volume level help?

bnm81002 · 03-22-2005, 06:58 PM

is there a way that I can level out the sound/volume on the channels of Directv? some channels are louder than others, I would like to stabilize a set level for the volume for all the channels, is there a device that I can get that will do this for me? or is there a "hack" that would also do this? thanks in advance

HomieG · 03-22-2005, 06:59 PM

Short of putting on an external audio compressor/limiter, I don't think there is much else you can do.

TyroneShoes · 03-22-2005, 08:30 PM

Google "volume stabilizer". Avoid the Terk model.

bnm81002 · 03-22-2005, 09:14 PM

thanks for the replies, any sugesstions on models and brands?

DVRaholic · 03-22-2005, 09:43 PM

I got this Sound regulator few weeks ago, hooked it up to my HR10-250 and it works great !!! I have the Terk on my other Tivo and its not nearly as good. The Terk just increases the volume on all channels, it doesnt even them out. Dont buy the Terk, its Junk

http://www.tvsoundregulator.com/

bnm81002 · 03-22-2005, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TivoAholic

I got this Sound regulator few weeks ago, hooked it up to my HR10-250 and it works great !!! I have the Terk on my other Tivo and its not nearly as good. The Terk just increases the volume on all channels, it doesnt even them out. Dont buy the Terk, its Junk

http://www.tvsoundregulator.com/

does it evens/levels the audio-volume for all channels? for example channel 4 is loud and channel 11 is low, does the regulator that you mentioned will even out the sound? thanks

DouglasPHill · 03-23-2005, 08:22 AM

How is the tv sound regulator connected?

Tburt · 03-23-2005, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DouglasPHill

How is the tv sound regulator connected?

It is connect via RCA cables to a small box that sits somewhere near the TV. Then RCA cables runs from the small box to the TV's RCA sound input. It will not work if you are using coax into the TV from the receiver. At least this is how the Terk version (the one I have) works. And it does boost the low sound channels up along with the high vol channels down. It is rare that I ever touch the vol buttons now.

bnm81002 · 03-23-2005, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tburt

It is connect via RCA cables to a small box that sits somewhere near the TV. Then RCA cables runs from the small box to the TV's RCA sound input. It will not work if you are using coax into the TV from the receiver. At least this is how the Terk version (the one I have) works. And it does boost the low sound channels up along with the high vol channels down. It is rare that I ever touch the vol buttons now.

when you said TV's RCA sound input, you mean the red and white connectors?
so this regulator does work well huh?
thanks

DVRaholic · 03-23-2005, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnm81002

when you said TV's RCA sound input, you mean the red and white connectors?
so this regulator does work well huh?
thanks

Yes the TvSound regulator works great. I dont have to adjust my volume at all when changing channels.

As I said in my previous post I also have the Terk on my second tv. IMO the sound coming out of the TvSound regulator is much much better and richer, it sounds great hooked through my sound system. The terk just sounds Louder!

I have mine hooked up using just the included RCA sound plugs (red/white) and My Component video (not the included video)
this way I can enjoy A Perfect picture and Now Perfect Sound as well!!

Check out the website, it will give you all the info on the TvSound regulator....

http://www.tvsoundregulator.com/html/works.htm

bnm81002 · 03-23-2005, 10:11 PM

I also found this unit made by Sima, it's a lilttle more expensive but it does have 4 inputs and 2 outputs plus a volume stabilizer built-in, model # SVS-4D, it's on their website simacorp.com under products- SIMA- home theater- A/V Selectors-SVS-4D, this seems good to me too because I can also connect a DVD player, a VCR and it would help stabilize the volume when playing DVD's or VCR tapes
but it's around $120 though

Tburt · 03-25-2005, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnm81002

when you said TV's RCA sound input, you mean the red and white connectors?
so this regulator does work well huh?
thanks

