SRS Labs heads to D.C. to tell politicos sound legislation unnecessary
November 17th, 2009, 5:26 am · 33 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
The folks at Santa Ana’s sound-technology company SRS Labs have discovered a way to soften loud commercials and plan to offer a device to consumers in upcoming months. It works — I’ve experienced it at the company’s offices.
Now they’re hoping to have a chat with Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo, D-Atherton, who is behind legislation to prevent loud TV ads. The Commercial Advertisment Loudness Mitigation Act, or CALM, was approved by another subcommittee last month.
“We hope to effectively communicate that audio fluctuation issues are better handled at the end of the chain (i.e. TV sets and/or Set-Top boxes, AV receivers and similar devices) where all variables can be taken into account,” said SRS spokesman Michael Bingham, who heads to Washington with company chief technology officer Alan Kraemer to talk to Eshoo.
SRS’s TruVolume technology is built into some TVs. They somehow have figured out the difference between TV commercial audio and audio from movies and TV shows. Instead of lowering all volume, such as a crowd cheering during a football game or explosions during a movie, TruVolume takes all audible signals, ignores the extreme lows and highs and focuses on the middle range volumes, where TV commercials do their worst. SRS offers a more detailed explanation about what’s really happening in its “Leveling the Volume white paper, a PDF file. Remember my video of the technology in action?
The company recently contacted Eshoo about its technology and she agreed to meet with them. Today.
“We also hope to outline some of the many of the technical hurdles that must be overcome in order to eliminate volume fluctuation once and for all,” Bingham added. “We have no intention of attempting to tear down Congresswoman Eshoo’s position, or the CALM act, because we admire what she is trying to accomplish.
Of course, SRS is trying to sell the world something, but at least TruVolume works and it addresses a problem a lot of people can relate to. As part of its half-million dollar TruVolume marketing campaign, SRS Labs has two TV commercials that will be part of the previews before the new “Twilight New Moon” movie, which debuts this weekend at Regal Cinemas in Orange County and Los Angeles. If you catch a showing, let me know how it sounds.
ADDED 11/18: After seeing all the comments, I wanted to add that if anyone has one of the TVs or devices listed below, it has SRS TruVolume built in so speak up and tell us your experience:
Samsung TVs: LN40B650T1FXZA, LA32B550K1RXXM, LN40B530P7FXZA, LN40B53, LN32B53, LN37B53, LN32B36, LN37B36, LN40B36, LE22B45, LE26B45, LE32B45, LE19B46, LE22B46, LE26B46, LE32B46, LE19B65, LE22B65, LE26B35, LE32B35, PS42B45, PS50B45
VIZIO TVs and soundbars: VSB210WS Sound Bar, VA370M, SV420M, SV320XVT, SV421XVT, SV471XVT, VT420M, Vf551XVT, VP504FHDTV10A.
More on SRS Labs:
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Now can we just cutout the half hour of commercials each hour.
Wow only half an hour? What shows are you watching? I usually see about 40 minutes or so of commercials.
What a drama queen. I have tons of TV DVD’s, and the 1 hour shows are 41-46 minutes (20 minutes of commercials), and the 30 miute blocks are 21-23 minutes…. gimme a break!
I love this idea and can’t wait to get one of these devices. When I record a show I usually just let the commercials run (I’m usually knitting or holding a baby or doing something else with my hands). But now a days I HAVE TO fast forward the commercials because they are so loud. Loud enough to wake a sleeping baby in my arms. Enough is enough.
awesome idea, now these guys are rich. i need to come up with a good idea like this..
I disagree. We shouldn’t have to rely on a company to develop technology to “correct” the difference in volume between movies and commercials… it simply makes more sense if that difference didn’t exist to begin with. I’m not making any judgement about SRS’s solution, i’m sure it works fine. However, like any other company, SRS charges for their products, and “TruVolume” is no exception. Though consumers might not have to pay up-front for this technological marvel, you can be sure that SRS’s licensing fees have been included in the cost of whatever device (TV, DVD Player, etc) that you purchase. SRS’s lobbying efforts are nothing more than a last-ditch effort to protect a market for their product, which provides a trivial solution to a problem that would not exist in the first place, if the CALM act were passed into law.
Its the stations fault. Why cant they make the adjustments on their end. They are the ones turning up the volume to sell more crap.
I own two new Sony tvs which are supposed to take care of these loud commercials once you program the special setting……what a joke! It’s never worked on either set. I literally sit with the cable remote next to me when I watch tv and hit the Mute button when commercials come on. This device sounds like it could be a winner.
