Does anyone else have a problem with movies playing too quiet then too loud on the tv?

It used to drive me crazy when I was a kid and stayed up late to watch movies in the livingroom when I was supposed be in bed. I would carefully set the volume down low, so my parents wouldn’t hear, then a commercial would come on at 10,000 decibels. I’ve read that they were supposed to make a law against that, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if advertisers just ignored it and entered the fines into the cost of doing business.

I imagine that if you had a film editor software program with a multi-track audio editor, you could lower the volume on certain tracks, but I doubt you could do this in real time streaming or off the TV. You’d have to download the film onto your hard drive then load it into the editor first.

You’re not alone. I was watching a movie this morning. I had to have volume all the way to 100 to hear the conversations. Had to turn it down to 60 or so during music, or action…

Most shows on Netflix or something I can watch at like 18…

The Apple TV4 will do a volume normalization on things you play with it if you turn on “Reduce loud sounds”. And it is a global setting and applies to all audio on all apps.

I really hate that they do that.

I have a problem with it too. Supposedly commercials have been dialed down a bit but the shows still have a wide audio dynamic range o.
Go to the Sound settings on your TV and look for the adjustment. It will help a little.

“Normally, compressing audio is bad thing if you enjoy a rich and dynamic range. But sometimes, dynamic range has to come second to not waking up your neighbors—so dynamic range compression is a necessary evil.

Labeled as “Dynamic Range Compression”, “Dynamic Range Control”, “DRC”, “Night Mode”—or (much less commonly) as “Dialogue Enhancement”, “Volume Amplification”, “Night Mode”, “Boost Downsample” or the like—this option instructs the device to compress the range of volume in the audio track of the displayed video such that the highest and lowest points are closer together. This makes the booms less boomy and the whispers less hushed.”

Source

@LuckyGuy hit the nail on the head I think. The Center Channel or Dialog channel on movies could also be the cause of.this. Movies are recorded on multiple channels for HD or DTS playback. DTS is usually 5 channels plus a bass channel for lower frequencies. The front center channel is best played back on a 5.1 AV home video.

Yes totally. I watch TV late at night, most of the time it seems as if everyone is mumbling then suddenly the music goes loud as heck. I’ve also watched a few documentaries where the people are talking and they are just swamped with music. That is the most annoying part. It’s got to the point where we sit with the sound remote in our hand.

100% yes. I just turn the sound down and use closed captioning because I know at some point it’s going to get loud. I can’t understand the dialog when they whisper or talk in low tones.

Yes. OMG, I hate that. I don’t konw why they do it. “Mumble mumble mumble BANG!! CRASH!! CLASH!!!

Set of $60 speakers will resolve most troubles. The problem is not the programming. The problem is the cheap speakers inside the TV’s. Video editing sound engineers go to great lengths to keep audio at a standardized levels. Broadcasters won’t accept a movie if it doesn’t meet the audio standards.

Already have 300 dollar speakers. Doesn’t make a bit of difference.