Yes the right and left channel stereo RCA input/outputs. That is why it would not work with the coax connection (mono) from Direct's (or DTivo) receiver. The Terk VR-1 unit works well for my family and myself. My father and cousin both love theirs, as it was one of their Christmas presents from me last year. I have only one S-video connection to my TV, so I use an automatic s-video / composite switcher. It will switch to whatever the last device that is powered on. No matter if the output device is composite or S-Video, they all go into that switcher and then it goes into my TV's one s-video input and the sound goes through my Terk VR-1 device (again it then goes into my TV's left/right RCA stereo channels). Since my one Terk VR-1 is connected to the output of the switcher, no matter what I am listening to or watching it goes through my Terk VR-1. So it works with my DVD/VCR/Tivo + Stereo/MP3 player. I have never tried the TvSound regulator that has been mentioned in this thread, so I cannot directly compare them. The Terk VR-1 has a bypass switch in case you want to listen to your CDs or whatever without it going through the Terk VR-1's Digital Signal Processing, though I never found I needed to. It is really a set the volumn level and forget it device. I do get a kick out of switching it to bypass and back to listen to the difference. It is a really neat device. It does not matter if you switch channels to a loud or soft one because it will raise or lower it as needed... or if a loud commercial comes on, I do not need to rush for the remote to turn the volumn down. Here is a little more information on the Terk VR-1 device:

Information from Terk:
http://www.terk.com/pdfs/vr1.pdf

A review:
http://www.positiveimagenews.com/pro...erk/octiv.html

The Terk's VR-1 device uses OCTiV's "Volume Logic technology". See this link for more on OCTiV's sound technology: http://www.octiv.com/

I am sure any of the devices mentioned in this thread would work, so I would choose whichever is the cheapest. I think I have seen the Terk VR-1 for as little as ~$39 at one time, while I have never seen the TvSound regulator under $49. Or better yet, buy both and try them. Then keep the one you think performs the best... and return the other. If you do buy both let us know what you think of each. We had one person report owning both, but I would like to hear more people's side-to-side comparisions. I am going to buy another one soon for my other Tivo in my bedroom, so I am tempted to try the TvSound regulator to compare it to my Terk VR-1.

Hodaka · 03-25-2005, 11:49 AM

Fluctuating volumes drive me nuts. I had thought our TV had a balance built in, but I looked through the manual and discovered it didn't. I'll be holding our sleeping baby and suddenly a commercial will come on and blast us out of the room and wake her. Or, as stated here, you go from one quiet channel to one that knocks you out of the room.

I might look into one of these too..

Anyone have a promotional code for the TV SoundRegulator?

Tburt · 03-25-2005, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hodaka

Fluctuating volumes drive me nuts. I had thought our TV had a balance built in, but I looked through the manual and discovered it didn't. I'll be holding our sleeping baby and suddenly a commercial will come on and blast us out of the room and wake her. Or, as stated here, you go from one quiet channel to one that knocks you out of the room.

I might look into one of these too..

Anyone have a promotional code for the TV SoundRegulator?

You will be happy with either the Terk's VR-1 or TvSound regulator (from what I have read). If not, return it and try the other.

Hodaka · 03-25-2005, 12:51 PM

I've been doing a little searching this morning and everywhere I run across information, I find people with bad experiences with the Terk. Even the Amazon.com reviews have people saying they went to the TVSR instead or after their Terk decided to die.. so far I've not run across anyone compelling reason not to go with the TVSR..

Tburt · 03-25-2005, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hodaka

I've been doing a little searching this morning and everywhere I run across information, I find people with bad experiences with the Terk. Even the Amazon.com reviews have people saying they went to the TVSR instead or after their Terk decided to die.. so far I've not run across anyone compelling reason not to go with the TVSR..

