TV Advertising Obnoxiously Loud Noise Reducer

Thread Starter

Lumenosity

Joined Mar 1, 2017
614
I have to admit.....obnoxious, overbearing excessively loud TV commercials are driving me nuts.

Some of them are simply insane. The background noise is off the charts.
I instinctively hit the MUTE button now during ALL commercials.

So, I'm interested in either designing something to lower the volume automatically or mute the commercials altogether.or...if there's something already available.....I'm there.

Any one?
 
Last edited:

Thread Starter

Lumenosity

Joined Mar 1, 2017
614
lol
Whatever it takes my friend.

The Car commercials are among THE WORST.....I AM NOT in the market for a car yet I get bombarded with 20 - 40 highly obnoxious automotive commercials per day. It's damaging my hearing and my sanity....can I sue?

Whoever invents an auto-mute device that silences the unwanted commercials will be a multi-millionaire
 

ebeowulf17

Joined Aug 12, 2014
3,307
It would be interesting to record and analyze a bunch of audio from tv and see if there's a useful pattern. If ads are really that much louder, you could create a circuit that detects audio above a certain level and mutes the output entirely. Or maybe look for the suddenness of changes in the average level. Sadly, I have a sneaking suspicion that even if it worked for a while, any such circuit would eventually mute something you didn't want muted, like the loud portion of an action sequence, or loud noise in a sporting event of some kind.

If you were ok with something less extreme than muting, you could build a circuit to level out the volumes. It could be simple compression, an AGC (auto gain control) circuit, or a hybrid of multiple approaches like the Aphex Compellor, which was a mainstay of FM broadcast for many, many years, helping keep output levels fairly consistent... and sounding reasonably good until the loudness wars ruined everything.

For several years, until it just stopped working, I had a cheap Alesis compressor between my tv and my stereo. It wasn't perfect, but it was way better than cranking the volume to hear quiet passages and then being deafened by ads or other loud surprises! You might be able to pick up a cheap compressor on ebay or Craigslist if you prefer that to building something.
 

BR-549

Joined Sep 22, 2013
4,928
For years we recorded our shows......zip the commercials.......it really spoiled us. I could not find other solution. About a year ago....cox changed to a cable box system here. That stopped my recorders.....because one cable box only gives you one channel out. Before the cable box.....4 tvs and 3 recorders could be on different channels at same time. Not only is it another controller to fool with, ..it's another monthly fee for each device.

And like you say....to prevent physiological damage......you must interact.....be on guard with mute in hand.

I connected a small indoor bow-tie antenna. Picked up 17 clear stations. That's pretty good for this region. I'll bet with a small yagi......I can get several more.

We have been watching on air.......because the first thing we noticed was that we didn't have to mute the commercials.

I don't know your situation or preferences........but it's a path to explore. And of course any program that you miss.....can usually be found online.

Paying ~$100 a month for that torture...just ain't right. $100 a month.....covers antenna/rotator installation(if necessary) fairly quickly. Any able man can do it. We all use to. But no more roofs for me.
 

Thread Starter

Lumenosity

Joined Mar 1, 2017
614
Perhaps something here will work for you.
Believe me..I did the Google dance....a few times looking for something. But after reading and reading and reading it would seem there was usually ambiguity as to whether the device actually lived up to the claims.

So I thought it better to ask on the forum here....where I KNOW there are people of electronics smarts :)
 

Thread Starter

Lumenosity

Joined Mar 1, 2017
614
It would be interesting to record and analyze a bunch of audio from tv and see if there's a useful pattern. If ads are really that much louder, you could create a circuit that detects audio above a certain level and mutes the output entirely. Or maybe look for the suddenness of changes in the average level. Sadly, I have a sneaking suspicion that even if it worked for a while, any such circuit would eventually mute something you didn't want muted, like the loud portion of an action sequence, or loud noise in a sporting event of some kind.

