DirectTV Question

[Bird]

OK, Jim. Thanks for the information. Of course, I had noticed some channels considerably louder than others. So after seeing your post, I got the manual out and, sure enough, there's an "auto volume" that was off by default, so I just now turned it on. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Skyco]

I guess I've been out of touch on TVs...we will be buying a new one soon and I'm definitely going to be sure it has the auto volume feature! That won't fix the problem we have with distortion on local stations ads but it will sure help other ads. BTW we have a Sanyo/Sears 13"color TV in the kitchen that is about 34 years old, never missed a lick, still works great. The 26" or so Sylvania we will be replacing is 4 years old and has picture problems, ain't buying another one of them

 

[Bird]

Skyco, if you think you're out of touch, wait until you get to be my age. Our new TV is a Samsung 40" LCD/HD flat panel, etc. and I haven't even started to read all the manual, but I learned today that it has different "sound" settings for talk shows, music videos, movies, custom sound settings, etc. Anyway, so far we like this TV; might like it even better if I understood it and got everything adjusted properly.

Last month we went to a family reunion in West Virginia; stayed in one motel in WV, one in TN, and one in AR. All 3 of them had LG TVs in the rooms and had some of the simplest (fewest buttons) remotes that I've seen in years. They even had a single button to turn closed captioning on and off, which I liked, since with my hearing loss, I don't watch TV that isn't closed captioned.

 

[Mighty Dodge]

My older Magnavox tv has a feature called smart sound that keeps the volume level the same. Check you setups you may have something similar that's not activated....maybe.

J.I.M.

 

[Lasgambler]

Interesting thread to me. I have DirecTV and do not pay for HD broadcast. My receivers are about ten years old. The commercials are way to loud.

I have a Flat screen Sony about 2 years old, I'll have to check to see if it has "auto volume"

Edit, My Sony has something called "Steady Sound" it is now turned ON.

 

[gotrocks]

I wonder what results would be gained if letters (e-mails) were sent to the advertizers and they were told their high price commercials were being muted because of the over powering volume increase.

We have a few commercials that are so disgusting I just change channels and look at some other commercial then back to "program in progress".

 

[dmccarty]

I don't think this is a DirecTV problem. We noticed the loudness of the commercials when we had Time Warner cable back in the city. Its very annoying and all we end up doing is fussing at the TV and turning down the volume until the show comes back on. Hard to believe that turning up the volume is helping the advertised products.

We don't have HD receivers and still have this problem.

Later,
Dan

 

[texbaylea]

We just bought a new HD tv to replaced a perfectly good analog set, bah This is a Toshiba REGZA model and it has a sound limiting setting per the manual. I will be turning it on as soon as I finish this post.

We don't have satellite TV yet and are not sure we want it.

Vernon

 

[WarrenF]

I hadn't thought about it, but you may have a good point there. We don't have the problem with the commercials being louder anymore than we have had it with an antenna, cable, or Dish TV, but our current DirecTV receivers are less than 5 months old, and we just might be one of their best customers since I'm paying for just about everything they have to offer.

Fifteen years in this business says that you should start with your receivers first. Especially if they are more than a year old. Bird, if you subscribe to "about everything they have to offer," and you have been a customer for about three or more years...then you are in the drivers seat.

All of the others who are offering your speculation....is simply that...speculation. If your TV set doesn't do the same thing when you are on your analog TV antenna....then it is your receiver period exclamation point.

 

[3RRL]

We have a brand new Samsung HDTV too Bird, so I will look at the settings for those annoying commercials. I too haven't broken open the book. (Not my job) Thanks for pointing that out Bird and JimBrown.
Especially John Scherer and his free eBay programs. It's OK once or twice, but to see it over and over again...shees, have a clue? We've gotten into the habit of pausing the commercial, get some popcorn or whatever, then fast forward back to the show.