Hi, thank you for submitting your question to Answers.Google, I hope I
can provide the information you are seeking.
The answer is a qualified yes.
There are devices which can moderate the volume increases which you
experience with many commercials. In many instances these aren?t
really permitted to be any louder and technically many aren?t but the
sound is carefully tweaked to make them seem louder.
There are also devices which can take out the bad words from movies
and TV, but neither technology is perfect and, unless it is already
built into your television set, you will need to install a separate
amplifier and speaker system since you can?t rewire the set
internally. This doesn't need to be some massive surround system but
you do need something additional to make the controls work so why not
consider a low-end home theatre system?
By the way, the same volume control device works for DVD players,
radio tuners (not receivers), VHS players, virtually any audio
component system where there are standard RCA cable connectors which
run between source and amplifiers.
The least expensive and most readily available volume control unit is
found at your neighborhood Radio Shack.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?cookie%5Ftest=1&catalog_name=CTLG&category_name=CTLG_003_010_009_000&product_id=15-2502
The Terk TV Commercial Volume Regulator (Catalog #: 15-2502) isn?t
just for commercials.
The catalog description points out that it also increases the volume
of hard-to-hear programs.
You can purchase this item online for $49.99 plus tax but shipping is free.
There is a more detailed explanation of how the same unit works at
http://www.smarthome.com/7848T.html
(Disclaimer, I am a SmartHome dealer (audio/home automation/security),
but don?t make any money from sales off of their Web site.)
Something called the Audio Leveler, is now discontinued but may be
available on eBay.
http://www.smarthome.com/8254.html
There is another variant available which is described at
http://www.smarthome.com/77964.HTML
but it has a list price of $250 which is why I recommended the Terk product.
Thank you again for turning to Answers.Google for help. If your TV
doesn?t have audio output connectors then you can?t use any of these.
If it does, you will need to have a component audio system. This means
that you turn the TV volume down, run the audio through the volume
controller to an amplifier and from there to speakers.
Yes, I know you don't want surround sound, but there is no real
option. This need not be very expensive. You can pick up inexpensive
home theatre audio systems for very little and the sound difference
over that produced by any but the largest projection TVs is
incredible.
Actually I have two such systems, one cost several thousand dollars
more than the other and I have trouble telling the difference with my
eyes closed, so don't buy any more home theatre system than you need
to get the features you want.
You should have no problem buying both the home theatre
speakers/amplifier AND the Radio Shack volume control for less than
$100; spending more will give you slightly better sound, but for $100
you get farbetter sound than that provided by most TVs.
The only alternative to adding separate speakers and amplifier would
be to open the menu of your TV and adjust the basic audio settings to
enhance speech but reduce the low end volume. Most modern TV sets let
you select from a number of basic settings such as Movie, News, etc.
and some emphasize the frequencies used for speech. Others let you
directly balance the tone ? increase the high frequencies and reduce
the low frequencies. That won?t do a lot to alter the total volume but
will let you turn the volume lower and still understand the speech.
This won't work nearly as well, but it has the virtue of being free. |
