[patroadrunner]

well little by little i'm piecing my a/v set up, i just got the sony (dg1000)replacing my very old kenwood h.t. system my question is now that i've hooked it up when i watch tv everytime the channel changes or program changes the volume changes with it from loud to low and vice versa am i missing something? any help, tips,tweaks or advice is greatly appreciated since this is my first real reciever.thanks,pat

 

[Gizmologist]

Television stations used to incorporate limiters and compressors in the audio chain at the studios. These devices narrowed the level fluctuations in the sound track as they used to switch from film to video tape to live mics. During commercials (under pressure from the advertisers) they would momentarily disable the limiters so the commercials came through louder than the program material.


Currently the agreement between the parties and the FCC is that the commercial audio cannot be higher than the loudest section of the program audio. So if you have a loud explosion in the soundtrack, that is the max allowable volume for the commercial audio track.


There are external after market limiters available to combat this annoyance.


I had to install one while ol Billy Mays was still hawking his junk. RIP Billy.

 

[JHAz]

As I understand it, FCC limits maximum volume. Commercials are usually compressed dynamically more than program material, so that their average level, which is what really matter for listeners, is much higher than the program material, even though the commercials never exceed the FCC maximum.


I don't know your receiver. If it has THX's volume leveling program (can't remember what it's called) it could help. Audyssey dynamic volume and Dolby volume are intended to deal with this phenomenon (among other things).

 

[patroadrunner]

i'll look for it thanks

 

[duvetyne]



Quote:
As I understand it, FCC limits maximum volume.

MAximum audio level is determined by the maximum modulation level, which is 100%, always.

 

[tvrgeek]



Quote:
Originally Posted by duvetyne /forum/post/16896040


MAximum audio level is determined by the maximum modulation level, which is 100%, always.

They don't always take that much care. Cable companies are far worse. Comcast used to mess with the channel to channel all the time. Direct TV was not as bad, FIOS is not too bad.

 

[duvetyne]



Quote:
They don't always take that much care.

You're right, it's usually under 100% modulation, since over 100% would result in distortion.

Most cable companies don't even demodulate the received signals, so they can't 'adjust' the audio.