Why is it so popular to mute a program on TV, and continue to watch the images or at least leave them running for no apparent reason, but nobody seems to ever find a good reason to take away the image and leave the sound??

Sometimes, I get tired of all the flashing and bright screen action, but still want to hear the drama. I want a Vute Button.
-- daseva, Apr 27 2008

How about the brilliance control?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 27 2008


The brilliance control is to the vute as the volume control is to the mute, isn't it? So, not an adequate substitute. My tired eyes like this idea. [+]
-- pertinax, Apr 27 2008


Been suggested a couple of times before, here. Of course, I can't find either one now....
-- DrCurry, Apr 28 2008


this would be particularly useful when listening to a CD on a DVD player.
-- xaviergisz, Apr 28 2008


What [xaviergisz] said. [+]
-- imaginality, Apr 28 2008


As a guy who enjoys watching commercials with no sound, I'll vote for this.

(know thine enemy)
-- normzone, Apr 28 2008


//brilliance control// Sadly, the brilliance is turned all the way down to 'L.C.D.' before transmission on most of today's inane television broadcasts leaving there little leeway for adjustment.

I like the idea of a Vute button; but suggest that in the meantime the Off button is just as effective and has the added benefit of shielding one from the annoyance of the poorly educated speaking in their 'regional accents'.
-- vincevincevince, Apr 28 2008


Alternatively you could call it the "Moot Button".
-- lostdog, Apr 28 2008


Baked on both my Sony LCD TVs
-- coprocephalous, Apr 28 2008


My remote has a button that will mute the sound and make the screen blank at the same time.
-- nomocrow, Apr 28 2008


Get one of those fake-looking wood cabinets and close the doors. Or put a cardboard box over the set. Or a bin bag. (That's a bin bag over the set, not a cardboard box over a bin bag.)
-- angel, Apr 28 2008


Good for falling asleep. I like to set the timer on the TV and listen to the news or something as I go to sleep, but the flickering lights are counter-productive. This would be great for that. [+]
-- Noexit, Apr 28 2008


Utterly marvellous. It would save power and it'd be great for the blind and listening to digital radio and CDs.
-- nineteenthly, Apr 28 2008


If something has images that I don't want to see, it usually has accompaning and equally annoying sound I don't want to hear...I use the "Switch channel" buttons and or the "Off" button...I'm quite happy with that.
-- Blisterbob, Apr 28 2008


the old idea was probably linked to turning off sports commentators.
-- po, Apr 28 2008


//If something has images that I don't want to see, it usually has accompaning and equally annoying sound I don't want to hear//

I would probably just be looking at the DVD player splash screen or whatever it's called, or for DAB radio, the set top box menu screen. Then again, i don't actually watch TV.
-- nineteenthly, Apr 28 2008



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