DVDs That Force You to turn the volume all the way up

[Hal]

Why do some DVDs require that you turn your TV volume all the way up? I have a Panasonic DVD player that works fine on most DVDs, but a few require that I turn the volume all the way up. Any thoughts on what could be wrong? Or maybe the DVDs are just bad?

[pixelthis]

THE dvd'S ARE PROBABLY "bad", you should buy some that are a
bit more "fresh".
Or you could set something called the dynamic range on your
player, otherwise known as "nite" time mode.
EVENS out the highs and lows, or the problem might be that your
dynamic range is turned on.
IN ANY EVENT DVD sountracks have what is called a wide
dynamic range, low lows and high highs, much like a CD.
WHEN there is a lull in the action and it gets quite the volume
has to be turned up. A LOT OF ACTION and ylou turn it down.
OR you adjust the DYNAMIC RANGE.
Hope this helps.:1:

[Hyfi]

If you are talking mainly about the dialog, and the background and music overshadowing it, I had a similar issue and it had nothing to do with the DVDs themselves. It came down to my crappy DVD player which was an older non HDMI player going to an older HK635 also without HDMI. I recently upgraded my player to an OPPO93 and the issue went away.

Is your issue volume overall or the voices being drowned out by music and background sounds?

[recoveryone]

There could be a number of fixes to this problem:

1.Proper settings of each speaker and adjustment for placement (test tones with sound meter)

2. If your AVR has this function (dialog adjustment +/-)

3. Seating position (sweet spot or off center)


Most of the time a decent AVR can over come the short comings of the DVD or DVD player

[pixelthis]

If you are talking mainly about the dialog, and the background and music overshadowing it, I had a similar issue and it had nothing to do with the DVDs themselves. It came down to my crappy DVD player which was an older non HDMI player going to an older HK635 also without HDMI. I recently upgraded my player to an OPPO93 and the issue went away.

Is your issue volume overall or the voices being drowned out by music and background sounds?

It never has anything to do with the DVD.
Might need to turn on dialog norm on the reciever, also
raising the center channel level is a quike fix.:1:

[Woochifer]

Why do some DVDs require that you turn your TV volume all the way up? I have a Panasonic DVD player that works fine on most DVDs, but a few require that I turn the volume all the way up. Any thoughts on what could be wrong? Or maybe the DVDs are just bad?

That's entirely the discretion of whoever's doing the mix. Generally, you don't want the prevailing levels too high because that leads to distortion during louder scenes. The original DVD release of Lord of the Rings FOTR is a prime example of a soundtrack mixed way too high.

An example of a DVD mixed really low is Revenge of the Sith. Most other soundtracks in my experience are in a relatively moderate range without needing a huge amount of adjustment to the volume.

If the issue is dialog intelligibility and you're not using a 5.1 setup, then the culprit is with the surrounds getting folded down into the L/R mains and drowning out the dialog. It will happen any time you try playing a 5.1 soundtrack through a two-channel source. This isn't just an issue with DVDs, it also affects HDTV broadcasts since more of those programs now use 5.1 soundtracks.

Generally, the more sound that gets mixed into the surround channels, the worse a 5.1 soundtrack will sound when played back through two speakers. If you play a DVD through two speakers, you should always select the 2.0 Dolby Surround track, if available. Those tracks have been mixed and monitored for two-channel playback, while a 5.1 track is not checked at all for how it sounds played through two speakers.

[Hal]

Well, I just play the film through the television speakers. i do not have - yet - an AVR. I turn the volume all the way, literally, and sit right in front of the TV. Then I can barely make out the dialogue. Any other thoughts?

Thanks. Very much.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Well, I just play the film through the television speakers. i do not have - yet - an AVR. I turn the volume all the way, literally, and sit right in front of the TV. Then I can barely make out the dialogue. Any other thoughts?

Thanks. Very much.

