DB levels between Dolby Digital and Non-Dolby Digital

John Stefani · 10-08-2006, 10:30 AM

I have a Denon AVR-3803. When a HD show comes on, my receiver will switch to Dolby Digital and the DB's (volume) drops. When a commercial comes on (Non-Dolby Digital), the volume increases. I have to continually play with the remote to adjust the volume. There has to be some way to adjust the DB's in Dolby Digital mode to match that of the non-Dolby Digital mode. I was over a friends house last night and he has a Harman-Kardon doing the same thing, so I would assume this has to be a common issue that someone has encountered before. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

homthtr · 10-08-2006, 11:05 PM

To my Knowledge there is no way to avoid this. There were several models of Tv's that had/have a Circuit in them to control the DB increase that Commercials carry, but I have never seen that in a Receiver. Commercials are made to be at a higher DB then the show you are watching. There should be a law against it, but there isn't. Even though it's annoying I do find it amazing that commercials will have awesome surround effects in them compared to watching them through standard TV speakers and Standard TV/Cable connections directly to the TV. Guess is something we just have to deal with. Anyone Correct me if there is a work around to this common situation.

mfabien · 10-09-2006, 06:08 AM

homthtr,

I think you are quite right. Perhaps John Stefani can press the "Mute" key on his remote during commercials...

best still, if he had a DVR, he could then record everything he wishes to watch and then play it back and skip commercials. Very seldom I'll watch a program "LIVE" anymore but, primarily, because I want TV programs to fit my schedule and not the other way around.

ChristopherDAC · 10-09-2006, 11:12 AM

The audio on all digital broadcasts in the US is Dolby Digital. Some of it is mono, some 2.0, some 5.1, some something else, but it is all Dolby Digital.
Interestingly, the problem you complain of is the one the "dialnorm" setting in DD was designed to alleviate. Perhaps you should try setting Dynamic Range to "Small" in your decoder, so as to bring the bottoms and tops closer together?

John Stefani · 10-10-2006, 01:48 AM

I would agree with the higher DB for commercials, but why doesn't the DB gain affect non-Dolby Digital shows when switching to commercials? Both of these levels are the same. FYI, I do have a DVR (DirecTV HR20-700) and do skip commercials, but I also do watch "Live TV". To each their own.

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Joey Skinner · 10-10-2006, 05:48 AM

I have noticed this volume difference too. When a nonHD commercial comes on, my receiver will switch from Dolby Digital to Dolby PLII and the volume will increase. Of course the same thing happens when I switch from an HD to a standard channel so you have to be ready with the remote, especially if you listen at high volume. Here's a link for a device from PE that will regulate volume: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=180-330



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