Feature Quiet / Night Mode Volume Plug-in??

 
  • Created:almost 3 years ago
  • Modified:almost 3 years ago by ebr
  • Status:declined
  • Owner:unassigned
  • Related:#3359
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Don’t even know if this is possible, but here goes …

I have a MB HTPC in my bedroom. There are quite a few times where I am watching a movie late at night (I'm an insomniac) and the wife falls asleep (she’s not). Sometimes the dynamic range of movies results in quiet portions of the movie being too quiet to hear and result in my turning the vol up so I can here dialogue. Almost always, this is followed by an extremely loud portion (gun-fire, etc) causing me to turn the volume down in consideration for my wife (after a gentle jab in the ribs by the wife).

I'd like a plug-in (or a MB option) to permit a more night-time friendly compressed dynamic range mode ala “quiet mode” in WMP 12. Selectable on-the-fly would be sweet, but having an option to enable prior to the movie would be good. Allowing it to auto-enable based on a time range (say 11pm – 8am) would be awesome.

I'll take it as basic as it needs to be if even possible. Even if one doesn’t have a HTPC in their bedroom, some movies can cause quite the disruption in child and spouse REM sleep even from the living room. :D

plugin-requests
 
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  • Created:almost 3 years ago
  • Modified:almost 3 years ago
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In the mean time, there are a couple adjustments in WMP that might help. Under View/Enhancements/Quiet Mode & Auto Volume Leveling. Not sure if these will help. Also, turning up center speaker volume (Mostly Dialogue) and then turn down master volume might tide you over.

 
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  • I was taking a look at those options in WMP, but I don’t think they transition over to MC. I'll give it another shot to verify. Not as convenient, but may be a good interim solution. – ripper2860 almost 3 years ago
 
  • Created:almost 3 years ago
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Maybe for an immediate solution, you can use a wireless headphone. I currently go this route.

 
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  • I've tried a wired headset and frankly, it was just not very comfortable. The on-the-ear hurt after a bit and the over-the-ear just get freakin' hot. Can’t say I did an exhaustive look into wireless — maybe an in the ear / bud type is available. Those seem to work out best for me. Thx. – ripper2860 almost 3 years ago
  • Any Bluetooth headphone recommendations? I currently have a BT Wireless MS Entertainment KB with a wireless BT USB dongle. I'm pretty sure I could pair a BT headphone. – ripper2860 almost 3 years ago
 
  • Created:almost 3 years ago
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Mb doesn’t control playback so we pretty much can’t do this. A lot of receivers have this feature however…

 
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  • Yeah — I was hoping there was some sort of call to the MC volume function to permit that quiet function to be enabled/disabled. Doh!! I should probably take a look at my receiver’s manual, huh? :O – ripper2860 almost 3 years ago