what could the technical fault be?

[robert2000]

I am interested in knowing what causes the automated announcements on the trains and platforms to pronounce places differently.

for example, on all Arriva trains and stations, Runcorn East is spoken quietly, and Earlstown is twice as loud as the others.

does any1 have any other examples or any ideas why it does this?

 

[krus_aragon]

That sounds like the recordings haven't been normalised properly.

The auto announcements are individual recordings strung together. If the voice for hire was leaning a little closer to the microphone for one station, it'd be recorded louder. To normalise the recordings, the recorded waveforms would all be scaled so that the loudest part of each recording is at the same maximum volume.

 

[Firestarter]

Local noise police

 

[thelem]

If it's just one or two stations names then I'd guess that the VO artist didn't record them first time and had to go back to do them at a later date (maybe new stations for a route or something). New studio, maybe no access to the original recordings to compare against.

 

[71B]

I am interested in knowing what causes the automated announcements on the trains and platforms to pronounce places differently.

Good grief! :roll:

 

[merlodlliw]

I am interested in knowing what causes the automated announcements on the trains and platforms to pronounce places differently.

for example, on all Arriva trains and stations, Runcorn East is spoken quietly, and Earlstown is twice as loud as the others.

does any1 have any other examples or any ideas why it does this?

As a lot of ATW(all Wales Franchise) stations in England give both English and Welsh versions, was this one in English?

 

[TheExmoorBeast]

Having recently sat at Newport (Gwent) for 30 minutes, I was getting near to suicidal hearing everything at least 4 times (2 x English & 2 x Welsh) when trains arrived.

I'm taking earplugs next time, I change there.

 

[ailsa]

That sounds like the recordings haven't been normalised properly.

The auto announcements are individual recordings strung together. If the voice for hire was leaning a little closer to the microphone for one station, it'd be recorded louder. To normalise the recordings, the recorded waveforms would all be scaled so that the loudest part of each recording is at the same maximum volume.

To add to the above, there is also the issue of compression, which is the practice of knocking down the peaks of the audio signal and amplifying the result. This is done to give a more consistent overall volume and prevent distortion of the sound in a noisy environment.

In short, it's very difficult to get an identical result with two separate recording sessions. So when changes are made to the announcements that require new recordings, it's often rather obvious to the listener.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I've just remembered, while we're on the subject of duff auto-announcers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct9COwWu69k

 

[robert2000]

try standing at shrewsbury for an hour, lol

 

[thefab444]

I am interested in knowing what causes the automated announcements on the trains and platforms to pronounce places differently.

Completely different system, specification and voice-over artist.

 

[Vulcan]

Anyone in Northern territory will know theres a new automatic announcement seemingly at all Northern operated stations, 'Please mind the gap between the train and the platform' But the woman voice speaking it sounds like she's really bored, and I'm sure I can hear a sigh before she starts talking.

 

[krus_aragon]

try standing at shrewsbury for an hour, lol

You'll get all the Heart of Wales stations as well there...

 

[robert2000]

yes i got the heart of wales stations 3 times, when standing at craven arms after some little kid kept pressing the button for next train announcement, and repeated telling me which of them were request stops.

 

[Greenback]

I timed the announcement at Llanelli for the Heart of Wales line. The English and Welsh announcements, incluidng the request stop ones, took 2 minutes and 27 seconds to run through!

It seems like even longer when you are listening to it every day!

 

[Fincra5]

I've just remembered, while we're on the subject of duff auto-announcers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct9COwWu69k

That would drive me insane listening to that for ages

 

[thefab444]

when standing at craven arms after some[one] kept pressing the button for next train announcement,

Are you sure that wasn't Jordy?

 

[merlodlliw]

I timed the announcement at Llanelli for the Heart of Wales line. The English and Welsh announcements, incluidng the request stop ones, took 2 minutes and 27 seconds to run through!

It seems like even longer when you are listening to it every day!

Lucky there is a five hour gap between trains for that reason, I was at Cardiff
Central last week,waiting for the 1720 to Holyhead, 2 Welsh,2 English stating platform one followed by a cutaway from a real person stating the train leaves from platform two. These announcements must also have run for two minutes plus, the cutaway 5 seconds. Noise pollution comes to mind.

 

[danfitz123]

I was on a virgin pendolino the other day and a automated announcement came on... Have Pendo's always been capable of this?

 

[thefab444]

Yes, Voyagers have similar announcements as well, although they're pretty rarely used.