ECE 445S Real-Time Digital Signal Processing Laboratory - Lecture 8 - Announcements

Announcements: Setting the Stage

• Keeping the Peace: Round one of trying to establish a new city noise ordinance for Austin music", Andy Langer, The Austin Chronicle, May 3, 2002.
  • "downtown residents and hotels upset with noise disruptions from live music"
  • "April 17 unveiling of an amendment to Austin's amplified sound ordinance that would have reduced the legal definition of 'noise' from 85 decibels to 75dB."
  • "It's like trying to sell your house for $100,000 knowing you'll get $90,000. We were trying to get the best we could for the residents and the hotel businesses knowing we'd have to do some negotiating." From the author of the proposed change.
  In local TV news reports, proponents of new measure said that reducing noise levels from 85 dB to 75 dB at the boundary of a property was a very mild 10% reduction in noise levels. Oops!
  • "Every 10 decibels doubles the volume. Therefore, 85dB is not slightly louder than 75dB, it's twice the volume."
  The proposed change was defeated.

• "Austin startup creates device to lessen ear fatigue in musicians", Amanda Brandeis, KXAN News, Austin, Texas, Oct. 3, 2016.

• "Please don't stop the music: Austin tests new sound mitigation system", Calily Bien and Amanda Brandeis, KXAN News, Oct. 11, 2016.

• In 2019, the City of Austin had again considered updating the noise ordinance to provide specific measures of loudness for low frequency noise

Last updated 06/07/22. Send comments to bevans@ece.utexas.edu