It could be that the DVD's had their soundtrack mastered lower than the industry standard of 75db per channel. The problem could also be with the metadata instruction for the dialog normalization being too aggressive.(-23 or -24db rather than the common -27db default setting on Dolby encoders).

[Hyfi]

Well, I just play the film through the television speakers. i do not have - yet - an AVR. I turn the volume all the way, literally, and sit right in front of the TV. Then I can barely make out the dialogue. Any other thoughts?

Thanks. Very much.

Whats your connection? HDMI or other?

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

It never has anything to do with the DVD.
Might need to turn on dialog norm on the reciever, also
raising the center channel level is a quike fix.:1:

Ummmm, you cannot control the dialog norm from a receiver. It is done at the encoding process, and that assigned level is in the metadata instructions that the decoder reads. You cannot turn it off, or control the level of the encoded metadata.

He says he is listening through his TV speakers, so there is effectively no isolated center channel - it is folded equally into the left and right speakers with its level reduced by 3db.

And he constantly says he knows more than I do :rolleyes:

[Woochifer]

Well, I just play the film through the television speakers. i do not have - yet - an AVR. I turn the volume all the way, literally, and sit right in front of the TV. Then I can barely make out the dialogue. Any other thoughts?

Thanks. Very much.

You need to pick the 2.0 Dolby Surround soundtrack whenever that option is available. Those soundtracks are generally mixed with more emphasis on the dialog.

As I mentioned, if the dialog is getting drowned out when playing a 5.1 soundtrack through your TV, it's a byproduct of how the surround channels automatically get mixed down into the L and R main channels. It's an increasing problem, since 5.1 soundtracks are mixed without any consideration for how they sound using two speakers, and soundtracks now use the surround channels more aggressively than before. But, there's not much you can do about it, since the mix down occurs at preset intervals that cannot be adjusted.

[Hal]

Thanks again, everyone. I connect my DVD player to the TV via HDMI.

[pixelthis]

Ummmm, you cannot control the dialog norm from a receiver. It is done at the encoding process, and that assigned level is in the metadata instructions that the decoder reads. You cannot turn it off, or control the level of the encoded metadata.

He says he is listening through his TV speakers, so there is effectively no isolated center channel - it is folded equally into the left and right speakers with its level reduced by 3db.

And he constantly says he knows more than I do :rolleyes:

BECAUSE I DO.
How are you going to change anything about a DVD short of
an authoring studio in your basement?.
SO ITS NEVER the DVD, and "dialog norm", while fixed,
can be turned on or off, depends on the reciever.
IF OP IS HAVING trouble with all DVD's THEN ITS not THE
DVD!
Also I have a similar situation at work with a tv with a built in DVD player. Its got a "fake" surround mode that throws sounds all over the room, so you don't always need to use 2.0 when using TV speakers, depends on your situation.
Of course the simplest solution for OP is to get a sound bar, the best is to get a HT. THE SPEAKERS in modern tv sets, with the exception of a few, have the main purpose of being unobtrusive ,
sound quality is secondary. MODERN tv sets are meant to be used with an external sound system.:1:

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

BECAUSE I DO.
How are you going to change anything about a DVD short of
an authoring studio in your basement?.
SO ITS NEVER the DVD, and "dialog norm", while fixed,
can be turned on or off, depends on the reciever.
IF OP IS HAVING trouble with all DVD's THEN ITS not THE
DVD!
Also I have a similar situation at work with a tv with a built in DVD player. Its got a "fake" surround mode that throws sounds all over the room, so you don't always need to use 2.0 when using TV speakers, depends on your situation.
Of course the simplest solution for OP is to get a sound bar, the best is to get a HT. THE SPEAKERS in modern tv sets, with the exception of a few, have the main purpose of being unobtrusive ,
sound quality is secondary. MODERN tv sets are meant to be used with an external sound system.:1:

What receiver allows you to defeat dialog norm? None fool because dialog norm values are preset at the encoder(I own both DTHD and DTS MA encoders), and Dolby nor DTS allow any consumer based equipment to defeat it. By encoding it within metadata instruction, it put dialog norm out of the reach of any processor or receiver controls.