I have been using mine for about a year now, and my family since before Christmas 04. All three are still going strong, and that is not counting my friends that owns them without issue. The key to not killing them is reading the instructions. You cannot place it inline between the stereo amp and the speakers. Too much power going to them will burn them out. They are meant to go before the amp. If the failure rate was that high, I would expect at least one of the ones my family or friends to have died by now. I researched these devices also (for several weeks right before last Christmas - to see what other competition was out there), but finding reliable reviews in number of the TVSRs (much less reviews of reliability) is next to impossible compared to the Terks that are sold just about everywhere... plus Terk TR-1s have been out on the market longer. So take those people's complaints with a grain of salt. I would bet that Terks has many more of their devices on the market compared to the TVRS, so they will have many more people on the net complaining when one does go bad as all electronics do regardless of who makes them. Terk has been selling them for well over a year, maybe two - so there are just more people on the net that has them. You will not find many starting a thread or website stating "Terk VR-1's has not failed". But you will find the opposite as it is human nature. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Between people not following directions, and the overall number of units sold by Terk you are bound to see many more people posting such things about them. This really skews the data and cannot be considered anything close to statistical. Terk VR-1s are reliable, so again I would recommend anyone go for the lowest prince and best sound/features... not what several people who we do not know their circumstances stating they killed their Terk VR-1s. My next may or may not be another Terk as I am curious to what the TVRS' sounds like. I think what impresses me the most about the Terk units is when there is dialog of people in a movie bar with music in the background you can actually hear them talking clearly without any problem. It boosts the conversations so you can understand them. The first time I heard that, I was very impressed.

Again, if I was just looking into these I would try both the Terk TR-1 and TVRS. Once I decided which was the best bang for my buck I would return the other. Just make sure the place of purchase will let you return the item. And most of all, read the instructions.

IMHO, I do not think people would go wrong with either. Tivo changed my view habits, while my Terk VR-1 has changed the way I listen to TV.

Hodaka · 04-13-2005, 10:19 AM

well, I broke down and purchased a TVSR and I love it. My only real problem with it is that when I pause a show, it will ocassionally cause a hum through my speakers. It never does this during playback.. It does a pretty bangup job on controlling sound levels. I actually had my sound effects (bloop) set to low, and it actually "balanced" it so that it's louder now. Not sure how happy I am with that, but it proves it's working.

I record a low carb cooking show on FitTV that always starts with a blasting intro that makes me jump out of my chair everytime it kicks in. This is all back down to normal sound levels now..

FYI, I did a bit of digging around and found a coupon code that gives you a cheaper price, plus an extra year warranty.. use code: "skycast". This has something to do with http://www.skycasters.com/ but I had no problem with them accepting my order anyway.. so I guess it's a "use at your own risk" deal.

ST1100A · 04-13-2005, 11:53 AM

Will any of these devices allow me to attenuate the volume level of the Tivo itself? My problem is that I have to turn my amplifier volume almost all the way down, to keep from blasting myself off the couch! Guess it's my fault for having a too sensitive amp and too efficient speakers! I wish the Tivo had it's own volume control...

Hodaka · 04-13-2005, 11:55 AM

I may have jinxed myself. Every show that I've tried has worked well (both live and recorded). However, my wife called today and was complaining about how her Soaps sound. Now I've got to look into that when I get home to see if it's the device or just her.. yay

edit:
more on the subject.. my wife says commercials are fine, so it's something in the way her Soaps are recorded. I have an idea about them, but I'm not positive. She told me that soaps are generally recorded to tape instead of film, thus they look and sound different than other shows. I've got to wonder if this might be the cause of the problems she's seeing/hearing..

Tburt · 04-13-2005, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hodaka

well, I broke down and purchased a TVSR and I love it. My only real problem with it is that when I pause a show, it will ocassionally cause a hum through my speakers. It never does this during playback.. It does a pretty bangup job on controlling sound levels. I actually had my sound effects (bloop) set to low, and it actually "balanced" it so that it's louder now. Not sure how happy I am with that, but it proves it's working.

