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Terk VR1 Automatic TV Volume Controller | 
 enlarge | Brand: Terk
Category: CE
List Price: $39.99
Buy New: $21.02
You Save: $18.97 (47%)
New (40) from $21.02
Avg. Customer Rating:  77 reviews
Color: silver
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Fragile: No
Number Of Items: 1
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 4 x 4 x 4
MPN: VR-1
Model: VR-1
UPC: 034405001225
EAN: 0034405001225
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Compatible with any AV device using RCA connectors | | • | Once installed, never needs adjusting | | • | Advanced Digital Signal Processing for quick, automatic volume adjustment - in less than 2/1000-ths of a second | | • | Built-in Noise Reduction removes the 'hiss' present in some sounds | | • | Adjusts bass and treble signals for improved dialogue |
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Product Description
The TERK TV Volume Regulator (VR-1) delivers a consistent, quality audio level while channel surfing or changing between A/V sources, without adjusting the volume. The VR-1 features Advanced Digital Signal Processing technology that automatically adjusts sound levels without introducing additional noises. In the VR-1, Noise Reduction technology automatically reduces any 'hiss' already present in audio. This clarifies whispers and articulates quiet scenes to a level that you can enjoy. Its Dual-Band Automatic Gain Control adjusts bass and treble signals separately for improved dialog. With response as quick as .002 seconds, the VR-1 delivers consistent audio levels when sudden loud noises such as explosions are present. The VR-1 is easy-to-install and is compatible with any A/V device (using RCA-type connectors). Its compact design allows for out-of-sight installation.Consumers adjust the volume as much as twenty five times an hour. TERK's TV Volume Regulator allows you to focus on the entertainment and not the volume control. Once installed, you can set the VR-1 to your desired level and enjoy quality audio. The VR-1 automatically matches the volume of commercials to the program level, eliminating those sudden, loud noises that disturb the household or neighbors. By making dialog more intelligible and reducing blaring music or sound effects, the VR-1 is a great solution for the home theater enthusiast.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 72 more reviews...
 In-depth review of the TERK VR-1 Volume Regulator December 18, 2004
113 out of 119 found this review helpful
The TERK VR-1 Volume Regulator is an electronic device that automatically limits the amount of audio that can be fed to an external stereo amplifier or home theater system, so that variations in audio levels between TV stations on a cable system or satellite receiver will be more or less "leveled out". In other words, no more barely able to hear one channel, while being blasted out of your chair when you surf to the next channel. It acts like a brick wall to excessive audio levels; you can throw a goodly amount of audio at it, but it will only output a fixed level and that's it! And it does it's job extremely well and without noticeable distortion. That having been said, however, keep something else in mind ... the psychological aspects of sound. A lot of the audio we hear today on the air waves is compressed audio, meaning that there is less dynamic range and more sound power within the audio "package". The result is that processed audio (audio that's been compressed) sounds much louder than audio that has its normal dynamic range. That's why some commercials sound louder than the program material that they're inserted into, and why some musical segways between the program and the commercials sound so loud. In other words, it's not just the peaks of the audio that make for a loud sounding audio material, it's also how much the audio has been processed during its production. The VR-1 (or any other volume regulator) can do very little to uncompress intentional efforts to pack more audio power into a sound channel. That would be asking a lot!
A device like the TERK VR-1 Volume Regulator isn't for everyone, the buyer needs to have some familiarity with interconnecting home theater audio components to achieve the desired results. It's not that the VR-1 itself needs any adjustments (in fact, there are no adjustments), but rather, the individual doing the installation needs to put the VR-1 in the correct place within the audio chain, but it's not at all difficult if that person has a basic understanding of audio component interrelations.
Perhaps the simplest way to utilize the TERK VR-1 is to feed the earphone output from the TV receiver into the "Left & Right Audio Inputs" on the unit. The "Left & Right Audio Outputs" are then fed into your stereo receiver (or home theater amplifier) and that receiver or amplifier is then used to drive the speakers that will reproduce the TV audio at a higher fidelity than the TV receiver itself could normally provide. The reason that you'll want to use the earphone output from the TV receiver is because plugging a cable into the earphone output will automatically disconnect the TV set's internal speakers. If the set's internal speakers aren't disconnected, then you'll hear the "blasting" audio from some of the channels coming through the set's internal speakers, and that will negate the "regulated" audio being fed to your external system. The very brief manual that comes with the TERK VR-1 fails to mention this point, but it's a very important one. If you're using a TV receiver without internal speakers, or if there is some other means to turn them off, then you could use the audio left and right outputs on the back of the receiver without consequence. If your set doesn't have an earphone or headset output on it, you'll have to try to have one installed by a qualified service tech, but make sure that he knows what he's doing, you don't want lethal voltages on any of the leads coming out of the set!
