:26
The stupid one with Tess Daily going on about yougurt always seems to be louder than the the other ads to me.
Gingerdawn
07-06-2006, 09:08
Thank you MrHat001 - I thought it was my TV till I found this thread!!! Sounds like it's going to blow my speakers on some channels!
danjaq2004
07-06-2006, 17:31
24 is very quiet on SkyOne, then the adverts blast at you.
Ah, but that becomes a problem, because advertisers will want their ad to be just that bit louder than a competitor.
Exactly, so it's not something that will ever be fixed by advert makers just deciding to stop doing it, as everyone stops then there's the opportunity for one company to make thier ad stand out by doing it again.
It has to be regulated from on high, it's the only way around this.
-edit: it's also getting counter-productive now as a lot of people just mute the set when the ads come on.
essex_max
09-06-2006, 08:05
Sky+ saves me again! :)
Ditto. I don't actually watch adverts anymore. :thumbs:
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