OTA TV commercial volume

[W1DAN-]

Kelly:

You are correct, the control room only mixes news, music or public affairs programs. No grantors (or spots) pass through the control room but are played out of master control via automation-controlled video servers (no Shure M67 mixers in line!). Our attempt at QC before interstitials or shows reach master control generally result in compliant audio at home.

Other than educating radio folks here who may not have TV audio experience, my main point is that when I worked at a top-ten market commercial TV station, I often saw first-hand local spots, local promos as well as major network audio spots exceeding A/85 levels in my opinion on purpose.

Dan

 

[secondchoice]

I will give this idea away. There should be a mode or function on TVs that looks a the "average volume" and adjusts accordingly. If a audio segment comes on that's more robust than the preceding segment it adjusts the volume down till the average is reached. I guess the power sent to the speakers would be a factor.

 

[Kelly A]

I will give this idea away. There should be a mode or function on TVs that looks a the "average volume" and adjusts accordingly. If a audio segment comes on that's more robust than the preceding segment it adjusts the volume down till the average is reached. I guess the power sent to the speakers would be a factor.

Some older flat screen TVs had that option for OTA only. You could set your average level which an audio limiter built into the software would squash the audio should the level jump above the average programming. Most manufacturers did away with the feature because either the TV would be used mainly as an HDMI-fed monitor via a home theater receiver, or it wasn't a feature that was used enough because the problem wasn't that common.

 

[W1DAN-]

Hi Secondchoice:

Confirming what KellyA stated, the ATSC A/85 standard provides for a "Line Mode" and "RF mode" dynamic range control of audio, as well as full dynamic range. The Line Mode is used for gentle control for external audio gear, while RF Mode was designed to feed an RF modulator similar to an old VHS deck. There are a few older Set-Top Box's, AV receivers and TV's that have this level control option, including the Firestick. Some TV's created their own form of level control.

If your TV does not have any form of DRC, you'd have to kludge up external audio control. In years past I have taken the headphone output of a TV and run it through an old Terk VR-1 automatic volume controller and external amp and speakers. The original version of this unit was a 5-band DSP level controller that worked quite well. The later version was a simple FET-based feedback limiter which did not sound as good.

A Closer Look at Audio Metadata

Last time we introduced the idea of Audio Metadata, or "data about the audio data," and this time we will explore it in greater detail.

www.tvtechnology.com

Dan

 

[secondchoice]

Hi Secondchoice:

Confirming what KellyA stated, the ATSC A/85 standard provides for a "Line Mode" and "RF mode" dynamic range control of audio, as well as full dynamic range. The Line Mode is used for gentle control for external audio gear, while RF Mode was designed to feed an RF modulator similar to an old VHS deck. There are a few older Set-Top Box's, AV receivers and TV's that have this level control option, including the Firestick. Some TV's created their own form of level control.

If your TV does not have any form of DRC, you'd have to kludge up external audio control. In years past I have taken the headphone output of a TV and run it through an old Terk VR-1 automatic volume controller and external amp and speakers. The original version of this unit was a 5-band DSP level controller that worked quite well. The later version was a simple FET-based feedback limiter which did not sound as good.

A Closer Look at Audio Metadata

Last time we introduced the idea of Audio Metadata, or "data about the audio data," and this time we will explore it in greater detail.

www.tvtechnology.com

Dan

Thanks. As I said the worst offender CBS 46 has been "fixed". I made a call to Gray's Corporate office here in Atlanta. The receptionist (who agreed with my compliant but thought it was only her set) must have passed the message to someone who could or could order a fix. 17 (co owned) has never had that issue. They did remodel their studios last year and that's when it started. My set has an audio "station level" setting that I turned off and 46 was still good. I have turned it back on because it does provide the same audio level no matter what OTA station I view. I stream using Roku and audio levels a fine.

Gray, to their credit, has spent big bucks on their Atlanta operation.

 

[secondchoice]

Some older flat screen TVs had that option for OTA only. You could set your average level which an audio limiter built into the software would squash the audio should the level jump above the average programming. Most manufacturers did away with the feature because either the TV would be used mainly as an HDMI-fed monitor via a home theater receiver, or it wasn't a feature that was used enough because the problem wasn't that common.

I have no numbers to back this up but since the onset of COVID and with amazingly high cable bills around here our Walmart is selling a lot more antennas. The clerk says they are sold out a couple of days after they come in. Of course the only ones that work around here are the expensive ones because we are on the very northern part of the Atlanta market. And I have found out that this area doesn't always follow national trends so national trends could be totally different.

Why didn't the FCC make the manufacturers of TVs keep the "calm" setting on all TVs. If it's only software it shouldn't be that expensive. If not needed folks could turn it off. Kinda like Ancient Modulation it's there but very few use it.

BTW I like the Ready Kilowatt figure getting ready to stab the kid.

 

[Kelly A]

Why didn't the FCC make the manufacturers of TVs keep the "calm" setting on all TVs.

DTV cutover occurred in 2009. The Calm Act was enacted in 2013.

If it's only software it shouldn't be that expensive. If not needed folks could turn it off. Kinda like Ancient Modulation it's there but very few use it.

I'm not a manufacturer, but I imagine they need to pay their developers to include something few people would ever use.

 

[secondchoice]

I wonder how many or percentage of Americans watch OTA TV?

 

[Kelly A]

I wonder how many or percentage of Americans watch OTA TV?

Last statistics I saw, it was about 22% nationwide. That number may have gone up slightly since the whole 'cord cutting' thing picked up speed, but likely no more than a percent or two.

 

[kwthom]

I wonder how many or percentage of Americans watch OTA TV?

According to different sources, between 14.5% and 33% of Americans watch TV over-the-air (OTA) with an antenna:
Statista: In February 2024, Statista reported that 33% of US adults watched TV with an OTA antenna between 2020 and 2023.
CivicScience: In April 2024, CivicScience reported that 30% of US adults have a digital antenna, with 17% using it often and 13% not using it much.
Nielsen: In January 2024, Nielsen reported that 14.5% of US TV households had at least one OTA-enabled TV set in the third quarter of 2023.

Real?

🤷‍♂️

 

[secondchoice]

OTA has one advantage over any other means of delivery: FREE.

When I was a child almost every house out side of the city and close surberbs had an outdoor antenna. I remember having to "adjust" the rabbit ears when you changed stations sometimes.