Question about levels.
 

I notice on Freeview that the mean levels of stations is widely different on
different channels. Radio is consitantly louder than tv as well Many of the
mono feeds are painfully loud, such as Insight radio for example. Having
reported these things to the right places, one seldom is granted a reply by
email, and if there is one all you get is that the levels are entirely
inside all relevent specifications. Which I take to mean, nobody else cares
so why do you.
Are we living in a time where technical greatness is just lip service and
nobody who is in the organisation monitors it?


The other night it was clear on one particular station that the continuity
announcements were pre recorded as back to back episodes of a certain silly
sit com were announced in precisely the same way each time. I've even heard
announcements about something that happened the day before as if it was
going to happen today.


All very weird.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active

Question about levels.
 

On 2015-07-12 10:42:26 +0000, Brian-Gaff said:

I notice on Freeview that the mean levels of stations is widely
different on different channels. Radio is consitantly louder than tv as
well Many of the mono feeds are painfully loud, such as Insight radio
for example. Having reported these things to the right places, one
seldom is granted a reply by email, and if there is one all you get is
that the levels are entirely inside all relevent specifications. Which
I take to mean, nobody else cares so why do you.
Are we living in a time where technical greatness is just lip service
and nobody who is in the organisation monitors it?


The other night it was clear on one particular station that the
continuity announcements were pre recorded as back to back episodes of
a certain silly sit com were announced in precisely the same way each
time. I've even heard announcements about something that happened the
day before as if it was going to happen today.


All very weird.
Brian

You're never going to get matched levels across different stations.
It's always been the case that pop-orientated radio stations want to be
as loud as possible so everything is peaked to the maximum possible
level and compressed as well. TV needs a wider dynamic range for
dramatic effect but there's little consistency between different
programs - this would take quite a lot of organisation to achieve. The
worst thing is that the continuity announcements banged over the ends
of films are always far too loud compared with the film itself,
particularly as many films have quite a wide dynamic range so that
exposions and the like are louder than the speech, as they should be
(and then the announcer is louder than the explosions). It's a battle
you are never ever going to win - just reach for the volume control.

Are we living in a time where technical greatness is just lip service
and nobody who is in the organisation monitors it?

Yes and yes. But it's nothing new.

Question about levels.
 

On Freeview TV HD is not as loud as SD
Regards
David

Question about levels.
 

On Sun, 12 Jul 2015 12:18:04 +0100
"David" wrote:

On Freeview TV HD is not as loud as SD
Regards
David


There was some conversation recently in the hummytv forum that
suggested that the volume for HD might be controlled by the Humax PVR,
which is how I get HD. Using that as my source, I definitely agree with
you. Using other sources, I have no idea if it's the same or not.
But Drama channel always seems to have a very low volume setting, and
that's only using SD. And then the adverts. come on, and blast you to
the wall.

--
Davey.

Question about levels.
 

"Davey" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 12 Jul 2015 12:18:04 +0100
"David" wrote:

On Freeview TV HD is not as loud as SD
Regards
David


There was some conversation recently in the hummytv forum that
suggested that the volume for HD might be controlled by the Humax PVR,
which is how I get HD. Using that as my source, I definitely agree with
you. Using other sources, I have no idea if it's the same or not.
But Drama channel always seems to have a very low volume setting, and
that's only using SD. And then the adverts. come on, and blast you to
the wall.

And then you get individual programmes which have a very bad sound mix. I
watched a documentary a few years ago where the sound effects, music,
interviewees' speech etc were at a sensible level and the voiceover
commentary was ridiculously quiet - to the extent that incidental sound such
as distant traffic noise, footsteps and rustle of leaves virtually drowned
out the commentary.

How that programme ever got broadcast like that, without someone noticing
such a serious mixing error, is beyond me.

Question about levels.
 

On 12/07/2015 13:09, NY wrote:

And then you get individual programmes which have a very bad sound mix. I
watched a documentary a few years ago where the sound effects, music,
interviewees' speech etc were at a sensible level and the voiceover
commentary was ridiculously quiet - to the extent that incidental sound such
as distant traffic noise, footsteps and rustle of leaves virtually drowned
out the commentary.

How that programme ever got broadcast like that, without someone noticing
such a serious mixing error, is beyond me.

Sunday Night At The London Palladium was like that. The first broadcast
especially when the backing music was so loud that the singers were
almost inaudible, and the whooping and clapping from the audience was
louder than the backing music. Completely the wrong way round.

Jim

Question about levels.
 

Well, I suspect we now have so many stations possibly running like glorified
dukeboxes, that the expertise is sprad thinner than thin.
In the case of radio taken alone. Its not always the pop stations that are
the culprits here. Insight for example is originally a stereo station and
half the problem is the chat being so compressed you can hear the
background pumpup and down quite often.
Heart has a wieird splashy kind of balance, and the otherpop or easy
listening stations seem to be gradually all going over to mono as well,
which is quite illogical to me.
The best sound on a tv chanel seems to be Pick as they do not seem to add
artificial compression much to their output.