Read what the OP says(if you can):

Why do some DVDs require that you turn your TV volume all the way up? I have a Panasonic DVD player that works fine on most DVDs, but a few require that I turn the volume all the way up. Any thoughts on what could be wrong? Or maybe the DVDs are just bad?

Why do SOME video's, which means not all. Anyone who owns a bunch of DVD's like I do(and who mixes soundtracks as well) knows that some DVD's are mastered out of spec (like the Scarface DVD), or have a dialog offset lower than the default standard of -27db.

Read up on Dialog norm so you won't sound so ignorant(again!);

http://www.dolby.com/uploadedFiles/zz-_Shared_Assets/English_PDFs/Professional/17_.AllMetadata.pdf

Notice these words under dialog level:

Dialogue level in a properly implemented Dolby Digital decoder can not be defeated

So as a person who knows more than I do, you should know this.(this is exactly why your claim of superior knowledge is BS.)

So if the OP is only experiencing this issue on SOME DVD's, then it is the DVD's and not his equipment. If it was his equipment, he would experience this issue on ALL DVD's (got that stupid?)

It is apparent that critical thinking and problem solving was not taught in the schools you attended.

[pixelthis]

What receiver allows you to defeat dialog norm? None fool because dialog norm values are preset at the encoder(I own both DTHD and DTS MA encoders), and Dolby nor DTS allow any consumer based equipment to defeat it. By encoding it within metadata instruction, it put dialog norm out of the reach of any processor or receiver controls.

Read what the OP says(if you can):

Why do some DVDs require that you turn your TV volume all the way up? I have a Panasonic DVD player that works fine on most DVDs, but a few require that I turn the volume all the way up. Any thoughts on what could be wrong? Or maybe the DVDs are just bad?

Why do SOME video's, which means not all. Anyone who owns a bunch of DVD's like I do(and who mixes soundtracks as well) knows that some DVD's are mastered out of spec (like the Scarface DVD), or have a dialog offset lower than the default standard of -27db.

Read up on Dialog norm so you won't sound so ignorant(again!);

http://www.dolby.com/uploadedFiles/zz-_Shared_Assets/English_PDFs/Professional/17_.AllMetadata.pdf

Notice these words under dialog level:

Dialogue level in a properly implemented Dolby Digital decoder can not be defeated

So as a person who knows more than I do, you should know this.(this is exactly why your claim of superior knowledge is BS.)

So if the OP is only experiencing this issue on SOME DVD's, then it is the DVD's and not his equipment. If it was his equipment, he would experience this issue on ALL DVD's (got that stupid?)

It is apparent that critical thinking and problem solving was not taught in the schools you attended.

Too bad you cant attend a school to get a personality.
I repeat, DVD is never the problem, because you can do nothing about them. Sure some act like they were mastered
by a rhesus monkey on crack, but nothing you can do about it,
except adjust your equipment.
AND IF ITS A CONSTANT problem(like you) then you are set
up wrong, the DVD's are never the "problem", because you don't focus attention on something you can't fix .:1:

[GMichael]

Are there Blu-rays out there with the same issue, or are those mastered a little more carefully?

[pixelthis]

Are there Blu-rays out there with the same issue, or are those mastered a little more carefully?

