[premio]

Please, oh please, give us a feature to lower the gain on SD channels through the receiver.

We leave our tv on, even when we're not watching it, is that so weird? We'll have a nice HD channel tuned to create some background noise and then WHAM the tuner needs to change to a SD show to record and the difference in volume is DOUBLE!

It should be an easy feature, and I'm sure it will be appreciated by most, because it's just plain ridiculous to have to change the volume when you change channels. It's bad enough the commericals feel the need to be louder than the show.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Actually that is more of an issue with the HD channels, and DD 5.1 being so low.

The only recommendation I would have is that when you are using it as background noise... turn off the dolby digital

 

[Radio Enginerd]

Please, oh please, give us a feature to lower the gain on SD channels through the receiver.

We leave our tv on, even when we're not watching it, is that so weird? We'll have a nice HD channel tuned to create some background noise and then WHAM the tuner needs to change to a SD show to record and the difference in volume is DOUBLE!

It should be an easy feature, and I'm sure it will be appreciated by most, because it's just plain ridiculous to have to change the volume when you change channels. It's bad enough the commericals feel the need to be louder than the show.

I would imagine this is something they need to do on the network level... Being a past broadcast enginerd myself I suppose AGC (automatic gain control) could be built into the box but I'm pretty sure we'd want a "feature" like that to build into the hardware, NOT a function of software. Processing audio with a CPU takes resources that I would rather have my HR-20 use to do its daily functions...

I notice the same thing you do so it's definitely a valid gripe. I would not get your hopes up that you'll see this feature on this box. Though I would imagine DTV will work on some of the processing they're using on both SD and HD to come to a sweet spot between the two.

Most TV people disregard how important audio is but with HD and DD it becomes more and more important. :grin:

 

[houskamp]

check your audio reciever for a "night" setting mine has this.. it kills the dynamics of the audio

 

[flipper2006]

Actually that is more of an issue with the HD channels, and DD 5.1 being so low.

The only recommendation I would have is that when you are using it as background noise... turn off the dolby digital

That is more of an issue with thier reciever! lower the back / rear chanels!

 

[Alvin Nuckleglazer]

That is more of an issue with thier reciever! lower the back / rear chanels!

no its not an issue with the receiver. channels broadcasting in dd are a lot lower in sound that regular sd channels. ive even noticed some sd channels are a lot louder than other sd channels. try foxnews channel 360 its always loud.

 

[ITrot]

There should be some sort of auto volume level feature in these recievers from D*. Til then, get your baby some baby earplugs.

 

[sbcale]

Actually that is more of an issue with the HD channels, and DD 5.1 being so low.

Why actually is DD 5.1 so much lower volume than stereo?

 

[jsevinsk]

As for background noise, have you ever thought about using one of these:

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=13630208

 

[bonscott87]

It's not just the HR20. I see this on my old HD receiver as well. It's just the way it is.

My advice, turn the TV off or put the receiver on an XM audio channel or something.

 

[Radio Enginerd]

There should be some sort of auto volume level feature in these recievers from D*. Til then, get your baby some baby earplugs.

Again, this is not something you're going to see as a software release...

Read my previous post...

 

[DJConan]

What I do is, start with a loud channel. At least if the two tuners change while I'm asleep, it won't change to something louder. Just something I won't hear at all. lol I usually fall asleep to Fox News.

 

[premio]

I would imagine this is something they need to do on the network level... Being a past broadcast enginerd myself I suppose AGC (automatic gain control) could be built into the box but I'm pretty sure we'd want a "feature" like that to build into the hardware, NOT a function of software. Processing audio with a CPU takes resources that I would rather have my HR-20 use to do its daily functions...

I notice the same thing you do so it's definitely a valid gripe. I would not get your hopes up that you'll see this feature on this box. Though I would imagine DTV will work on some of the processing they're using on both SD and HD to come to a sweet spot between the two.

Most TV people disregard how important audio is but with HD and DD it becomes more and more important. :grin:

Der! I'm a tech person and wasn't even thinking of the logistics of the software having to do the work to pipe out the optical signal.

I might have to buy a better receiver that has a 'night mode' built in to it. My receiver is older, it doesn't even have DTS =)

Is there a one button solution to switch DD off? or do you have to go into the menu?

 

[bluedogok]

I have noticed a large difference in sound levels between SD and HD channels with my OTA antenna and not running anything through my receiver, so I expected it with the HR20 as I just figured that was the sound being broadcast by the networks.