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From: Retirednoguilt <HapilyRetired@fakeaddress.com>
Newsgroups: alt.home.repair,sci.electronics.repair
Subject: Re: Add-on automatic volume control
Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2024 10:32:10 -0400
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On 6/11/2024 12:15 AM, micky wrote:
> In sci.electronics.repair, on Mon, 10 Jun 24 22:26:34 UTC, Judge Arthur
> Enron <judge@get.trump> wrote:
> 
>> micky wrote:
>>> Does anyone sell an add-on AVC or AGC, automatic volume control that can
>>> be used with an existing one-piece radio?
>>>
>>> I bought an internet radio and in some of the stations, the commercials
>>> are so loud they wake me up if I've fallen asleep, or near sleep, and if
>>> I turn down the volume, I can't hear the program.  I listen to talk
>>> radio and in another channel, the host is loud enough but everyone else
>>> is much quieter, and sometimes the host gets closer to the microphone
>>> and it's too loud again.
>>>
>>> I'd like to cut the wire to the speakers, which are built into the
>>> radio's cabinet, and insert a device or circuit that will act as an AVC.
>>> Any suggestions?
>>>
>>> I presume that if I bought a different internet radio I'd have the same
>>> problem, or is it possible the AVC in this one is broken?
>>>
>>> P.S. googling found this, Add-on: AGC and Speech Enhancement
>>> https://www.totalrecorder.com/AddOnAGC.htm , which sounds perfect, but
>>> it's software, and I need hardware.
>>>
>>
>> Raspberry PI 4 -
>> Auto Volume Control & EQ setup for CABLE TV -
>> Keep the volume same on all channels
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3X01edbZk8
> 
> it's something related to what I want, but it's software.
> Ralph's and Mighty's suggestions are also appreciated, but not close
> enough. 
> 
> Changed search words and found this
> https://www.amazon.com/LEMONKTV-Control-Device-Karaoke-Machine/dp/B07H49JB8S/ref=sr_1_1
> Not just for Karaoke.  Small but still too big for the speaker space,
> but I can mount it outside the radio, cut the wires to the speaker(s)
> and connect to each part half of a cable with RCA jacks on the end.
> 
> The ratings are few and from 1 to 5.    $50. 
> 
> The sound engineer who gave it 1 star says the only other model is
> disconintued but another reviewer started at 5 stars, went down to 1,
> then said that Rolls SL33B was better. It's 3.9 starts on 131 reviews
> for $89.  Still not that high, but sounds better than nothin'. If I can
> go to bed listening to the radio, it will be worth it.  It has some sort
> of gain control and a threshold adjustment, and a "red LED for general
> indication of the amount of gain reduction in the circuit".    The first
> one didn't have any of this. 
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/rolls-SL33B-Stereo-Program-Limiter/dp/B004GK7PAI/ref=sr_1_1
> Called a program limiter for some reason.  It's a Utah company.  Maybe
> they speak differently out there.  I guess I'll google that to see if
> there are others.   yes, there are, at goknight.com using the term
> compressor/limiter -- must be a technical name --  but it's $208 or 289.
> 
> When I got to the product website itsself it says "helps control the
> level over loud, obnoxious commercials, for example." That's half of
> what I had in mind, and the other half is similar. 

Your desired solution may fit into the "too hard" category.  The
pragmatic solution is to find something else to lull you to sleep.
Consider a white noise machine for example.  I haven't checked, but
there may even be a smartphone app for what you want with a built-in
timer so you don't drain the battery all night.  There are also apps
that provide restful sound tracks to aid in meditation.  Combined with
using the "do not disturb" setting on the smartphone to avoid undesired
audio notifications, it just may do the trick. There may even be
internet "stations" that provide wall to wall soothing music that
wouldn't require any additional equipment.  Think outside the box when
plan A doesn't seem feasible.