DEPENDS.
pretty consistent, started out wild west, but the format has smoothed
out somewhat.
THE most differentiation is with concert and video format discs.
Most movies are 108024p, I have a few older ones that are 1080i.
What is amazing is not the problems but the consistency.
When BLU started it was a hot mess, half the time a disc would not play at all.
NOWADAYS I have had problems with two discs in the last six months, one had a fix, the other was a bad disc.
BTW, sorry about your type two problems, I PUT off my
Avarapro , which protects my kidneys, for a week, but am on
my way to get some tomorrow.
THE HUMAN BODY is a wonderful thing, but when the warranty
expires...SHEESH !
And your pancreas starts putting out protein that poisons
your kidneys, kinda like your fuel injector pumping acid into your
engine block. God must be from DETROIT .:1:

[GMichael]

DEPENDS.
pretty consistent, started out wild west, but the format has smoothed
out somewhat.
THE most differentiation is with concert and video format discs.
Most movies are 108024p, I have a few older ones that are 1080i.
What is amazing is not the problems but the consistency.
When BLU started it was a hot mess, half the time a disc would not play at all.
NOWADAYS I have had problems with two discs in the last six months, one had a fix, the other was a bad disc.
BTW, sorry about your type two problems, I PUT off my
Avarapro , which protects my kidneys, for a week, but am on
my way to get some tomorrow.
THE HUMAN BODY is a wonderful thing, but when the warranty
expires...SHEESH !
And your pancreas starts putting out protein that poisons
your kidneys, kinda like your fuel injector pumping acid into your
engine block. God must be from DETROIT .:1:

I thought you were in the camp that it wasn't the disc. Are you messin' with the big T again?

Thanks. I'm used to it now. It's been a few years. The kidney thing is new though. I've been to the hospital 4 times so far. The first two added up to $48k+. Can't wait to see the final numbers.

You better not skip your meds. It's like those old car repair commercials. "You can pay me $ now, or you can pay me $$$ later."

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Too bad you cant attend a school to get a personality.

If you don't worry about my personality, I won't worry about the fact that you don't know shyt about A/V..okay



I repeat, DVD is never the problem, because you can do nothing about them. Sure some act like they were mastered
by a rhesus monkey on crack, but nothing you can do about it,
except adjust your equipment.

The DVD CAN be the problem(mastered too low, too high dialog normalization value), but you are right, you have to adjust your equipment around it. This is just like you, a little lie mixed with a little truth.



AND IF ITS A CONSTANT problem(like you) then you are set
up wrong, the DVD's are never the "problem", because you don't focus attention on something you can't fix .:1:

This is where I think your medication is messing with you. You cannot make a statement like "its not the DVD" just because there is nothing you can do about encoding errors. Encoding error do happen on DVD(see the original DTS release of Jurassic Park), and in some cases there is nothing you can do about it other than request a new disc. Not all DVD's are perfect, and anyone that says so, does not know anything about DVD authoring and encoding(and yes Deadpixel, that means you).

[pixelthis]

I thought you were in the camp that it wasn't the disc. Are you messin' with the big T again?

Thanks. I'm used to it now. It's been a few years. The kidney thing is new though. I've been to the hospital 4 times so far. The first two added up to $48k+. Can't wait to see the final numbers.

You better not skip your meds. It's like those old car repair commercials. "You can pay me $ now, or you can pay me $$$ later."

Its just so easy!
I have never been able to return a disc, they just won't take it,
most consider it computer software.
AND a disc is "fixed", can't do anything after all adjustments have been exausted.
AND maybe you can't adjust dialog norm, but I SWORE I saw it
in the instructions for my receiver, I will check it out.
AND good advice about the kidneys, having worked in a hospital
I HAVE SEEN dialysis, and its a pain.
AND China has to run out of political prisoners for transplants sooner or later.:1:

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Its just so easy!
I have never been able to return a disc, they just won't take it,
most consider it computer software.
AND a disc is "fixed", can't do anything after all adjustments have been exausted.
AND maybe you can't adjust dialog norm, but I SWORE I saw it
in the instructions for my receiver, I will check it out.
AND good advice about the kidneys, having worked in a hospital
I HAVE SEEN dialysis, and its a pain.
AND China has to run out of political prisoners for transplants sooner or later.:1:

