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I Dream of Silence From My Web Browser?

Posted by Cliff on from the flash-wav-files-should-have-a-mute-function dept.

BRAINBUZ asks: "I'm finding more and more web-pages are blasting sound at me. Everyone who chooses to blast sound at me seems to manage to make their sound files much louder than what I was trying to listen to. I am finding this to be even more annoying than popups -- at least with pop-ups I could click the X and be done with it, pages with sound don't give an option to turn it off without closing the browser, or muting all sound. When I can, I avoid sites with sound, but just today I was checking my balance on one of my credit cards only to have some awful noise nearly blow out my speakers from one of their ads, for themselves. Opera has a feature to turn off sound in web pages, which doesn't work on most noisy pages. Haven't been able to find a similar option in Firefox or IE. The next killer feature, what I really want from my browser, is the ability to shut every web site up. I get security warnings from my browsers all of the time, why can't I get a warning about every media file (whether it be audio, video, flash, ActiveX or Java based) on the page that wants to play and the option to play or not play them?"

15 of 87 comments (clear)

  1. FlashMute by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    FlashMute - cross-browser Flash muting.

  2. disconnect your speakers by mkcmkc · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I run with my speakers (including that stupid internal one) disconnected all the time, unless there's something I want to hear. That solves about 99% of the problem. Don't install Flash plugins--that's an additional help.

    --
    "Not an actor, but he plays one on TV."
    1. Re:disconnect your speakers by bob+whoops · · Score: 4, Insightful

      There is something I want to hear most of the time. My music.

    2. Re:disconnect your speakers by ResidntGeek · · Score: 4, Funny

      It's not YOUR music, it's the RIAA's music! You're DAMN lucky they allow you to listen, even if you paid for it! Count your blessings!

      --
      ResidntGeek
  3. Most of these are flash... by Matt+Perry · · Score: 3, Informative
    Most of these sounds come from Flash objects. You can block Flash with FlashBlock. It puts a play button where the Flash object is. As an alternative, I would recommend using NoScript. It allows you to block JavaScript, Flash, Java, and other plugins and then whitelist sites that you go to all of the time. You can enable Flash, Java, and plugins by clicking to play like with FlashBlock. If you are just visiting for a moment then you can temporarily enable for that site just for your browser session. I've found that this fixes all of the sound issues that you are talking about.

    only to have some awful noise nearly blow out my speakers from one of their ads, for themselves.
    Then install AdBlock and the AdBlock Filterset.G Updater. Ads that play sounds are yet another reason in a long list why I block ads myself. Some people don't agree with blocking ads. Well, make up your own mind on what to do. Personally I take the approach that several bad advertisers ruin it for everyone so I block them all.
    --
    Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
    1. Re:Most of these are flash... by dschuetz · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Most of these sounds come from Flash objects. You can block Flash with FlashBlock. It puts a play button where the Flash object is.

      Of course, then, you either get no flash, or when you explicitly play the flash, you still get blasted away.

      I asked about this ages (I think maybe even two years ago) for Mozilla. There's even a bug filed for it [and, OMB, it was filed almost exactly six years ago ]. It's got 53 votes, maybe it needs more: Bug 24418 - Allow user to turn on and off rendering of video/audio (disable sound).

      What'd really be nice is a volume control in an easily-accessed space on the browser, so you could, if you want, leave the browser sounds enabled, but at a mix level you're comfortable with.

  4. 2 soundcards maybe??? by baton · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If the reason you dont want sounds is because your say listening to music via another app you could get a 2nd sound output device (say a cheap usb 'soundcard') make that primary ound output and not plug anything into it. Then set your sound app to use the other soundcard that has speakers on it.

    You shouldn't have to goto these lengths to do it, but it would work.

    1. Re:2 soundcards maybe??? by adamofgreyskull · · Score: 3, Funny

      Because then you couldn't scare the shit out of someone plugging speakers into the wrong soundcard by looping a loudass WAV of "AWOOOOGAH!! DO NOT TOUCH ME THERE HUMAN!!!!" through it.

    2. Re:2 soundcards maybe??? by harryman100 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Chances are it's possible you're using the onboard sound from your motherboard anyway. What I did a while ago is buy myself a nice SoundBlaster, mostly because I wanted surround sound and my previous card didn't do it, My default sound device is my onboard card, and all "approved" apps have their ouput set to use the SoundBlaster which is hooked up to a nice surround sound set of speakers, the onboard sound is plugged into the shitty speakers built into my monitor (which are usually muted).

      This provides a nice way of having two different levels for different kinds of input, muting unwanted (unexpected) sounds, however, if you're using linux, it can take a bit of fiddling to set up in ALSA. YMMV

      --
      .sigs are for losers
  5. Your bank? by strikethree · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You say you were checking your balance. I would assume that this is your bank. Have you considered writing/calling them and letting them exactly how annoying a full-blast sound is? I am sure they would not tolerate such loud sounds inside of their bank, so I really do not think they would approve of such loud sounds coming from their website. The website was likely designed by an external company with little oversight by the bank.

    Of course, this only fixes one sight. Have you thought of writing a plug-in for Mozilla/Firefox similar to the wonderful flash-block plugin?

    strike

    --
    "Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem." by ohnocitizen
    1. Re:Your bank? by ClamIAm · · Score: 4, Funny
      I would assume that this is your bank.

      Only one way to find out. Get the name of the president of the bank, stand directly outside of his office with a megaphone, and shout "Mr. Phillips! WOULD YOU LIKE A BIGGER PENIS?"

    2. Re:Your bank? by timmyf2371 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      An alternative to simply writing to your bank; you could use one of those Birthday cards which plays an annoying and repetitive tune when opened, and simply compose a clear and concise letter within letting the bank know how annoying sound can be when trying to work or relax. You'd also have the added advantage that the advisor dealing with your complaint would be able to fully appreciate just how frustrating unexpected and unwanted noise can be.

      --

      Backup not found: (A)bort (R)etry (P)anic
  6. Every now and then... by Gadren · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...I think that Flash is one of the worst things to happen to the Web. Maybe it's just frustration, but do we really need to slowly fading buttons on a corporate website?

  7. How about Vista? by David+Horn · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Yeah, I know it's a wait and I know it's Windows, but apparently you'll be able to control the volume of individual programs.

    --
    PocketGamer.org - For the gamer on the go!
  8. Just use Linux by fatrat · · Score: 2, Funny


    Just put linux on a cutting edge laptop - volia, no sound :)