Once you have the earphone output feeding the VR-1, and the VR-1's output feeding your external amplifier and speakers, then simply set the volume from the TV set so that the sound is comfortable coming from the channel with the least audio level. Don't use the volume up and down on the TV set's remote from that point on. Instead, adjust the volume that you want for a particular show or movie only with the remote for your stereo receiver, amplifier or home theater system. The reason is that once you set the level into the VR-1 for the weakest audio source (TV channel), you'll want to leave that level alone and only play with the output level from your external system from that time on, that will keep the audio levels from all TV channels pretty constant, unless the cable or satellite provider readjusts their audio levels on the various channels from time to time. If they do, then just readjust the input to the VR-1 for proper output on the channel with the least audio level once again. None of this is mentioned in the abbreviated manual from the manufacturer either, they very much leave the new owner out on their own. I'll bet TERK gets lots of phone calls!
To summarize, the TERK VR-1 Volume Regulator (limiter) is a very effective piece of equipment when installed and used correctly, but their manual isn't a whole lot of help in that area. From what I've read elsewhere, the VR-1 converts the analog audio signal into digital format, then uses a mathematical algorithm to achieve its goal. In addition to maintaining a consistent audio level, the VR-1 apparently also employs algorithms to reduce noise (hiss) and to process the bass and treble signals separately for improved dialog recognition, with a response action as fast as 2 milliseconds. When all of this processing is over, the signal is converted back to analog format.
The VR-1 is a small, nice looking package but it can also be tucked away and forgotten about if so desired. It contains no adjustments, but it does have a front panel "Bypass" switch if you simply want to convince yourself or your friends about the job that it's doing. It comes with one set of RCA phono plug (on each end) connection cables and a wall outlet power cube for powering the unit. Oh, I almost forgot about the manual, you get that too! You'll chuckle when you see that little piece of paper folded over 3 times, but hey, that's what they call it ... an owner's manual! What more can I say?
 Does what it says! November 23, 2005
34 out of 35 found this review helpful
Loud annoying commercials or low whispering in some shows make watching TV less enjoyable, especially when you have to constantly adjust the volume up or down. I think everyone knows that annoying commercial where the female announcer pops up on the screen and says "when is a diet pill worth 153 dollars a bottle". The volume of that commercial is so loud, you are knocked out of your seat. I saw the Terk VR1 advertised and thought I'd give it a try. I have been very pleased with it. It really does exactly what it says it does.
It's simple to install. There is nothing to adjust. Just plug it in between your cable box, VCR or dish receiver and your TV and turn it on. It's that simple. Unfortunately, if you have an old fashioned standard TV antenna (through the air type such as an old fashioned roof-top or inside rabbit ears), the Terk VR1 won't work for you unless you use your VCR to receive over the air broadcasts. You need a "receiver" such as a cable box, dish receiver, VCR, etc. The receiver (cable box, dish box, VCR, etc.) plugs directly into the Terk, then the Terk is plugged into your TV using the included RCA cables.
I was amazed how much of a difference the Terk made. Surfing from channel to channel doesn't require adjusting the volume. The volume of the commercials is the same as the show, so no need to hit the "mute" button during every commercial break. When movies or shows have low volume scenes, such as whispering, the volume is automatically adjusted so you can actually hear what is being said.
I give the Terk VR1 5 stars.
Tame those loud commercials! November 27, 2003
30 out of 31 found this review helpful
I was looking for a solution to having to adjust the TV volume at every commercial break (my Sony doesn't have automatic volume control) and this device does exactly what it claims. I have hooked it between my digital cable
box and the TV via the RCA-type audio out plugs on the digital box and connected to the VR-1 audio-in. Another set of audio plugs go from the
VR-1's audio-out to the TV's audio-in. You can bypass the signal modulation
with a switch on the front of the VR-1 if so desired, but for most programming you will want it to be ON! It adjusts the volume for the loudest commercials so that everything is very level and you then adjust the volume on your cable remote to the level you like.Be aware that it does not work with a stand-alone TV, you have to have an
A/V input such as a dish receiver, digital cable box or home theater receiver. If you find loud commercials as aggravating as I do, you'll love this little device!
 Horrible for TV's..works with with other things however November 18, 2004
26 out of 29 found this review helpful
I recently purchased this product locally and found that it had trouble making the picture in sync with the sound. After closer examining the product, I realized that the outputs are merely equalizing the sound and aren't doing anything with the picture, which is causing the lack of syncronization. I found a similar product which does work properly( balancing both the volume and picture for maximium syncrronization(www.tvsoundregulator.com). I'm sorry to bad mouth this product so much, but being a large electronics enthusiast I don't want people to miss informed and be let down with this product. I wish your site carried the TV Sound Regulator, now, that's a product I will gladly stand behind. Thank you!
Works Great - but durability continues to be an issue... November 21, 2004
21 out of 23 found this review helpful
I ordered the Terk VR-1 TV Volume Regulator about a year ago. It quit working after about a week so I returned it for a replacement. The replacement worked for about 2 months and then quit working also.
EDITED - 2 Years later...
This is the fourth Terk VR1 Automatic TV Volume Controller I have purchased. It works great - just as advertised but it could / should be a lot more durable. Nothing else on the market does the job - so each time I buy one I hope maybe this time it will last for more than a few months.
The only competition to this unit I could find ("TV Volume Regulator") is a complete waste of money since it raises the background noise to the same level as bombs dropping. In other words, raindrops are as loud as gunfire.
So until there is something better, I keep buying the Terk (now Audiovox) because it is the only unit I could find that really does the job.
If the unit was more durable I would easily rate it 5 Stars.
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