In article . com,
Weatherlawyer wrote:
Can anyone tell me how much higher or louder the volume is for
commercials, these days? I suppose there is no way to find out is there
without buying a decimeter?

There is currently no device that can measure loudness accurately. Plenty
in development as it's the holy grail, and whoever makes the first one to
be universally accepted will make a killing.

At the moment, a PPM (peak programme meter) is the standard UK device - it
dates back to before WW2. This, as implied, reads the peak value of any
audio signal in dB. It's original use was to prevent over modulation of
transmitters. It is marked 1-7.

Line up tone - the 1000 or 440 Hz tone you might remember from test card
days reads 4 on a PPM. Maximum level allowed is 6, 8dB above this. On ITV
1, programmes may peak to 6, but commercials only to 5 - so actually 4dB
less.

Now where a programme is loud and brash - say something like 'millionaire'
the commercials won't be any louder subjectively. If, however, it's a
gentle drama with a poignant end they'll come crashing in. To stop this
would require a skilled human to balance the levels in and out of each and
every commercial break and would be horrendously expensive across all the
channels that show ads.

At the moment, TV sound isn't all squashed up to peak like most pop radio
stations, but this would be the result if you really want absolutely
everything at the same level.

FWIW, some modern TV sets include a compressor to try and do just this.
Dunno how successful they are though - I'd expect to hear it in operation
and be intrusive.

--
*Re-elect nobody

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.