Does it boost the dialog of people a little more than other ambient sounds? For example, a movie that has people talking in a club (or whatever) with loud music in the background. Basically does it boost or lower the music (depending on the levels it starts out at) while boosting the dialog a little extra? Before using the Terk it was hard to understand some of the dialogs, especially in movies when the vol was turned down to not have it blasting music. This helps out with many scenes on TV...even ones not on PPV/movie channels/DVDs/etc.

I think I will try the TVSR next as I need one for my TV in my bedroom. I plan on comparing it to the Terk that I have... as I am going to put either a Terk or TVSR on every TV in the house. It really helps people watching one thing in one room to not disturb others in different room(s) watching something else... plus it helps not disturb people that are trying to sleep while others are watching TV.

Hodaka · 04-13-2005, 12:40 PM

I've watched about 10 shows (plus short tests of some recorded stuff) since I installed it. I was mostly testing for loud bursts of sound, and it passed the test on all of those. In everything i watched, I could hear the conversations with no problems, but I didn't have something specifically playing loud music with conversations. The beginning audio for the FitTV cooking show I record was extremely loud without the TVSR, but very comfortable after I installed it. I could still clearly understand the short "disclaimer" voiceover that accompanied it.

I've yet to investigate my wife's problem with her soaps.. I think she said there's a lot of background hum from the show being amplified. I imagine this has something to do with her mentioning that Soaps are on tape vs film, thus very low quality recordings are being broadcast with a lot of background noise..

A short list of what I watched last night (that I can remember) is:

Blaine's Low Carb cooking (couple of episodes)
Good Eats (couple of episodes)
Unwrapped (couple of episodes)
NCIS
SouthPark
The Amazing Race

All of these were well balanced and I could understand everything I heard with no problem. I ignored my 30second skip on many of their commercials, but not a single commercial was overbearing in volume like they usually are..

Sadly, if I can't figure out my wife's issue with her soaps, I'll probably have to send it back..

Hodaka · 04-13-2005, 06:26 PM

I weighed the choice between louder commercials and living with an unhappy wife and have decided to return the TVSR.

She demonstrated the issue she was having. Background noises during her soaps like sheets rustling or papers being shuffled would be unnaturally loud and the voices sounded a little like they were in a tunnel. It wasn't enough to have annoyed me that much, but I could hear it too. Soo, I'll return the TVSR and maybe try a Terk if I find a good deal on it down the road..

Just an FYI, I have all of my devices running into a 5 port switch that then runs to my TV. I had the TVSR between the switch and the TV. I didn't bother to test a direct connection because that would have been worthless to me since I need my setup like it is now..

oh well, hopefully I'll find a better solution to annoying commercials and loud outburts of sound down the road..

TyroneShoes · 04-13-2005, 09:08 PM

I had the TVSR for about 3 years, and it worked well. Then it just stopped "regulating". I then tried the Sima unit ($79 at the time) and it worked even better, but it too stopped regulating after about 3 years. I got the Terk, and it really doesn't do a very good job at all...almost as bad as no level control at all.

There is a pro version for about $80-120 which I have used in TV station level control applications, ("Stick On" ??? might be the name) which I know works extremely well, from a company callled Radio Electronics, and I think they are out of Prescott, Arizona. That would be my next choice, but I realized I have a $500 Sony compressor/limiter sitting around collecting dust, so that is going in my rig next.

bnm81002 · 04-13-2005, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TyroneShoes

I had the TVSR for about 3 years, and it worked well. Then it just stopped "regulating". I then tried the Sima unit ($79 at the time) and it worked even better, but it too stopped regulating after about 3 years. I got the Terk, and it really doesn't do a very good job at all...almost as bad as no level control at all.

There is a pro version for about $80-120 which I have used in TV station level control applications, ("Stick On" ??? might be the name) which I know works extremely well, from a company callled Radio Electronics, and I think they are out of Prescott, Arizona. That would be my next choice, but I realized I have a $500 Sony compressor/limiter sitting around collecting dust, so that is going in my rig next.

