Sound tips from BBC

[Peter Copestake]

I've just found this link -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/television
I think you will find the articles interesting, especially, following the links, the sound ones, though you can't help wondering why there are still so many complaints from viewers!

[Roy1]

PETER. If you listened to the sound on The BBC channels on my TV, you'd know why people complain.

[TimStannard]

I think Peter knows why people complain, Roy. I rather think he means he wonders why the BBC don't take their own advice and thus remove the cause for complaint.

[Dave Watterson]

I suspect problems are caused by the outsourcing of many programmes to other companies, who make them cheaply. There is also the dreaded problem of young production teams, whose ears are better than ours!

[Roy1]

DAVE. You have an interesting theory there. I myself rightly or wrongly, have always thought that the sound mixer (if they use one) is not doing his job properly. Some people blame the actors for whispering at times, if that were true then surely the blame would be the directors.

[Michael Slowe]

Dave puts his finger (and ear) on the problem, our ears (the older ones amongst us) are not as good as they were. Also, the new flat TV's give much reduced space to the audio department. The audio quality is certainly not as good as previously. The answer to this is to get one of the 'sound bars' to put under the TV. I got the one made by Bose and, although rather expensive, has improved the audio immeasurably, so much so that I don't have to keep repeating the words for my wife, whose hearing seems to be even worse than mine. Many people that I know are following our example and there are quite a few available now.

[Roy1]

I stand corrected of course, but if bad TV sound is due to us old uns and our hearing being bad, then surely we would have a job hearing all the sounds. So, why can I hear parts of the dialogue perfectly well and then the next minute the sound is so low I can't make out what is being said. For me it is only Drama productions that give this problem. Studio interviews and news items are perfect. With ITV programes I don't get this problem at all.

[Peter Copestake]

Thanks, Tim, that is what I meant. Interesting about ITV, Roy, must see if that applies to my own household. Certainly our hearing has a lot to do with it. I'm hopeless without my aids and headphones make an even greater difference. We use a bar made by Panasonic as I thought it would match the Panny TV, Michael, and combine it with rather toppy sound from the TV speakers to get what to my ears is pleasant and reasonably audible.
But I noted their advice to lower the dB of any music, not to have music with live background (Ithink I remember them saying), checking the sound on a TV, using separate channels for two speakers, but I usually only have the one radio mic. but always use the directional camera one as well (don't know what make but when I got a PD 170 s/h it came with it and I've swapped it onto the Z5 but had to get an extra mount as the wider angle lens saw it.
What fun!! AND THIS CORRESPONECE HAS STOPPED MY HICCUPS!! Night night all.

[TimStannard]

AND THIS CORRESPONECE HAS STOPPED MY HICCUPS!!

And that is what they'd call (on any soccer programme of your choice) a result!

[John Roberts]

Well spotted, Peter!

I've not had a chance to read through it yet, but it's nice to see, as usual, the 'sound' section almost at the bottom of the list!

[TimStannard]

I've not had a chance to read through it yet, but it's nice to see, as usual, the 'sound' section almost at the bottom of the list!

Don't shout about it, John. Good sound is the "secret weapon" that those who care have.