SRS Labs: An Open Letter Regarding TV Volume Fluctuation

SANTA ANA, Calif., Jan. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

January 20, 2010

Fellow TV viewers,

Recently, a blow had been struck for the common ear! The CALM act, HR 1084, passed the House on a voice vote and an identical bill has been introduced in the Senate. This is the first attempt by the government to gain control of those blaring commercials that jar you out of your TV watching reverie. In conjunction with the recently adopted ATSC recommended practice A/85, Techniques for Establishing and Maintaining Audio Loudness for Digital Television, this should go a long way to reduce this common annoyance.

Unfortunately, while both efforts were undertaken with the best of intentions, there are still no guarantees of smooth sailing. It turns out the primary target of both the CALM act and ATSC's A/85 measure is traditional broadcast, one station at a time. Given that, the public will likely be facing at least four major issues that will not be going away:

• Volume level shifts between stations when channel surfing will not be regulated and, therefore, remain uncontrollable. So, switching from channel to channel to find the right program to watch will still prove to be an annoying, frustrating exercise as the volume level will shift up and down even after standards are set in place.
• The insertion of local commercials by cable and satellite providers is another element that is difficult to control. While a commercial might be at an appropriate level for insertion in one network's feed, it may be way out of line for another. With the hundreds of networks and channels running through a typical cable or satellite plant, this will be extremely difficult to manage, if not impossible.
• Then there are the commercials themselves. These things are designed to get people's attention, and no advertiser wants his commercial to be perceived as quieter than another or, even worse, quieter than the program. By using clever production techniques, commercial producers can still make their commercials seem loud without exceeding the level of the program material. There are also many cases when the program intentionally tapers off in level for dramatic effect prior to a commercial. Even a well produced advertisement will seem jarring in this situation.
• Finally there is the issue of multiple sources. Much of the TV content people watch today does not originate from conventional broadcasters. Local sources such as game consoles and DVD and Blu-ray players are now being supplemented by streaming content over the internet, all of which have different audio levels and are not subject to regulation.

Fortunately there is a solution; with the processing power available in today's TVs and Set Top Boxes, it is possible, using advanced DSP algorithms to automatically control volume level at the point of delivery. As long as this can be accomplished unobtrusively, and it can, this approach is the ideal solution. Regardless of the source or level of the incoming content, a volume leveling solution at this point can always make adjustments that are consistent with the user's needs. This is because the process is fully cognizant of all audio coming into the device. So while HR 6209 and A/85 provide much needed relief, the final nail in the coffin of disturbing volume shifts could ultimately be right in your own living room.

Sincerely,

Alan Kraemer

Chief Technology Officer

SRS Labs, Inc.

About SRS Labs, Inc.

Founded in 1993, SRS Labs is the industry leader in audio signal processing for consumer electronics. Beginning with the audio technologies originally developed at Hughes Aircraft, SRS Labs holds over 150 worldwide patents and is recognized by the industry as the foremost authority in research and application of audio post processing technologies based on the human auditory principles.Through partnerships with leading global CE companies, semiconductor manufacturers and software partners, SRS is recognized as the de facto standard in audio enhancement, surround sound, volume leveling and voice processing technologies. SRS solutions have been included in over one billion electronic products sold worldwide including flat panel HDTVs, STBs, mobile phones, portable media devices,PCs and automotive entertainment. SRS Labs supports its partners around the globe with a network of offices in regions including the U.S., China, Europe, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. For more information, visit www.srslabs.com. Visit SRS Labs' blog at soundingoff.srslabs.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/srslabs or on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/srslabs.

Except for historical information contained in this release, statements in this release, including those by Mr. Gharapetian, may constitute forward-looking statements regarding our assumptions, projections, expectations, targets, intentions or beliefs about future events that are based on management's belief, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management.  While the Company believes that its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurances that the Company's goals and strategy will be realized. Numerous factors, including risks and uncertainties, may affect the Company's actual results and may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company. Some of these factors include the acceptance of new SRS Labs' products and technologies, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the timely development and release of technologies by the Company, general business and economic conditions, especially in Asia, and other factors detailed in the Company's Form 10-K and other periodic reports filed with the SEC.  SRS Labs specifically disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

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SOURCE SRS Labs, Inc.