This is just my gripe. What's the deal with each network having such vastly different sound volumes? Like Letterman is blazing loud, especially that crazy Paul Shaffer, but Leno is much quieter and you can hardly hear what Kevin Eubanks says... some upper channels are really quiet.

There is a thread on here that details the different methods each network uses to produce their surround sound. The metadeta in CBS' signal, I believe, kicks up the attenuation on your receiver making it appear to be 5 - 10db louder than all the rest. For more info on this visit DOLBY LABS (http://www.dolby.com/professional/pro_audio_engineering/solutions_digital51.html)

The Dolby Digital dialnorm value, which controls a volume attenuator in the decoder, has been inconsistent between the networks. The bigger the negative number is, the louder the sound. Here are the present values for each OTA network:

CBS/CW= -31db (no attentuation - unity level)
Fox = -25db (6db attenuation)
NBC= -22db (9db attenuation)

ABC does not send network dialnorm, so it's determined by the station. Also each station sets their dialnorm for the local programming. The intention of the dialnorm value was to represent the loudness of the dialog on a program basis. So far that hasn't happened yet. The mixdown value also has an affect on loudness.

I can't believe that all consumers are going to tolerate this inconsistency.

Where do I send my proverbial slap in the face?

Wait a minute, maybe my TV has an auto volume feature...

I can't believe that all consumers are going to tolerate this inconsistency.

Where do I send my proverbial slap in the face?

Wait a minute, maybe my TV has an auto volume feature...

You know we live in an age where occasionally there is more wrong with television than there is right with it, and unfortunately I think most consumers have gotten used to that fact (or even worse see it as normal). Graphics covering up the screen, opinion posing as journalism, bad audio, even worse video, etc. Honestly I'm not sure that the vast majority consumers of watching on their 20" TV even notice or care. High-end HD 5.1 viewers still represent an overwhelming minority (and even a lot of them don't notice stuff like this or care). And the networks don't really care what the other network is doing unless it somehow relates to their ratings or profit margin (which dialnorm levels do not).

Have you ever listened to MHD? Their levels are all over the place, especially some of their promos they run.

If anyone wants to complain, please write to the station managers of the various stations, with a copy to the chief engineer. Now, more importantly, ask them to correct the problem by correctly matching levels and setting them to the proper DialNorm values.....NOT by adding a bunch of automatic levelling gizmoes. Be sure you specify that....no relying on automatic gadgets.

Otherwise, we'll just wind up with more "everything is equally loud and bad", like we have in analog now.