So, I'm sitting here tonight, husband watching Last of the Mochicans, and they shoot a cannon in the movie. I landed about three feet away from my chair - on the floor. If they won any sound awards from that movie, I'm going to their homes and take them away. So much up and down between voices and special effects.

We're making great strides in the video side - when will they finally have a real approach and standard to solve these problems with sound? For years we've bought televisions that "minimize it", etc. Why can't the industry and sound editors just fix it?

I've got a real sore spot about it tonight ... at least one spot on my office floor is clean. ;x

Apr 19, 2009 -- 2:36AM, The Nielsons - Family #12 wrote:

 What drives me crazy is when you're really into watching a movie (on TV) or your weekly series (like Damages, I love that one), and you keep turning the volume up so you can hear it, then the commercials come on and they are so loud they nearly blow you out of your seat. Ugh, that's irritating

Maybe we just want too much? ::: laughs ::: Let's get some standards set in this part of our HD world! Every one of us is still having to manually manipulate this. Some tv's claim to contain components that balance it, but I don't find it real effective on any I've owned.

Personally, I get as annoyed at this as I did when I was a kid and was my parents "remote control" - or would have to stand and hold the antenna with my braces exposes to improve reception. That was child abuse, huh?

Apr 19, 2009 -- 5:35PM, Keven wrote:

Apr 19, 2009 -- 3:26PM, Linda wrote:

On the serious side, once we got our good sound system, with speakers "surrounding" the viewing area, we've been able to make adjustments for the different sound quality of different things - concerts, movies, etc.  And you know - I bet a cannon shot would make you jump about 3 ft in real life. 

 

Keven,

Now is it your TV that's too old or your husband? Maybe that's why your TV is too loud. Actually though, I don't think it matters how old husbands are a I thinks men just like the TV LOUD! 

As for surround sound, well until we won the Panasonic contest I didn't know a thing about surround sound or home entertainment systems, but I have to say the quality of the sound is exceptional. I love to slip my music CDs into the Blue Ray and play it so loud it shake the walls. It's a great way to get the housework done.

 

Thank you, Linda ... maybe that would help. I just can't imagine if we'd had a surround sound in this office the other night when that happened. If it'd have sounded more real, I think my heart would have stopped! I was just a typing and doing some work related stuff on my computer - you know, the kinds of things you do in an "office" and my husband was watching a movie, like you're supposed to do in a den?

I guess you can tell this one escalated into a family discussion. A good sound system is what I need? Does that really balance it out? It really works? Maybe mine in the den's just too old.

Speaking of getting the sound right, I was watching something the other day where the sound and picture

were not in sync.  It was a new program, too.  It's kind of fun at first, but after a while, it just gets

aggravating.

I have to admit that the volume difference between the normal programming on TV and the commercials is horrible. There obviously is no standard between the decible level of a show versus the commercials. I don't have any proof that the commercials are louder to get your attention but I wouldn't be surprised it that was the only reason for the lack of continuity with the volume. I know that there are volume regulators that you can buy to stop the problem. I may have to pick one up.