December 19th, 2006
Audiovox / Terk VR-1: The Solution (?) for Overly Loud TV Commercials
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
For as long as I can recall, many times (not always) when a commercial comes on during a TV show it is a LOT louder than the show itself. So loud that you have to reduce the volume to be comfortable. Of course, with remote controls that’s not really a big deal, but now with this new device it can be automated.
It’s a simple little box that automatically detects when a program has gone to commercial and lowers the volume accordingly. You take the audio output from your cable or satellite box, plug it into the VR-1 then plug the VR-1’s outputs into your TV. Audiovox provides you with an RCA patch cord to help complete the task.
On the front of the VR-1 is a switch to turn the active circuitry on or off and a light to tell you the included AC adapter is plugged into the wall outlet. That’s all there is to it. Source: MSNBC
We Say: The reviewer sat next to the device so he could turn it off and on, but he couldn’t really discern a difference. Now maybe that’s really good design … or maybe he just didn’t have a commercial come on that was particularly loud. At any rate, we Americans have gotten lazy enough already with remote controls that I think I can forego the extra (admittedly reasonable) expense of approximately $40.
Kent Bunn says:
I read an article years ago, that explained why the sound is percieved higher on commercials.
The FCC mandates a certain maximum volume allowed on broadcasts. In a “normal” tv show, there are parts of the show where the characters are whispering, and parts where they need to yell, etc. So in order to preserve the full range of sounds the program is recorded so that, at most, the screamy bits are at the high end of the colume scale.
Commercials have no need for different sound levels for any sort of dramatic reason. So they use a technique called sound compression (as I recall) that basically pumps everything up to just below the max allowed threshold.
So commercials aren’t really louder than the loudest parts of a TV show. They are just louder overall, because they only operate at one volume level. Just like Spinal Tap, they are always dialed up to 11.
December 19th, 2006 at 9:11 am
Charles says:
If the thing worked, it would be a total deal for $40. ‘Perceived’ loud commercials are one of my big pet peeves. But really, with Tivo now, it’s a non-issue. I’m not watching the commercials anyway.
December 19th, 2006 at 11:03 am
Erik says:
This seems a lot like the AVLS that was a part of portable music players before the iPod took over the world. I think my TV actually has this built-in already.
I generally make a note of the company that does this and will make sure to never buy anything from them.
December 19th, 2006 at 11:36 am
Frank says:
In Carl Sagan’s novel “Contact” an eccentric billionaire character made his millions by developing a device that muted the volume during television commercials. It was automatic and self-sensing, like the device here. In the novel, the device alters the landscape of television commerce and in-turn makes this character billions. Could this be a similar device? Is Audiovox publicly traded?
December 19th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
Mark says:
If it could MUTE the commercials, now that would be worth my cash !
December 19th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
Charles says:
Why listen to muted commercials? Some of them I want to watch. Either watch it, or fast forward through it. That reminds me to find out how to re-program my Tivo remote for the 30 second skip hack.
December 20th, 2006 at 12:12 am
Alice says:
30 second TiVo cheat code:
Start a show
While it is playing hit the following buttons:
Select
Play
Select
30
Select
You will hear two beeps as confirmation.
December 20th, 2006 at 9:22 am
OffBeatMammal says:
I’d be more inclined to watch TVCs if they were (a) interesting (and not saturation) an (b) not so loud
Some companies are starting to get it with #a but too many of them just don’t get it with #b so…
either I hit mute or I hit ffwd as soon as the break starts
A bit more respect from the advertisers and the networks and their promotions may be more effective.
December 20th, 2006 at 6:56 pm
Charles says:
Many thanks Alice! Works like a charm.
December 21st, 2006 at 1:36 pm
Steve says:
I have the TV wired through the sound equipment that includes decibel meters for all ranges, and I don’t care what anyone says, when you see the needles swing into the red and stay there during a commercial, it’s louder. I don’t know why this BS keeps getting smoothed over. Perceived my ass!!! It actually measures louder. High frequencies, bass, mid range, it all averages louder than any movie or show. The FCC, like all government agencies, can be bought for a price.
June 20th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Gerome Stone says:
In response to Kent Bunn’s idiodic
comment:
What does he mean by perceived louder?
That is absolute crap!!!
Louder is louder it’s that simple…
Ask my next door neighbor..
June 22nd, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Stompy says:
I’m with Mark. Will someone please invent something that MUTES commercials!
July 19th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Arnoldo says:
This practice should be illegal. Doesn’t anyone fight for the little people anymore? This isn’t right. We need to get together and mail our representatives. Google “Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act” for more info.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:12 pm