Commercials TOO Loud

[joesgirl]

Is anyone else sick and tired of commercials that are 3 times louder than the shows?!!! There has to be something Verizon can do about this.  I'm thinking about switching back to Comcast or going to Direct TV.

[jumpin68ny]

OMG, I thought it was just me.  My wife and I are getting really upset the volume difference between the show and the commercial.  We watch our TV on volume level 3-4 which is not that loud but when the commercial comes on we have to grab the remote quickly and turn it down to 1.  Our kids are sleeping so its very disruptive.  

Anyone have thoughts on this would be appreciated, and quickly.....

[Bob_Robertson]

Just Google "Commercials TOO Loud"

It has been an ongoing "complaint" for like 30 years....

But there was a recent article that the FCC may finally do something about it

It is not a Verizon thing

[jumpin68ny]

I will agree that it comes back to the broadcasters but having recently switched from DirecTV, the loudness is much more noticeable with FIOS vs. DirecTV.  We never had to turn down the volume as much as we do now.

[amymac]

I agree.  I had the problem with Time Warner, but it is much more noticeable with Verizon.  MUCH

[VZ_JoeD]

Regarding your discussion about commercials being louder than the program, I would really like to ask if you can provide :

City
State
Date
Channel
Specific commercial
Time (within 30 minutes)

when you notice the commercial audio get louder than the program. This will help us to isolate if Verizon may be able to improve your viewing experiences.

[Weaver_Family]

Oh wow, I thought it was just at our house! This happens to our VerizonFiOS programming everyday, but here's an example:

City  Sarasota

State  FL

Date  10/03/09

Channel  Speed 83

Specific Commercial  Barrett Jackson's Auctions & the following commercial

Time  9:45am

[spacedebris]

Well Verizon could do something about it but they likely will not. This was a major selling point for Verizon. Verizon is the only company out right now that does not alter the audio and video from the broadcaster (or as little as possible for conversion and compression needs). Most companies (Direct TV, Comcast, Time Warner, etc) all take the signal sent to them by the broadcaster then alter the audio and video for their own needs. Verizon advertised and has stuck to that promise of not altering the signal and sending it to the customer in the way that the broadcaster intended. This is both good and bad. For those of us that want unaltered signals so that we can get the best possible clarity and performance this is perfect. However the downside is that the commercials come in loud because the channels purposely turn the commercial volumes up. They are actually paid by many commercial companies to do this. Supposedly to get your attention. You'll notice that even the companies like Direct TV that do try and moderate the volume, wont do so during special events. Like the Superbowl. During these special events the broadcasters require that the cable companies not turn down the commercials. But during standard broadcasting, they still require the volume on the commercials to be louder but the cable companies are able to turn it down to the point that it is almost not noticeable. Verizon on the other hand, when they were getting into the TV business did focus groups and polls to cable customers for what they liked and didnt like from the cable companies and one of the major complaints was that the cable companies would alter the signal and that the customers were not getting the true broadcast. So Verizon decided to not alter the signal. Now it would be nice if they could alter only the commercials but that really isn't possible, its either all or nothing. So in order to get unaltered programming and movies, we also have to deal with unaltered commercials.

[DCGTLS]

My biggest complaint is the commercials for FIOS on FIOS. Those commercials are louder than any others, I can be accross the house and it is very loud. But I would say about 40% of the commercials have a higher volume than the show.

City: Apple Valley

State: CA

Date: every day

Channel: all channels that run Verizon FIOS commercials

Specific commercial: see above

Time: all times

[JHNYC]

My wife and I have been struggling with the issue of loud commercials since we changed to FIOS 18 months ago. I understand from reading this thread that it's an industry wide issue. However, we were TIME WARNER customers of over 15  years and never experienced the literally deafening shifts of volume we do with FIOS.

Tonight is typical. Watching MSNBC

NYC

NY

August 2, 2010

MSNBC

FIOS SELF PROMOTIONS - at least 2x as loud as other commercials.

3- 5 FIOS promotions airing between 9 and 11PM

Like other posters, we notice it's especially bad in the evening, which means it not only bothers us ,but also our neighbors.

FIOS Self promotions have been the worst offenders for a few weeks, but the issue arises with all kinds of commercials, local and national

thank you

[spacedebris]

Yeah, just do a search on "loud commercials" and you will find posts all over about it on nearly every provider. Its actually been a complaint for over 30 years. Some channels are bigger offenders than others (SyFy is the one I notice most) but it is a industry issue that the providers have little to no control over. (other than their own commercials that is). There is actually a bill before congress called "calm" (I think I have the name right) that is still being debated that would require the commercials to be at the same level as the program. The question is will it do any good? In some cases, the commercials are not actually louder in volume. When your watching a tv program, there are variations in sound. From the very soft to the very loud. The volume itself doesnt change, just the way it was recorded. So Explosions 'sound' loud and whispers 'sound' quiet. All the time the actual volume has not changed. Many commercials are recorded on the 'loud' side of the range. So the commercial comes in at the explosion level of the spectrum. Making it 'sound' louder than it actually is. And then to top it all off, many channels then broadcast those loud recorded commercials, at the maximum output for the channel, making it sound even louder. I've actually started issuing complaints to the Syfy, TNT, and USA for the loud commercials. I decided to start with the biggest offenders that I actually watch. Now I have to wait and see if it will do any good. I'm not holding my breath however.

