Video Asylum

Posted by Joe Murphy Jr (A) on May 23, 2006 at 23:03:09

In Reply to: My DVD player (Panasonic) doesn't seem to have a night mode posted by Jack on May 23, 2006 at 19:33:47:

It may be called Night Mode, Dynamic Range Control or some other similar name. Its function is to compress the low level signals (making them louder) and the high level signals (making them softer). This squeezes everything to the middle so that the volume doesn't have to be turned up to hear the quiet passages or turned down to compensate for the loud passages. It's used mostly for late night viewing/times when you don't want to disturb others with a dynamic soundtrack.

But if it's ON when it should be OFF, it takes the life out of the soundtrack.