I looked at the Sima unit, I like that alot since you can connect other things besides the DTivo unit and regulate the sound but it was around $117 at the time,
so a compressor/limiter will work also? I have one hooked up to my DJ equipment, just have to figure out how to connect my home theater system to the compressor?

paulfitz · 04-14-2005, 09:32 AM

Do any of the compressor/limiters work with the optical output?

Tburt · 04-14-2005, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hodaka

I weighed the choice between louder commercials and living with an unhappy wife and have decided to return the TVSR.

She demonstrated the issue she was having. Background noises during her soaps like sheets rustling or papers being shuffled would be unnaturally loud and the voices sounded a little like they were in a tunnel. It wasn't enough to have annoyed me that much, but I could hear it too. Soo, I'll return the TVSR and maybe try a Terk if I find a good deal on it down the road..

Just an FYI, I have all of my devices running into a 5 port switch that then runs to my TV. I had the TVSR between the switch and the TV. I didn't bother to test a direct connection because that would have been worthless to me since I need my setup like it is now..

oh well, hopefully I'll find a better solution to annoying commercials and loud outburts of sound down the road..

The TVSR most likely does not handle the way her soap(s) compresses (processess their sound) of their show(s) very well, and that the TVSR is having issues with sound quality because of this. The way they make commercials (or any TV show for that matter) sound louder (without really being louder) is using a different compression that adds boom to the annoying ads to give them an effect of being a lot louder. This is the get people's attention. From what you explained, I do not think the TVSR handles the way her soaps are compressed very well, most likely due to the way the TVSR handles the reprocessing of the sound (with that certain type compression). That is just my guess. Others that are more technical than I should be able to explain it much better than I could ever.

You can always try a Terk, my family has many and we have not had any problems with not one of them. The Terks range in age from over a year, to several months.

bnm81002 · 04-17-2005, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnm81002

I looked at the Sima unit, I like that alot since you can connect other things besides the DTivo unit and regulate the sound but it was around $117 at the time,
so a compressor/limiter will work also? I have one hooked up to my DJ equipment, just have to figure out how to connect my home theater system to the compressor?

yes? no?

TyroneShoes · 04-17-2005, 06:57 PM

Yes, a comp/limiter is exactly how these consumer units work. Another good choice is the Alesis NanoComp, a half-rack unit designed for desktop audio enthusiasts. You can usually get that for well under $100 at Guitar Center or similar places. I'm using mine specifically for my daily recordings of "The Howard Stern Show" off radio for iPod, and it works very well. EMR makes a really sweet unit for about $230 that will really do a nice job.

What Tburt is referring to is sometimes called "upcompression", which is a method that involves bringing up the lower-level sounds while leaving the higher-level sounds alone. A normal compressor works by doing the opposite. Upcompression is used to extreme in mastering for pop music, so that records sound competitively louder than the next without actually going above a particular threshold. An upcompressed record will peak at 100 VU just like a normal track will, but the increased aggregate energy in the upcompressed track will make it be perceived as significantly louder. Since a normal compressor/limiter only works on bringing down the higher-level sounds to normal, when it encounters an upcompressed track it is not as effective as it would be compressing uncompressed tracks, and it takes very precise adjustment to realy be effective at all. Consumer units therefore don't do such a good job, and I think the Terk is particularly useless in this regard.

This is the same problem with commercials...they peak at the same level as program, but the aggregate energy is higher, so they SOUND much louder than program, even when they realy aren't. TV commercial producers know how to play this to their advantage. It's easy to sneak this kind of thing past audio engineers because virtually no equipment can detect it and it appears normal on most metering. REALLY GOOD audio engineers know to ignore the VU levels and use their ears to match perceived levels, but they rarely work in broadcasting, and automatic level controls aren't really applied well in broadcasting.

