[Tig] OT-Audio levels for theatrical use from digital post

[Ted Langdell]

On Jun 18, 2007	Daniel Goldschlager wrote:

>> Most TV channels are trying  to address viewer annoyance with
>> the differences in perceived levels between programs and  
>> commercials by
>> means of this piece if equipment.
>

On Jun 18, 2007, at 3:41 PM, Bob Kertesz wrote:

> Not the people at KTTV Fox in Los Angeles, who are running their  
> own promos
> between (and sometimes during) shows at intolerable audio levels.
>
> Not the shows themselves, or the commercials so much, but the  
> promos are
> obnoxiously loud, causing me to instantly hit the mute button and  
> look away
> from the screen, quite opposite to the effect they are going for, I  
> assume.

We sometimes get obnoxiously loud audio on some DirecTV channels when  
there's a "local" insertion into the network.  It happens with  
cable... and I hadn't expected to have that occur with satellite...  
but it does.

With most things at that level (big-time) being handled by servers,  
I've assumed the problem was the spot was ingested into the server  
with too hot a level... and/or someone at the ingest station wasn't  
paying attention.

You'd think that since the DirecTV insertions are done where all the  
networks are aggregated and uplinked that there'd be people or  
technology in place to compress or limit the output... much like our  
wonderful analog systems generally have.

It's a real problem when you're trying to watch TV in the bedroom  
while your spouse is sleeping (or trying to) and all of a sudden the  
sound from the last spot in a break jumps out and attacks!

"Holy BLE!" you silently exclaim as you scramble to find the  
remote... (usually lost under the covers) and pray that your spouse  
isn't disturbed. My wife is a light sleeper and doesn't get enough as  
it is.

Watching shows with a lot of dynamic audio range can be challenging.   
Establish a "normal" level that's not too loud, not too soft... and  
then there's a scene with very low passages, like whispering in the  
dark... followed by explosions and gunfire. "Holy BLE!" again!

At least the chroma doesn't try to attack!

Ted.

Ted Langdell
Ted Langdell Creative Broadcast Services
Marysville, CA
Main:   (530) 741-1212

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