[mythtv-users] CALM Act in US

[Brian Wood]

On Tuesday 13 October 2009 21:46:58 Jean-Yves Avenard wrote:
> 2009/10/14 Brian Wood <beww at beww.org>:
> > It Won't Work !
>
> I wonder if whomever wrote that bill actually did some research with
> why commercial "appear" louder.
>
> The volume is just as high during commercial, sound compression is at
> work there...

LOTs of things are involved, "loudness" is not the same as "volume", and 
neither term really has a scientific definition. Then there 
is "psycho-acoustic perceived loudness", which may be closer to what we 
perceive as "loud", but studies show there are psychological factors at work, 
something you do not want to hear may be perceived as "louder" simply because 
you don't want to hear it.

Many many methods have been tried to automate the control of audio levels, 
none have been really successful.

The best way to control audio levels it with a human being, using a pair of 
Mark-I eardrums, along with some measuring instruments, and of course a 
proper listening environment.

The industry will fight to the death anything that actually requires a real 
human on-site employee (though I guess it could be done remotely, I wonder if 
I could get paid to sit in my living room listening to TV?).

But the problem is not solvable, too many factors are involved, the best 
possible answer would probably be an actual trained operator, as I said, but 
even that would not please everyone.

Interestingly, the PlayOn server cuts the audio levels during commercials, 
they claim "by half" (which I assume to mean a 3db. reduction). It certainly 
doesn't make much difference as far as I can tell, personally I think they 
would be better off leaving commercials (and everything else) alone, you 
don't want to scare off advertisers.

I suppose when the depression, health care, both wars, the next election and 
all those other trivial things are solved, our Congress should get down to 
this pressing problem of TV sound.

After all: Legislation is Urgently Needed!



-- 
Brian Wood
beww at beww.org