Audio Description drowned out by soundtracks etc

laticsrblulaticsrblu Member Posts: 6 ✭
in Support
I am registered blind and rely on Audio Description (AD) when watching TV.

When I first started to use AD a few years ago the volume of the background
noise/music was reduced whenever AD come on but now it isn't. Whether I watch live TV or recordings, audio description is now often drowned out by the background music or by loud background  noise say  in action scenes or by the general background noise in say a pub. This makes some programmes unwatchable for me.

I have the AD volume set to max..

However if I watch the same programmes  via catchup the background noise etc IS reduced and I can hear the AD.
Does anyone else have this problem?

Regards
Ian Broadbent



Comments

  • John LJohn L Member, Super User Posts: 721 ✭✭
    Hi laticsrblu, Does it make any difference if you change your Youview sound setting from surround to stereo (or vice versa)? If not, this is a feature that really needs updating by Youview. I don't use the audio description, I have tried it out, but I can fully understand your problem. Maybe it is either something to do with broadcaster or maybe a "codec" feature (can't think of the term) that Youview need to look into. Have a try & maybe contact Youview support directly for more help. John L
    Can't wait for the day when Youview get rid of the dreaded darkened banner when using fast forward/rewind recordings. 
  • RoyRoy Member, Super User Posts: 16,470 ✭✭✭
    @John L

    There is no YouView support that @laticsrblu can talk to any more  :'(

    He is supposed to be able to go to his ISP, if that is BT or TalkTalk; otherwise posting on the Community is it, though that does get the matter laid before @Sarah and @Louise, who can maybe take it further for him.
    Supporting YouView on Sony TVs is like nailing jelly to a herd of cats
  • Yasha NokeYasha Noke Member Posts: 317 ✭
    edited 5 January 2019, 10:44AM
    This used to be a known issue on the Huawei youview units.

    For a post from the year 2013 see the following link:

    However, it could be that since then Huawei have partially corrected the fault.  Check in the settings that you do still have the volume for Audio Description set to maximum.  With Humax and BT boxes, (ie. the other make of youview boxes), the Audio Description volume has to be set to maximum to make Audio Description almost as good as iPlayer.
    I am not hopefully that this will work, especially as you stated that you have set it at maximum already. The last time I tried it on a Huawei box any adjustment to the Audio Description volume setting made absolutely no difference to the boxes' usability for Audio Description.



  • John LJohn L Member, Super User Posts: 721 ✭✭
    Roy said:
    @John L

    There is no YouView support that @laticsrblu can talk to any more  :'(

    He is supposed to be able to go to his ISP, if that is BT or TalkTalk; otherwise posting on the Community is it, though that does get the matter laid before @Sarah and @Louise, who can maybe take it further for him.
    Hi Roy, appreciate what you mention. What will the ISP do? Hopefully submit a "job ticket" sent back from ISP back to youview to investigate bug/problem reported? It does seem a long-winded way to get things reported rather than report to Youview. From a consumer/user point of view it is confusing at this moment in time(!). All good fun! John L
    Can't wait for the day when Youview get rid of the dreaded darkened banner when using fast forward/rewind recordings. 
  • RoyRoy Member, Super User Posts: 16,470 ✭✭✭
    Well, we are talking about BT and TalkTalk here, who must be pretty adept at sussing issues with these boxes, from developing their own variants of them.
    Supporting YouView on Sony TVs is like nailing jelly to a herd of cats
  • redchizredchiz Member, Super User Posts: 5,153 ✭✭✭
    Ha-ha, very good @Roy.   :D 
  • SarahSarah Administrator Posts: 1,688 admin
    Hi @laticsrblu
    Can you let me know which YouView box model you are using and roughly how long you've had this issue for? 
    Thanks,
    Sarah
  • laticsrblulaticsrblu Member Posts: 6 ✭
    Hello
    Many thanks to all the posters.
    I am with TalkTalk and the box is a Huawei DN372T 01.03.P.
    Thanks for the interesting 2013  link Yasha Noke .
    I've always had the talktalk Huawei youview box, but ack in 2013 I wasn't using AD but since maybe 2015/16 I have used it and strangely at first the background noise did fade when AD came on.
    For me I think the problem started  a year or so ago or less, so maybe the problem reported in 2013 had been fixed but was undone with a subsequent update.

    I have reported the issue to Talktalk who sent an technician around but he hadn't heard of the problem (I guess not many people need touse AD) and couldn't fix it with the settings, he said he would report it to his manager.  Talktlak have subsequently sent me a new box and I've tried using it with a new HDMI cable and a different HDMI socket on the telly  but it has the same AD non  fade problem.  I  have also tried changing to surround-sound  to no avail.
    My brother has a Humax box that doesn't have the problem so unless TalkTalk get their act together I think I'll have to ditch them  as they only use the Huawei box.







  • RoyRoy Member, Super User Posts: 16,470 ✭✭✭
    @laticsrblu

    If you want to keep TalkTalk as your ISP, you can perfectly well use a Humax box with them, even with TalkTalk TV. And you can get a Humax box very inexpensively off eBay.

    But if you want a seamless service, which in your circumstances you may prefer, then BT broadband is available pretty much anywhere except where the handful of FTTP ISPs operate, as fast as or faster than anyone else, and BT TV will bring you a hassle-free Humax box on a low monthly subscription.

    Damn them......
    Supporting YouView on Sony TVs is like nailing jelly to a herd of cats
  • Yasha NokeYasha Noke Member Posts: 317 ✭
    edited 23 November 2020, 12:16PM
    Sarah said:
    Hi @laticsrblu
    Can you let me know which YouView box model you are using and roughly how long you've had this issue for? 
    Thanks,
    Sarah
    I'm not the original poster but I've moved a DN372T from old gen to new gen (DN372T.01.01.P - 72.48.91/3.6.248) and can confirm that this TalkTalk box continues to be as described by @laticsrblu.
    laticsrblu said:
    Whether I watch live TV or recordings, audio description is now often drowned out by the background music or by loud background  noise say  in action scenes or by the general background noise in say a pub. This makes some programmes unwatchable for me.

    Edit: I have now also tried a "Factory Reset" to see if that would trigger any improvement.  It didn't.
  • SarahSarah Administrator Posts: 1,688 admin
    Yasha Noke said:
    Sarah said:
    Hi @laticsrblu
    Can you let me know which YouView box model you are using and roughly how long you've had this issue for? 
    Thanks,
    Sarah
    I'm not the original poster but I've moved a DN372T from old gen to new gen (DN372T.01.01.P - 72.48.91/3.6.248) and can confirm that this TalkTalk box continues to be as described by @laticsrblu.
    laticsrblu said:
    Whether I watch live TV or recordings, audio description is now often drowned out by the background music or by loud background  noise say  in action scenes or by the general background noise in say a pub. This makes some programmes unwatchable for me.

    Edit: I have now also tried a "Factory Reset" to see if that would trigger any improvement.  It didn't.
    Hi @Yasha Noke
    Does this issue happen with all content that you watch or is it only on specific channels? Any examples of these would be helpful so we can pass the information on. 
    Thanks,
    Are you still with TalkTalk as a provider with subscription channels? 
    Thanks,
    Sarah

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