If you were ok with something less extreme than muting, you could build a circuit to level out the volumes. It could be simple compression, an AGC (auto gain control) circuit, or a hybrid of multiple approaches like the Aphex Compellor, which was a mainstay of FM broadcast for many, many years, helping keep output levels fairly consistent... and sounding reasonably good until the loudness wars ruined everything.

For several years, until it just stopped working, I had a cheap Alesis compressor between my tv and my stereo. It wasn't perfect, but it was way better than cranking the volume to hear quiet passages and then being deafened by ads or other loud surprises! You might be able to pick up a cheap compressor on ebay or Craigslist if you prefer that to building something.
Thanks. Auto Gain Control. Some good stuff in this post.

Maybe my hearing simply remains very good? Some don't seem bothered by the invasive, harsh noise levels that too many commercials use today.
To me it's excessive and extremely annoying. Maybe I'm just getting older? Not only are the commercials at raised volume levels, but they seem hell bent to add as much mind piercing background noise as possible. I guess the audience has become deaf or advertisers are just THAT desperate to hawk their messages?
 

recklessrog

Joined May 23, 2013
985
Both my Sony and Samsung tv's have built in audio compressors, (sound leveling) check your tv audio menu and see if there is a similar thing you can turn on.
 

Thread Starter

Lumenosity

Joined Mar 1, 2017
614
Both my Sony and Samsung tv's have built in audio compressors, (sound leveling) check your tv audio menu and see if there is a similar thing you can turn on.
Boy was I hoping.....I have a SHARP LC-32LB481U

No such options in the menus so I guess it doesn't have that (sad)
 

DNA Robotics

Joined Jun 13, 2014
647
I have seen this subject come up before. It seems that commercial sound is harsh and crude compared to the quality of the shows and it gets our attention even when it is within volume limits. I think that different kind of sound should be detectable.

I got excited when I saw that Mute Magic and was ready to buy one but they are not available. If anyone finds them, please post a link.

I bought a RCA VR654HF VCR long ago. It has a Commercial Advance feature.

This excerpt from the manual explains it.
I hope it gives you some clues.
RCA VR654HF User Manual (80 pages)
User Manual Page 44
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/507900/Rca-Vr654hf.html?page=44#manual

RCA VR654HF User Manual Page 44.jpg
 

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
The problem is that a commercial has its average sound level increased with a compressor circuit so adding another compressor will make it louder. The compressor also increases background noise level.
The peak audio levels are not allowed to be higher than 100% maximum modulation then the peak audio levels of a program and its commercials are at the same level.
 

Thread Starter

Lumenosity

Joined Mar 1, 2017
614
The problem is that a commercial has its average sound level increased with a compressor circuit so adding another compressor will make it louder. The compressor also increases background noise level.
The peak audio levels are not allowed to be higher than 100% maximum modulation then the peak audio levels of a program and its commercials are at the same level.
This sounds exactly like what I hear on many commercials.
 

ebeowulf17

Joined Aug 12, 2014
3,307
The problem is that a commercial has its average sound level increased with a compressor circuit so adding another compressor will make it louder. The compressor also increases background noise level.
The peak audio levels are not allowed to be higher than 100% maximum modulation then the peak audio levels of a program and its commercials are at the same level.
Which is why something like an agc that works off of average level should be more suitable, right?
Maybe my hearing simply remains very good? Some don't seem bothered by the invasive, harsh noise levels that too many commercials use today.
Sadly, in my case it's just the opposite. I have significant hearing loss, which effectively gives me reduced dynamic range. In order to hear quiet things, I have to turn them up, but my thresholds of discomfort and pain haven't gotten any higher, so when I've got the volume cranked for the quiet thing and it suddenly gets too loud, it hurts. In fact, I've heard (but haven't verified) that there's evidence that people with hearing loss are often more sensitive to loud noises than people with normal hearing, making it that much harder to amplify quiet sounds sufficiently without being hurt when loud sounds intrude in. The hearing aids I now wear have some built in protection, but it's far from perfect.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
I have both a PVR, which I record all commercial TV so I can skip all commercials completely, and a Android Box which shows all movies and shows via Kodi, with NO commercials.
Max.
 
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