Its not nearly as easy as making you look like the foolish baboon you truly are......So much for your AV educational superiority. :rolleyes:

[pixelthis]

Its not nearly as easy as making you look like the foolish baboon you truly are......So much for your AV educational superiority. :rolleyes:

I HAVE my limitations, being human and all.
MAYBE you are "perfect" because, like most suspect, you are
an old 286 in a closet under some dirty clothes , running an expert program.
WOULD EXPLAIN A LOT.:1:

[jjp735i]

I have noticed that the show Hawaii 5 0 does this. the background mix is so loud it drowns out the dialog. I always have to turn on the surround so that I can adjust the center to hear the dialog. If I try and watch with just the tv speakers I miss half of what they are saying. I find that dvds can differ in mix, but with surround set up you can adjust to sound good.

I did find in my Panasonic plazma sub-menu there is a setting to bring up the dialog, not sure what it is called, but it does help alot. Might want to search your tv audio set up, might find something similar.

Good luck, jjp

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I HAVE my limitations, being human and all.
MAYBE you are "perfect" because, like most suspect, you are
an old 286 in a closet under some dirty clothes , running an expert program.
WOULD EXPLAIN A LOT.:1:

For all this blathering you do, you still have yet to answer a single AV question truthfully and accurately. Lies mixed with half truths just don't cut it. Why don't you stop running your stupid mouth, read the information on this site(and others), and learn something for a change(and hell, that would be a change).

[pixelthis]

For all this blathering you do, you still have yet to answer a single AV question truthfully and accurately. Lies mixed with half truths just don't cut it. Why don't you stop running your stupid mouth, read the information on this site(and others), and learn something for a change(and hell, that would be a change).

IF YOU DON'T understand even the basics its not my problem.
YOU ARE like the big game hunter, so busy stalking a lion you
haven't noticed that a possum has eaten your foot:1:

[Hyfi]

I have noticed that the show Hawaii 5 0 does this. the background mix is so loud it drowns out the dialog. I always have to turn on the surround so that I can adjust the center to hear the dialog. If I try and watch with just the tv speakers I miss half of what they are saying. I find that dvds can differ in mix, but with surround set up you can adjust to sound good.

I did find in my Panasonic plazma sub-menu there is a setting to bring up the dialog, not sure what it is called, but it does help alot. Might want to search your tv audio set up, might find something similar.

Good luck, jjp

I stated way early in this thread that for me, almost every DVD I played had the problem you just stated. I was using an old Denon DVD player at the time. I switched to an OPPO 93 and the problem is gone when playing any DVD as well as the ones that previously caused me problems with the background being louder than the dialog.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

IF YOU DON'T understand even the basics its not my problem.
YOU ARE like the big game hunter, so busy stalking a lion you
haven't noticed that a possum has eaten your foot:1:

I wish that same possum would eat your hands so you can no longer type your inaccurate nonsense.

[pixelthis]

I wish that same possum would eat your hands so you can no longer type your inaccurate nonsense.

At least my "inaccurate" nonsense is more entertaining than your
inaccurate nonsense.:1:

[GMichael]

This place is like a zoo.

[pixelthis]

This place is like a zoo.

ANIMAL FARM would be a more accurate description.
WELL, as long as they have...:1:

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

At least my "inaccurate" nonsense is more entertaining than your
inaccurate nonsense.:1:

A clown and a monkey are entertaining as well. Since your fit the profile of both, I would agree you are probably more entertaining.

[GMichael]

ANIMAL FARM would be a more accurate description.
WELL, as long as they have...:1:

..justice for just-us?

[pixelthis]

A clown and a monkey are entertaining as well. Since your fit the profile of both, I would agree you are probably more entertaining.

Your wife must have thought so.:1:

[pixelthis]

..justice for just-us?

With my luck its usually the other guy.:1:

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Your wife must have thought so.:1:

Whatever pixelstupid, whatever......Go change your crap bag or take your meds.