Million-dollar idea

[kengr]

I offer this feature to any would-be inventors out there.

An add-on to a home stereo/home-theater system that lets you set a volume cutoff.

That way you can watch DVDs of movies and be able to hear the dialouge without having without having the music and sound effects irritating the neighbors.

This will be *very* popular for apartment dwellers.

Comments

[mikkop.livejournal.com]

A simple one might not be that hard. There are some problems, but a volume following volume control isn't that hard.

The first problem I can see is that it either has a bit of a delay in adjusting the sound or the sound is delayed a bit from the image. Nothing major, though. You'd have to be careful not to distort the signal, but volume control is a known problem.

Also the connectors might pose a slight problem: a simple SCART or RCA is easy, but HDMI and possible DRM make things hairier.

Interesting idea! I'm thinking of trying to cobble together some electronics projects so this might be fun. :)

[mikkop.livejournal.com]

Actually, there seem to be some things which do this:

http://www.electro-tech-online.com/electronic-projects-design-ideas-reviews/96341-automatic-television-volume-limiter.html

Google "volume limit circuit" - it seems there might even be commercial solutions.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[my-real-head.livejournal.com]

Somewhat selfish, but an end-run around the whole problem is a good pair of wireless headphones. The pair I bought has a docking station to recharge the batteries, which last 8 hours on a charge.

Incidentally, I bought them because my neighbors do not care if they bother anybody with their TV late at night...

[kengr]

Well, not really practical without a mixer for our situation. Both of us watching the TV while also doing stuff on the computer,...

That's another "would be nice" gizmo.

A stereo headset with a decent mike, and a box that you can feed the stereo/tv, the phone and the computer into.