[HeyMan]

I don't know how it is outside the US, but here a trend has evolved for TV ads in which they play noisy music behind the voice in all the ads- every one of them- then increase the volume of the voice to overcome the loud music. By the time they finish battling for supremacy I've lost a couple more decibels of hearing. I've nearly worn off the mute button.

The very worst are car commercials (ads) Its like they crank it up a couple EXTRA clicks for them. They play every 5 minutes

If I could have superhero powers, it would be nice to be able to telepathically inflict severe disturbance collectively on those responsible for this crime against humanity. I think a week long bout of projectile diarrhea is just about right for these cretins. Maybe hypnosis could trigger this?

We need research... NOW!

 

[Normandy]

Amen, brother

 

[Nickwiz]

Yep its here too. The ads are louder than the programme. We are forever hiting mute when the ad break comes. Kind of stupid on the advertisers part as it causes you to switch off and therefore the ad is rendered useless! Just stupid realy.

 

[RedBird]

What's wrong with your "off" button? Try going "cold turkey" for a month or so...then if you have to watch a ball game, turn the sound ALL the way off...you'll enjoy the game MUCH more than when you listen to all the diarrhea mouth "experts". TV is a big part of what is wrong, bad...you choose the word...with our country...it is aimed pretty low on the IQ level. There IS life without TV. :-D :-D

Larry

 

[Strontje]

Yep, I agree. My solution: I watch almost nothing live. I have a DVR that allows me to start watching something before it's done recording. So, I'll do something constructive for the first 1/3 of a program, then I'll start watching. I fast forward through the commercials and I'm all caught up by the end of the show.

 

[HeyMan]

You're right. I don't have cable so we only get a couple of channels and don't watch it too much. I was thinking of the news when I wrote that! ha! But you are totally right. There is life without TV.

Excuse me while I see if there's anything on...

 

[trypcil]

This why Rock 'n' Rollers throw TV's out of hotel rooms of course. :razz:

 

[wonderdog]

Went for 5 years with no TV in my house. What a great music collection I had. She kept it.

Thinkin of doin away with cable. Tired of "Girls Gone Wild" being advertised early when my 11yr old goin on 25 daughter is passing through on her way to bed. TV was off all evening and kids were piled up with books and I was reading my Haynes Triumph manual to figure out how to rejet.

Life without TV is not bad.

Dennis

 

[HiDesert]

I've hardly watched any over here. I watch a few TV series on DVD, but that's pretty much it. I'll probably go back to some History channel and Discovery channel when I'm back home in the USA, but I can certainly live without it. You really would think advertisers would realize they are guaranteeing a mute when they pump it up, though.

 

[bovefrankj]

The same phenomenon happens in the movies, the actors whisper then come the special effects!!!. Boom!!

 

[richb]

I read about why this was, once. Apparently ads are filmed on a higher density film (or something like that) so that the sound IS louder, the colours brighter etc than normal TV footage. That's why ads are always louder than the programmes before and after. There was a Japanese video recorder that was designed to detect the difference between the density of signals and pause recording when it detected ad-density video. Hence you could record a film on a commercial channel and watch it later with no ads. Clever huh? And this was way before digital and all that jazz. I think the commercial channels applied pressure to the Japs and they were never widely distributed.
I'm a sucker for a good movie on TV, and I watch a few comedy programmes like Have I got news for you, QI, Mock the Week etc.. otherwise the TV is off and I'm trying to master Chopin's Etude 25-1 in A Flat Major, la-dee-da! :-D

 

[alfacliff]

there used to be a device on the market to allow you to record tv shows without commercials, it sensed the increased volume during commercials and stopped recording. what ever happened to that?
cliff

 

[Archimedes]

Good reason for extra loud ads. When you get up and make a drink or grab some food you can still hear the t.v. from the other room - unless of course you go outside for a quick one in Wendy's.

:-D

 

[Nickwiz]

There used to be a kids programme on TV over here call Why Don't you just switch off your television set and go and do something less boreing instead! I never did work that one out! :???: Why have that as the premise for a TV show? Maybe thats why we don't have it anymore as all us kids did just what they were suggesting! :-D