While having a consumer unit will smooth out some of the levels on a particular station, the real advantage is that it will smooth out the differences between different sources, as standards for matching audio levels seem to have gone completely out the window in broadcasting.

bnm81002 · 04-17-2005, 07:42 PM

oh I have a compressor/limiter that is hookep up to my DJ equipment, I just have to figure out how to connect it to my DTivo unit? have to read the instruction manual,
I have the DBX 166A model, just a guess here w/o seeing the manual now, I would hook it up like this:
DTivo LR Output >Compressor/Limiter LR Input>TV LR Input?
thanks

Tburt · 04-19-2005, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TyroneShoes

Yes, a comp/limiter is exactly how these consumer units work. Another good choice is the Alesis NanoComp, a half-rack unit designed for desktop audio enthusiasts. You can usually get that for well under $100 at Guitar Center or similar places. I'm using mine specifically for my daily recordings of "The Howard Stern Show" off radio for iPod, and it works very well. EMR makes a really sweet unit for about $230 that will really do a nice job.

What Tburt is referring to is sometimes called "upcompression", which is a method that involves bringing up the lower-level sounds while leaving the higher-level sounds alone. A normal compressor works by doing the opposite. Upcompression is used to extreme in mastering for pop music, so that records sound competitively louder than the next without actually going above a particular threshold. An upcompressed record will peak at 100 VU just like a normal track will, but the increased aggregate energy in the upcompressed track will make it be perceived as significantly louder. Since a normal compressor/limiter only works on bringing down the higher-level sounds to normal, when it encounters an upcompressed track it is not as effective as it would be compressing uncompressed tracks, and it takes very precise adjustment to realy be effective at all. Consumer units therefore don't do such a good job, and I think the Terk is particularly useless in this regard.

This is the same problem with commercials...they peak at the same level as program, but the aggregate energy is higher, so they SOUND much louder than program, even when they realy aren't. TV commercial producers know how to play this to their advantage. It's easy to sneak this kind of thing past audio engineers because virtually no equipment can detect it and it appears normal on most metering. REALLY GOOD audio engineers know to ignore the VU levels and use their ears to match perceived levels, but they rarely work in broadcasting, and automatic level controls aren't really applied well in broadcasting.

I can set the TV vol at one level and I never have to change it unless the ambient sound increases (people talking loudly in the room I am watching TV for example). It works from channel to channel without having to change the vol. I had yet to have a blasting commerical, as it appears that all commercials are compressed in a way to give extra boom to their commericals while not really being louder. For a device that ranges from $35 to $49, I will not be upset if one commercial slips past it (though it has not yet in the year I have used it). If one wants to spend several times the cost of this device to catch the one commercial that might slip by, or might not, then that is a choice one will have to make up their own minds. For the price and performance it is hard to beat. Besides I have to disagree with it not lowering the loudest parts. I can flip the switch to bypass and some shows lower the vol, while other go up. Here is what Terk (and a clip from Octiv - the makers of the technology that the Terk uses) states "Terk's VR-1 TV volume regulator lets you enjoy clean, consistent sound while channel-surfing or watching your favorite shows. Its advanced digital signal processing responds within just thousandths of a second to reduce volume spikes or boost abnormally quiet scenes." From Octiv's sight "Fix Audio Loudness Problems with Volume Logic...OctiMax technology delivers cleaner, clearer, more consistent audio via a highly sophisticated multi-band dynamics processor just like those used by professionals, but small enough to fit inside consumer equipment. Personal control of dynamic range is placed in the hands of consumers. OctiMax fixes the "Too Loud—Too Quiet" audio problem so that consumers won't have to grab for the volume control when switching from MP3s to CDs, changing TV channels, or when the station cuts to a commercial."

So it does not just boost quiet scenes like you stated, but does reduce vol spikes also. From using it I can tell you that is indeed the case as anyone can test it by flipping the bypass switch to see if the show was decreased in vol or increased by the Terk. Before anyone runs out and spends between $100 to $200 for something else, I would give the Terk using Octiv's Volume Logic/Optimax technology a try. If it does not work like you want it to and you are unhappy with its performance then just return it. Then go out and spend a few hundred $s to get the others mention before. You never know, one might save themselves a large chunk of change.