Poor Quality

[Sqad]

I suppose that this could have been put in Media and TV,but it isn't.

I have found difficulty in understanding speech when viewing modern TV films and series,to the extent that i often use sub titles.
However, last night, I watched an old black and white film that i had recorded, the Victim, a Dirk Bogarde film in which the diction was perfect.

Why is this? Surely sound reproduction and sound appreciation should have improved in the visual Media.

[ummmm]

They seem to whisper in low voices. I often have to rewind to try and hear what's been said.

[Tilly2]

They also have lots more background noise going on.

[kvalidir]

Everyone has been complaining recently about some series and the BBC have had the gaul to blame the actors when it's the sound dept at fault, so it's not an age thing Sqad, I can't hear 'em either.

[bibblebub]

Victim had mono sound http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055597/reference which usually results in dialogue being easier to discern (unless the sound department working on a film isn't up to the job).

[Hypognosis]

If anything, I suspect that it is the higher sensitivity of modern microphones which served as the 'enabler' of this recent trend for 'realism' - i.e. characters actually whisper, where the plot insists on it or mumble - to indicate moodiness etc. (director's interpretation)

A theatre audience would be equally miffed about not being able to hear/decipher the dialogue.

In black and white days, the actors were all theatre-trained and the microphones needed enunciation at back-row-reaching volume. (They had to act the whispering and moody bits).

[Sqad]

Hypo

\\\In black and white days, the actors were all theatre-trained and the microphones needed enunciation at back-row-reaching volume. (They had to act the whispering and moody bits). \\\

Good point......also, generally speaking, modern TV "stars" tend to speak quickly, running their words together.

bibblebub....aah!..monosound.

[lady-janine]

I find that having to concentrate so much on what they are saying spoils enjoyment of watching what they are doing. anyone else feel that?

[Hypognosis]

Another factor is that audiophiles love dynamic range - a good anp and speaker combo means that you can hear the quiet bits -and- get real oomph in the loud bits. Films and TV work with equipment at that high standard. Everything sounds great in their edit suite but it has to pass through the channel's transmission works plus a round trip to the satellite and the quality in your living room is down to your equipment. There has to be some loss of quality in that chain and trying to compensate for it by tweaking the transmission would ruin it for the people with the best TV setups.

Audio compression would do away with having to constantly adjust the volume with the remote. Good for your neighbours but that is at the expense of the dynamic range.

What really hacks me off is the way they cut from a whisper/mumble scene straight to a loud action sequence. Blummin' sadists.

[mikey4444]

You are not alone Sqad. When I talk to my nieces and nephews, there is so much mumbling going on, that I need Subtitles on Ceefax sometimes !

Mumbling .....its the new English !

[joeluke]

I'm the same when some scousers or jocks are on tv

Subtitles should automatically come on when they speak

[Sqad]

LOL Hi! Joe........where have you been? You've been missed.

[joeluke]

I very much doubt that sqad

I only pop in here now and again, it's not nearly as lively and interesting as it once was

[Sqad]

Joe.......tell me about it.

[mikey4444]

Sqad...I will be posting then new ElectoralCalculus update any day now, and I guarantee that it will liven up a bit then !

[Sqad]

mickey...LOL...I can't wait.

[tamborine]

On remote for tv Menu/sound, turn down Bass & increase Treble.

[Sqad]

Thanks tambo.....I have just done it.........will report later.