Sony claims home cinema kit helps movie buffs keep the noise down

If you’ve recently been served with an ASBO for making too much noise, then Sony’s lined-up a home cinema range that should help, because its latest speaker and player combo range automatically limits sudden loud sound effects. Sony_DAVDZ860W Sony's DAV-DZ: suppresses sudden sound bursts All three models in the Bravia DAV- …

[Iain]

How is this a new feature?

My Pioneer receiver from 1999 has "Midnight Mode" that does exactly this, as do all my DVD players and my 360. The Dynamic Range reduction info that allows it to work is in the Dolby Digital specification.

[Scott Dunn]

It's about time...

As someone who is hearing impaired, I can't tell you how many times I've tried to listen to whispered speech, only to be blown out of the water by loud music or explosions during a movie. Now I must settle for English subtitles.

The movie industry must surely be aware now that people are losing their hearing due to the great range of sound volume on TVs and in theater houses.

I'm sure the directors would like to keep it the way it is so that their dreams cannot be poached by a few people who do not hear as well as the rest. But at last Sony is starting to respond to the concerns about noise, both for the neighbors and for our ears.

I would love it if the whispering voices were just about as loud as the normal conversation. I mean, come on, we get it that they're whispering and I won't mind it if the soundtrack isn't so loud.

Thanks Reg, for bringing this line of hardware to our attention.

[Abe]

old hat

Took them long enough to impliment this feature thats been around for a few years now

[Anonymous Coward]

*sigh*

I wish Sony would sell those speaker packs seperately....