The TV volume changes by itself: adverts too loud, films too quiet
The advert shouts, the film whispers, and the remote never leaves your hand? This isn't a fault. The TV offers a setting that levels out the volume, plus a few options to check depending on your set-up.
- Turn on automatic volume to smooth out differences
- Turn off the dynamic range wide if you watch in the evening
- With a soundbar, set the night mode
- Check that only one remote controls the volume (HDMI-CEC)
Why the volume varies
Every channel, every advert and every film has its own sound level. Films also keep a big gap between quiet passages and action scenes. Your TV, however, applies the same volume to everything. Hence the impression that the sound changes on its own.
Settings that help
- Automatic volume. It is called Volume automatique, Niveau auto, Auto Volume or Volume adaptatif depending on the brand. It raises weak passages and holds back peaks.
- Dynamic compression. In the advanced audio settings, set the dynamic range to Compressed, Standard or Night, especially for watching in the evening without waking the household.
- The soundbar's night mode. If you have a soundbar, it is the one handling the sound: turn on its night mode or its automatic level.
- A single volume control. If the TV and the soundbar each change the volume separately, turn on HDMI-CEC (Anynet+, SimpLink, Bravia Sync, EasyLink) so that the TV remote controls the soundbar.
Some TVs and soundbars lower the music when voices appear, or react to the room's noise ("adaptive sound"). If the volume moves for no reason, try switching these options off.
What about adverts?
Channels must follow a loudness standard for adverts. But the feeling that "ads are louder" comes mainly from the highly compressed sound of adverts, which seems louder at the same volume. The TV's automatic volume remains the best remedy.
Frequently asked questions
Does automatic volume spoil the sound of films?
It slightly reduces the impact of action scenes. For a big film at the weekend, you can switch it off; for evening TV, it is very comfortable.
Why does my volume change with the soundbar?
The TV and the soundbar each have their own setting. With HDMI-CEC and the eARC port, a single remote controls everything and the problem disappears.
My volume jumps several notches at once: a fault?
First check the remote (battery, stuck button) and HDMI-CEC: another device may be sending volume commands.
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