Sound on TV programmes

[midnightcatprowl]

I'm finding the sound on TV programmes an increasing problem. Initially I thought it was just age related deterioration in my own hearing but over the last couple of weeks I've been keeping note of the volume I'm using for different programmes and I've noted that I'm listening to some programmes at a setting as low as 35 on the remote control, others I routinely have as high as 60 or 70 and I turned one programme up to 95 before simply giving up on it. I've noted the following:

[list=]Tend to be able to hear UK made programmes (not all but most) at lowish settings;

Tend to have trouble with US made programmes (but not all), in particular the balance between the volume of background music and the volume of speech seems wrong and in dramas US programme makers seem to find a lot of remarkably loud background music necessary.[/list]

My Panasonic TV is only about three years old. It wasn't top of the range but it wasn't bottom of the range either. I've been wondering about a Sound Bar and if having one would make a real difference. Is it me or the TV or the programme makers or technical issues about US TV being broadcast in the UK?

[redsturgeon]

I have noticed the same, with the same question mark regarding age related deafness

Modern flat screen TVs are notoriously bad for sound though and I sound bar would give better clarity.

One thing you could check is to go into your TV menu and see what setting the sound is on

eg my Samsung gives me 5 modes to choose from:

Standard
Music
Movie
Clear Voice
Amplify

John

[Alaric]

Modern flat screen TVs are notoriously bad for sound though and I sound bar would give better clarity.

I doubt actors help, not being prepared to speak clearly. The main character in SS-GB on Sunday night is a case in point. His back story is that he was an Oxford graduate. Surely then, particularly in a drama set in 1941, he could speak with a vaguely plum accent, like Foyle in Foyle's War, rather than mumble in imitation of Marlon Brando.

[redsturgeon]

Modern flat screen TVs are notoriously bad for sound though and I sound bar would give better clarity.

I doubt actors help, not being prepared to speak clearly. The main character in SS-GB on Sunday night is a case in point. His back story is that he was an Oxford graduate. Surely then, particularly in a drama set in 1941, he could speak with a vaguely plum accent, like Foyle in Foyle's War, rather than mumble in imitation of Marlon Brando.

Stanislavski has a lot to answer for.

John

[Slarti]

I'd certainly agree that different programmes require different volumes and settings and that some are almost impossible to follow whatever you do.

A particularly bad example was Conviction, made by the ABC network and there was another made by them that was also bad.

After having our Panasonic flatscreen for about a year, my son got fed up and bought us a sound box, like https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/audio_visual/sound_bar/srt-1000/index.html that you stand the TV on.

Just at its standard settings it made a very noticeable difference and when we played with it a bit, in particular choosing the Clear Voice option, most programmes became audible.

But we still have to play with the volume between programmes as some are played much louder than others. EG Mrs S likes Neighbours and when she watches that she has to turn it way down and if we then follow that with Pointless, we have to crank it up and then turn it down again for the BBC news.

American programmes seem to vary even within the programme.


But, soundbar/box is the way to go, especially if you ever want to do concerts or other music on your TV.

Planet Rock can knock your socks off through the box, if we let it

Slarti

[swill453]

I got a soundbar and subwoofer to attach to my Panasonic TV. The sound quality is much better, but I still have to adjust the volume a bit.

Usually to turn it up for dialogue, then quickly down again when crash bang sound effects come on.

Scott.

[redsturgeon]

Why oh why doesn't someone make a TV that has a -30db button on the remote. When annoying adverts come on they always seem to be louder than the programmes.

John

[Slarti]

Why oh why doesn't someone make a TV that has a -30db button on the remote. When annoying adverts come on they always seem to be louder than the programmes.

John

Isn't that just the mute button? Or live pause, then fast forward.

And are there any adverts that aren't annoying?

Slarti

[Redmires]

Soundbars can be an expensive solution when many of us have an hifi unit sat in the corner just begging for an aux connection to the TV.

For what it's worth, I've started using subtitles more frequently. I'd like to think it's because the actors are mumbling and nothing at all to do with my advancing years. One added bonus though is that subtitles will often tell you the name of the music playing in a film soundtrack etc.

