msg wrote:
D Peter Maus wrote:

Steven Ramirez wrote:

I use Time Wanner Cable in New York City. And I notice that when
commericals come on the volume level is too high.

I could like to know if other people notice this?

Thank you

oldchip




Cable is horrible about this. Most of the commercials come in over
processed...that is, with average level driven closer to the peak, for
greater loudness.

snip

There is an ongoing thread on this topic in sci.electronics.repair (and
perhaps crossposted groups); missing from much of the discussion is the
use of vertical interval clues to mute or attenuate audio during source
changes (commercials). Thoughts?

Michael


There have been attempts for years to achieve this. Trouble is, that
any technical solutions had to be implemented within products for which
such solutions would be contrary to purpose. So, there were compromises
which favored the manufacturer, and its commercial partners.

In each case, where there has been an attempt made, and successful or
practical design implemented, it's been defeated by other interests. An
extreme example being included in TiVo and TiVo-like DVR services, where
an attempt to bypass commercials are met with popups. Or in the case of
one DVR device, the Fast Forward is defeated during commercial messages.
Hacking the hardware has been roadblocked by grinding off the
identification numbers and manufacturers marks of chips on the board.
Hacking the streams for outboard implementation has been met with
inverted or modified video encoding, in some cases, encryption.
Manufacturers are keenly aware that consumers which to have this
ability, but they realize they have a conflicting dog in the hunt, and
commercial interests win out. With technical solutions to prevent the
ultimate intent of the consumer.

And there are a spate of new laws that prohibit modifying the
hardware, the stream, or the output of a commercially provided device to
modify content.

The intent is that we should HAVE to sit through commercials as an
entry fee into enjoying content of our choosing. Like current DVD's,
encoded so one cannot blast past the 15 minutes of commercials and
trailers at the beginning of DVDs on some current DVD players, this
attempt at defeat of intent is being met with greater technological
determination by commercial entities which live and die by advertising.

More importantly, there has been an attempt for some time, now, to
actually define skipping commercials as 'theft of service,' and make it
illegal. This issue was given voice by Ted Turner 10 years ago at a
conference, in which he openly stated that people who skip through, edit
out, mute or otherwise remove commercials from media are guilty of theft
and ought to be prosecuted for their crimes.

Two bills made it to the Senate floor to bring this idea to fruition.

So, while as in warfare, where technical advantages are shortlived
and bested by other technical solutions rather quickly, any attempts
through technology to defeat the intrusion of commercial advertising,
aurally, visually, or otherwise, is going to be transitory at best. And
at worst, will lead to other technical solutions that are far more
oppressive and intrusive than the commercials themselves.

Even now, it's nearly impossible to do it manually.

One TV demonstrated by Sony before advertisers in the mid 90's,
defeated the Mute function during commercials. That's not in production.
Yet. But more sets are now limiting the effectiveness of the 'mute' to
prevent silencing entirely. Precisely for this reason.


So, if loudness of commercials is annoying, the most practical
solution is to raise the levels of surrounding audio through outboard
devices.

Or build your own players and cable interfaces. Because what's
commercially available is simply not going to accomodate what we want,
here.