[newtocable]

It really doesn't matter where.  The TV's have a built in capability to reduce the commercial volume known as smart sound. Since the FIOS box controls sound, we need this feature added to the FIOS boxes. My TV has it but it can't be used with the FIOS box because I run the HD sound through my HD receiver. THe Receiver manufacturers could also add this feature. Either one would solve it.

[koolcouple]

There is nothing you can do about this problem. The guys who do the commercials know that you will probibly leave the room when the commercials come on so what do they do? They crank up the volume on their commercial so you will hear it from the other room. It isn't fios' fault, the guys who make the commercials just set the volume louder for the video and fios can't fix every commercial (And even if they wanted to the channels have control over the commercials)

[NOYB]

Actually there are somethings people can do about this.

Write and file a complaint with:

FCC

Service providers (cable company, network stations, etc.)

Use the Auto Volume Level capability built into many A/V products (TVs, Receivers, etc.).

From this time forward REFUSE to purchase any A/V product not having good Auto Volume Level capability.

[Bob_Robertson]

http://bly.com/blog/general/are-tv-commercials-too-loud/

For those that dont want to click

Are TV Commercials TOO LOUD?

September 28th, 2009 by Bob Bly

Rep. Anna Eshoo (D., CA) seems to think so.

According to an article in Parade (9/27/09, p. 6), Eshoo recently introduced the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Migitation Act (CALM) — I kid you not.

If CALM passes, the FCC would be required to set new limits requiring lower volume on TV commercials.

Consumer advocates support CALM, arguing that “Advertisers simply do not have a right to scream at consumers in their living rooms,” says Joel Kelsey of Consumers Union.

Advertisers and the FCC point out that if consumers want less volume on TV commercials, they can simply use their remotes to turn down the sound.

[NOYB]

"Advertisers and the FCC point out that if consumers want less volume on TV commercials, they can simply use their remotes to turn down the sound."

Which just shows how little they really comprehend the issue.

1) They are assuming people are always setting there with the remote in hand/reach.

2) Their excessive irritatingly loud commercials actually lose viewership.  Myself and may other don't simple use the volume control to turn them down.  We mute, change channels, or skip them with our DVRs.

If they want my eyes and ears they have to make commercials worthy of my time.   That applies to all aspects of the commercial; video and audio content, presentation, audio level, etc.  The more irritating, the less viewed.  Irritating people, potential customers, is not good business.

Yes there are some commercials I actually watch.  If fact some of them I even look forward too, and have even turn up the volume for.  Hint: "So easy a caveman can/could do it."

[NOYB]

From a technical standpoint I think this is something pretty difficult to legislate/regulate/enforce.

For example, lets say a company produces a commercial and compresses and normalizes the audio (in simple terms, squash the dynamic range, and set volume to max before clip).

You’re watching a movie which has a wide dynamic range so that soft sounds (like whispers, distant speech, distant gun fire, distant fighter jet, distant explosion, etc.) are soft and loud sounds (like close gun fire, fighter jet fly-by, in your face explosion, etc. are loud.  So you have the volume set to a decent level to allow you to hear the soft sounds, and on comes this commercial with compressed and normalized audio, and it blows you out of your chair/bed and everyone runs for the doors.

On the other hand some else is watching a program with compressed and normalized audio when the commercial comes on, so the volume seems to match that of the program they are watching.  But then when a commercial comes on that is not compressed and normalized it seems abnormally quite in comparison to the program being watched.

So how is the commercial makers, legislators and regulators to know what volume level should be used and how to specify it in a way that not only solves the issue but is enforceable?

From a commercial producers point of view perhaps it is the program material audio that is too soft?  How would you feel about legislating movie audio levels so that the better matched the commercials?

As much as I hate the excessively loud commercials, I prefer carriers to leave the feed unaltered.  That goes for both audio and video.

I’ll just keep using my A.L.C (auto level control), mute button, channel button, and DVR skip button, except for the commercials that are not irritating, and worthy of my time, eyes and ears.

[extremesis]

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/06/14/television-commercials-are-too-loud-declares-california-politic...

a potential bill to address the problem.  also the networks are looking into it.  the problem affects every provider to some degree or another.

[alanm47]

Thats one of the reasons we have a Mute Button on the remote!

[spacedebris]

Sounds like that thing I saw on Johnny Carson a number of years ago.

It went like this...

Elderly woman calls the cable company to complain about the content being carried. She was upset over all the sex and violence being carried on several channels. The cable companies response was "That is what the power button is for."

Hopefully CALM will pass. I dont think its too much to ask for that all the shows and commercials have a standard level and allow the USER to determine how loud they want it. Seems like common sence to me. But what do we know. WE have brains but we are talking to the monkeys with typewriters.

[zebulon44]

It does it on direct TV too. so don't go there to avoid it. I still have Direct, waiting for fios, and today is cloudy and no Direct signal. it is terrible