Channels and Programming

[jl747]

I am noticing that the volume on the USA network channels, both the analog and digital are not at the same as others.

The audio for it is very low.

I have to adjust the volume each time I watch it.

I have shut down the box, unplugged it and it still comes back with this inconsistency.

All other channels are fairly consistent in output.

Anyone have any suggestions.

Setup for audio is automatic.

[Barmar]

I notice volume differences on many different channels, and have for many years. I assume it's the networks, not Comcast, that are doing it.

[jl747]

I talked to Tech support and the said they would have to send out a tech. I told them that the problems is not the box but is probably at the office.

Then I asked him to reset the box and he said he couldn't because resetting would not correct it.

I said lets try anyways. He says no.

OH well, I will try again later and see if someone else is willing to go the extra step.

[FishMan]

---

jl747 wrote:

I talked to Tech support and the said they would have to send out a tech. I told them that the problems is not the box but is probably at the office.

Then I asked him to reset the box and he said he couldn't because resetting would not correct it.

I said lets try anyways. He says no.

OH well, I will try again later and see if someone else is willing to go the extra step.

---

Be prepared to pay for what will likely be a wasted trip by the tech. The problem you are having is most probably a network issue. There is nothing Comcast can do. We get the same issue of different networks/commercials having different volume levels on DirecTV. Call the offending network and ask them why their audio volume is so loud/low compared to other networks.

Message Edited by FishMan on 02-05-2009 06:59 AM

[jl747]

Yea, I told CC support to save the trip.

I am going to contact the USA Network and NBC about the problem.

Lets see what happens if anything.

[FishMan]

---

jl747 wrote:

Yea, I told CC support to save the trip.

I am going to contact the USA Network and NBC about the problem.

Lets see what happens if anything.

---

My money is on nothing happening.

[WarEagle57]

---

FishMan wrote:

My money is on nothing happening.

---

That is a very safe bet. 

[Joe]

---

jl747 wrote:

I am noticing that the volume on the USA network channels, both the analog and digital are not at the same as others.

The audio for it is very low.

I have to adjust the volume each time I watch it.

I have shut down the box, unplugged it and it still comes back with this inconsistency.

All other channels are fairly consistent in output.

Anyone have any suggestions.

Setup for audio is automatic.

---

that the same channel i was having a issue on

read my post for a great idea

http://forums.comcast.net/comcastsupport/board/message?board.id=CTV_Equip&thread.id=1149

[BoatDog]

I researched this a while ago and found that legislation is being attempted through the FCC to try to correct this.  A while back they had "smart TVs" that solved this electronically relating to over volume on commercials.  It seems rediculous to me that this can't be done by the provider (ComCast,etc.).  It seems it is done on purpose to sell products relating to commercials.  All I know is it is a great inconvenience to have to adjust the volume for every channel and it would be a great service if the providers would do it.  As always Government and money are the root of the problem.

[Barmar]

The FCC doesn't make legislation, Congress does. The House of Representatives passed the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act of 2009 (CALM) last month, and the bill is now in the Senate.

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1084/text 

[BoatDog]

My apologies for phrasing that incorrectly, but thanks e-mail expert.  I hope it goes through.

[citrus]

---

BoatDog wrote:
I researched this a while ago and found that legislation is being attempted through the FCC to try to correct this.  A while back they had "smart TVs" that solved this electronically relating to over volume on commercials.  It seems rediculous to me that this can't be done by the provider (ComCast,etc.).  It seems it is done on purpose to sell products relating to commercials.  All I know is it is a great inconvenience to have to adjust the volume for every channel and it would be a great service if the providers would do it.  As always Government and money are the root of the problem.

---

The problem is bigger than that. e.g. with a commercial at "normal" volume then the "background" music get much louder after the beginning, & in some instances, it drowns out the speaker.

There is also the situation where shows like national geographic, discovery, history & science are now doing the same thing of having very loud music to drown out the narrator so that one cannot hear what was said; turning up the volume doesn't help.  When that happens, I just switch channels or turn off the tv.  Noticed other shows are starting to do the same.

So, only parts of the commercial can be normal to get around any legislation unless there is a constant monitoring of all programs.  Don't even mention the commercials displayed within a program you're watching & this also includes espn.

[omcleod]

Found this article on the web on controlling volume.  Here's the product.

[citrus]

---

omcleod wrote:

Found this article on the web on controlling volume.  Here's the product.

---

No HDMI connections for BOTH TV & A/V receiver

[rbratton]

My problem is that when watching Headline News, at 5 minutes before the hour and half-hour, my local Comcast office switches to a 5-minute "news break" from a local Atlanta station.  The increase in volume about blows my speakers out.

Not to mention I miss the human interest "feel good" stories HLN shows in the last 5 minutes of each 30 minute segment and get to see all the murder, mayhem, and mass disasters that are the bread-and-butter of Atlanta newscasting.  Which is why I don't live there.

[mt415]

I am sick and tired of commercials being blasted at 3 times the volume of the current program being watched!

Something should be done about this.  I can not believe that with all our advanced technology, and with

all the claims Comcast (and other TV service providers) make about being "state of the art" etc. that they can not manage to employ some sort of device or software to regulate the volume of commercials. 

Why can't the sound of EVERY commercial be dialed down to LESS than the current program's volume level setting? If I find the commercial interesting enough and want to hear it louder, I'd like to have the OPTION of turning it up, thankyouverymuch!

It seems the latest channel to step over the line into this - obnoxiousness - is National Geographic Channel.  They have new commercials running for the last couple of weeks or so, and I swear, they take the notion of a "booming voice" to new limits. 

I'm in my 50's and I seem to recall some sort of legislation back in the late 70's or so that called for regulation of volume ranges, especially for commercials.  What happened to that?  This commercial volume-blasting is something that seems to have re-emerged only in the last several months.

Well whatever... I still don't understand why the CABLE COMPANY cannot regulate and control the excessive volume levels being sent into our homes with simple devices or software in the cable boxes they give us.        

[Jim__]

If Comcast is inserting the commercial then they control the volume. If the commercial is coming in as part of the feed then they better not touch it beyond clipping maximum levels. Interfering with the content of the feed is probably not permitted.

[MichaelWA]

Very annoying indeed.

On a related note, we've found that the volume and sound quality of On Demand programming can really vary in comparison to "live" shows.  We've swapped out the box, but this didn't help.  We have to really crank up the volume when watching one of the free HD movies. 

[VSHixson]

It IS comcast! The loudest commercials are the local ones. It is easy to tell the difference between the local ones and the ones from the networks. Comcast has controll over this but they refuse to admit that there is a problem. It's been like this ever since they added the high def channels. Good luck trying to get them to do something about it!