[LadyGagarin]

Why oh why doesn't someone make a TV that has a -30db button on the remote. When annoying adverts come on they always seem to be louder than the programmes.

John

I've always noticed that (so it can't just be put down to dwindling tolerance as I get older) - my theory is, they deliberately raise the volume on ad breaks in order to make you listen to the commercials. But as others have said, it backfires with me as I just fast-forward them.

[Lootman]

Soundbars can be an expensive solution when many of us have an hifi unit sat in the corner just begging for an aux connection to the TV.

Exactly. The trend now is that the TV is just another input to your sound system. Or more accurately, your sound system is just a part of your home entertainment system.

My local hi-fi shop is now a home entertainment centre. I'm not even sure you can buy a standalone hi-fi system any more. Everyone wants a combined audio-visual entertainment system. I bought a fairly modest one and even that has six speakers including a subwoofer. Its clarity is excellent for all programming but excels for music and crash bang wallop scenes.

[saechunu]

For a while now I've found it getting more difficult to follow some dialogue on newly made dramas and films, whether at home or the cinema, using different home equipment (different TVs, with/without soundbars or other speakers) and at different cinemas. I never have a problem with stuff made years ago.

Conclusion: it's not me it's them, 'them' being the various people involved in making the stuff, whether that be actors, directors, recording & sound engineers, post production, whatever. Obviously, flogging is too good for them, etc.

There seem to be a mixture of problems: some stuff not spoken very clearly in the first place, background music swamping the dialogue, or EQ/processing of the dialogue that makes it extremely bassy and unnaturally muffled.

At home I currently have a soundbar with a 'Vocal' setting on it that attempts to improve the clarity of voice frequencies and which I use for the dodgiest stuff, but it doesn't always fix the problem, necessitating the use of subtitles. It's pretty ridiculous. As I say, never have a problem with stuff made years ago. I know plenty of others who find the same problems too so I know it's not just me.

Regarding advert volume, yes they crank it up, akin to the 2nd half of the pre-flight safety recording on planes where they try to (re)gain your attention as you nod off. The cure for this to only watch commercial channel programmes from a recording or slightly delayed so you can skip past the ads. Many recorders have configurable skip buttons that you can, for example, set to forward skip 1 min and backward skip 15s; this makes it very simple to quickly skip ads with precision and never see or hear any ads at all. And never use catchup TV that stops you skipping ads.

[midnightcatprowl]

One thing you could check is to go into your TV menu and see what setting the sound is on

eg my Samsung gives me 5 modes to choose from:

Standard
Music
Movie
Clear Voice
Amplify

John

That was a very useful tip John. I have an ambivalent relationship with TV at the best of times and one result is that I just don't explore the options and understand the system in the way I would with a computer or tablet or phone or what have you. Directly after reading your post I switched the set on just to explore and the Panasonic too has the sort of modes you describe. I've been able to fiddle with the 'Voice' mode and there is a very significant improvement. Thank you!

Have now resolved that I must regularly 'play' with the TV instead of switching it on and then soon afterwards getting mad because it isn't performing as I want and switching it off again.

[Slarti]

Soundbars can be an expensive solution when many of us have an hifi unit sat in the corner just begging for an aux connection to the TV.

Unfortunately, for many of us, they are not appropriately located to do that, being at the other side of the room with no pratical way of bringing them together.

Slarti

[Slarti]

Why oh why doesn't someone make a TV that has a -30db button on the remote. When annoying adverts come on they always seem to be louder than the programmes.

John

I've always noticed that (so it can't just be put down to dwindling tolerance as I get older) - my theory is, they deliberately raise the volume on ad breaks in order to make you listen to the commercials. But as others have said, it backfires with me as I just fast-forward them.

The claim to have shown that the ads are no louder than the progs, but they do admit that they boost the parts of the sound that we hear most at the expense of subtle tops and bottoms. Or something like that.

Anyway, no greater decibels, but more penetrating. And much more irritating. Though not as bad as the continuity anouncers over the closing credits/music.

Slarti