I agree with Gus on this one. So these guys go to Congress to lobby against a bill so the consumer can BUY their device…
The airwaves are licensed from the government for broadcast. The government (i.e.: you the public) own them, and have the right to control them. Enough of these overpowering loud ads! No reason everyone should be forced to buy something to avoid them.
True. But I wonder how long this is going to take to pass and then implement? SRS’s technology is already in some Vizio TVs (soon to be all, I believe) and other devices. A small adapter is in the works for older TVs. But yes, you’d have to pony up cash for it. Hopefully it’ll cost less than $10.
Any way to mute & blackout the commercials altogether?
I would buy that product Today!
Anyone use Windows Media Center? It has a 30-second commercial skip that you can apparently hack to skip the whole commercial interval. See: Changing Media Center Skip Intervals.
Tamara,
I did this on the HP “desktop replacement” that I used a several yers ago. It came with a dual tuner that I used as a DVR. It was an awesome hack, it literally clipped commercials from shows like Lost, etc.
Alas, I switched to fiber optic and no longer could infinitley split my cable singnal (was adelphia back in the day)…
I miss those days…
When the commercials start hit the mute button.
I don’t want another device. Just fix it!!! I can’t stand to watch live TV anymore. I will put a show on pause for about 7-15 minutes (depending on how long the show is), then start watching it just so I can skip through the commercials.
This is something I would be among the first to buy. I hate the loudness of TV ads. I understand why they do it, but it is ridiculous just the same. I don’t have a DVR or Tivo so I can’t just skip over commercials, though that would be nice.
Has anybody ever contacted the advertisers with loud commercials to tell them that people are turning off their commercials because they are too loud? I think once they learned that their message is not reaching their target they might change
I don’t like it when I am watching an Angels game with my small kids and they put on a commercial for a horror movie!
You can try turning off the TV. I’ve stopped watching TV since about 6 years ago and have never gone back.
good for you! I bet you are a lot more productive and happier than most.
yeah right… no sports, no nothing!
I also changed my TV habbits about then. I got a DVR. It also changed my life. Now I can go to the gym, errands, etc. etc. and not worry about anything . I still come home and watch TV but in 1/3 the time.
Just mute the darn TV!! That’s what I and my family always do. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than buying a special device and it shuts down those commercials completely
Or…just flip between channels!!
I have a Sony 36′ that’s at least 10 years old and has a feature called ‘smart sound’ .
I turned it on way back when and it’s worked ever since.
Never thought about it again till I bought a new flat panel set that lacks this technology.
Way ahead of it’s time back then!
Good for Sony!
I have to buy a device $$$$?????What a crock…the stations can fix the loudness at a flip of the button. Just another way for the Gov and private comp. to make money off us.
I agree that instead of us having to buy a device, that it should’ve been regulated all along. FCC needs to fine these advertisers for not adhering to standards – and if there are currently no standards, implement them!
Apparently, there’s a maximum loudness that TV shows/commercials can have. TV shows and movies use that with care so that in explosive scenes and car chases, they can crank up the sound. But TV commercials can use the max volume the whole time. It obviously gets our attention. I haven’t explored this topic further, but I bet this is something Congresswoman Eshoo knows all about with her proposed CALM Act.
My name is Groover McTuber and I watch T-V 24-7. Just use the mute button!
I would welcome this device either built in or after market. You are going to pay for the technology anyway.
Hitting the mute button is a pain and takes my constant attention. That is too distracting and you have to guess when the show is going to start to not miss anything. Pain in the backside.
Back in the mid-70′s my boss had a device that would edit out the commercials in the shows he recorded off the air.
If this uses similar tech then your next DVD recorder should come with it. That’s a CALM act if there ever was (is).
“I have a dream……”
Just stop watching TV in the first place. Cancel your cable and read a book or take the dog for a walk instead. Problem solved.
Forget about SRS and lining their pockets, pass the Calm Act, penalize the companies making these overly loud commercials and give the much needed revenue to our state.
I just change the channel. I agree with “Cal Worthington” – contact the company that’s airing the loud ads and tell them their noise is causing them to lose customers.
In other words, hit them in the pocketbook. >:->
This bill does some great things, but doesn’t address channel-surfing or digital download or streaming content. This issue will continue to persist until these are addessed…thankfully, they have via TruVolume. Try it for yourself. bit.ly/5YNDEa