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Roger Wilmut" wrote in message
...
On 2015-07-12 10:42:26 +0000, Brian-Gaff said:

I notice on Freeview that the mean levels of stations is widely different
on different channels. Radio is consitantly louder than tv as well Many
of the mono feeds are painfully loud, such as Insight radio for example.
Having reported these things to the right places, one seldom is granted a
reply by email, and if there is one all you get is that the levels are
entirely inside all relevent specifications. Which I take to mean, nobody
else cares so why do you.
Are we living in a time where technical greatness is just lip service
and nobody who is in the organisation monitors it?


The other night it was clear on one particular station that the
continuity announcements were pre recorded as back to back episodes of a
certain silly sit com were announced in precisely the same way each time.
I've even heard announcements about something that happened the day
before as if it was going to happen today.


All very weird.
Brian

You're never going to get matched levels across different stations. It's
always been the case that pop-orientated radio stations want to be as loud
as possible so everything is peaked to the maximum possible level and
compressed as well. TV needs a wider dynamic range for dramatic effect but
there's little consistency between different programs - this would take
quite a lot of organisation to achieve. The worst thing is that the
continuity announcements banged over the ends of films are always far too
loud compared with the film itself, particularly as many films have quite
a wide dynamic range so that exposions and the like are louder than the
speech, as they should be (and then the announcer is louder than the
explosions). It's a battle you are never ever going to win - just reach
for the volume control.

Are we living in a time where technical greatness is just lip service
and nobody who is in the organisation monitors it?

Yes and yes. But it's nothing new.

Question about levels.
 

Brian-Gaff wrote:
Well, I suspect we now have so many stations possibly running like glorified
dukeboxes,

There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the
March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting
between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion,
resting their elbows on it, and talking over its head. “Very
uncomfortable for the Dormouse,” thought Alice; “only as it’s asleep, I
suppose it doesn’t mind.”

Just as Alice was musing about the unfortunate mouse there was a loud
banging noise, as if someone was in a dreadful hurry to enter the house
but had found the door bolted. This was accompanied by muffled cries of
"Oh do let me out! I'm sorry I've been such a naughty duke but I won't
do it again I promise!" The voice had an aristocratic tone, despite the
desperation of its message.

The March Hare looked at the Hatter as if to say, "Shall we let him
out?" but the Hatter shook his head.

"No, he stays in the dukebox until tomorrow, after the Queen's visit. I
don't want him getting his knob out and having a wank in front of her
the way he did last time."

"I suppose you're right," sighed the Doormouse. "Actually he had a lucky
escape. She was yelling 'Off with his knob! Off with his knob!' But I do
wish he'd stop shouting and banging. I'm finding it hard to sleep."

Bill

Question about levels.
 

Yes and sometimes even with the sound down and the ad full up ththe ad track
is almost drowned out by the sound effects. Dr Who is seemingly famous for
this one.

One thing that puzzles me is that there are obviously companies out there
adding AD to some old series such as Murder She Wrote, but there are lots of
programs out there of a similar and newer vintage wich I'd like to see
again with AD, yet nobody does it. If its hat expensive why do the likes of
Murder she Wrote and some but not all of Columbo etc.
Also I know that TNG had AD tracks when the bbc used to show it, so why not
when its on the CBS network, and for that matter how do these stations get
away with absolutely no ad after they have been around for so long?

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Indy Jess John" wrote in message
...
On 12/07/2015 13:09, NY wrote:

And then you get individual programmes which have a very bad sound mix. I
watched a documentary a few years ago where the sound effects, music,
interviewees' speech etc were at a sensible level and the voiceover
commentary was ridiculously quiet - to the extent that incidental sound
such
as distant traffic noise, footsteps and rustle of leaves virtually
drowned
out the commentary.

How that programme ever got broadcast like that, without someone noticing
such a serious mixing error, is beyond me.

Sunday Night At The London Palladium was like that. The first broadcast
especially when the backing music was so loud that the singers were almost
inaudible, and the whooping and clapping from the audience was louder than
the backing music. Completely the wrong way round.

Jim

Question about levels.
 

On Mon, 13 Jul 2015 08:45:51 +0100, "Brian-Gaff"
wrote:

Well, I suspect we now have so many stations possibly running like glorified
dukeboxes, that the expertise is sprad thinner than thin.
In the case of radio taken alone. Its not always the pop stations that are
the culprits here. Insight for example is originally a stereo station and
half the problem is the chat being so compressed you can hear the
background pumpup and down quite often.
Heart has a wieird splashy kind of balance, and the otherpop or easy
listening stations seem to be gradually all going over to mono as well,
which is quite illogical to me.
The best sound on a tv chanel seems to be Pick as they do not seem to add
artificial compression much to their output.

Brian

The XYL likes to listen to Smooth on DAB but the constant Optimod
pumping makes it fatiguing to my ears. She can't hear anything wrong
with it.
Smooth is the same company as Heart; Global, which also run Classic FM
which I know is more compressed than Radio Three but nonetheless is
quite acceptable to me, so they can do it if they want to.

I emailed Global last year and more or less said what I have just
typed.

Still waiting for a reply ;-)





--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%