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gbmcneil

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Looking For Windows 7 App To Stop Sound

Hello Again Experts -

I am finding it increasingly diifficult to maintain my sanity when going to certain "popular websites". I'm referring to Fox News, Zero Hedge, etc.

The problem is that going to these sites now trigger an avalanch of advertising. And, to make it worse, they start pumping audio appeals thru my laptop speakers or headphones. Often there is so much advertising clutter that I can't figure out which of the little panels is the culprit. If I can find it, I can usually quickly figure out how to get it to stop.

I am aware that I can go to the Control Panel and shut down or significantly limit the sound volume. But, this is a lot of work if at one moment you welcome sound for a certain application - and at another point in time, you'd like to track down the offending party for a good tongue lashing or worse.

Does anyone know of a little app that would allow sound to be turned OFF and ON by simply clicking on an icon in the system tray?

Thanks very much and "Peace be with you".

Gordon
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Jim Riddles
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If you use Chrome, you can install the app AutoMute located here.

It automatically mutes each new tab when it is opened, and you can choose when to allow audio.  Hope that helps.  Soon, Google will be updating Chrome to automatically include this functionality...it is already available in their beta version.
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Kimputer

First of all, start using adblockers.
Second, why use an app? It's already available right there on your media keyboard. Just press the mute button.
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Lee W, MVP
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Hi Gordon,
You should already have a speaker icon in the system tray that looks like this:

User generated image
If you left-click on it, you'll get this:

User generated image
Left-click the speaker icon there and it will mute the sound:

User generated image
Do it again to un-mute it. So, two mouse clicks each time to toggle the sound on-off. Not bad, but if you really want it to be a single mouse click, or a single keystroke, such as a function key (e.g., F10) or a combo key (e.g., Alt-Ctrl-S), it's doable, but more effort (let me know). Regards, Joe
@Kimputer, you assume that the author's keyboard has a mute button...it may not have one.

I personally can't wait for Google to deliver a non-beta version of Chrome that allows me to auto-mute videos.  That should have always been available in every browser created.
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This must be a "hot topic" because I have received a number of responses. The issue is also surprisingly more complex than I orginally thought.
 
First off, let me modify precisely what I'm looking for. I'd like to have sound only turned ON for those websites that I have determined in advance I would like to have it turned ON. If I am just surfing around, I'd like the default to be OFF.

Now, obviously if I were bringing up a YouTube or a YouTube link, I'd like to have sound ON by default. And, there may be other websites that I use on a regular basis where I like to see them ON as well. And, I'd like to designate them as such. But, leave me be as far as remaining websites go (i.e., give me peace and quiet).

I never heard of an app or a browser that would do just this - anticipate my preference before I get to go where I want to go website-wise.

Complicating the situation are two other factors I can think of. Number 1 is that even the best applet to turn off sound probably isn't going to work if the source of the sound is an imbedded ad. The priniple offender here is AdChoices - which isn't a choise at all for the user. Does anyone know of a pop-up blocker that will prevent these panels from even appearing? I see an applet called Adguard for $49.95. Does anyone know if this software contributes anything to solving problem?

And, Number #2 is similiar to Number #1. It consists of videos (not necessarily in YouTube format) that are embedded in a web page. They come to like by scrolling any where near them. These might be rendered mute if they were found to be at un-predefined websites by just shutting down all sound while being viewed by the user.

I don't know if this clarifies the problem. I just hate these websites that keep mouthing off when you're trying to read something. Again, please leave me alone.
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Very interesting Lee W. I will have t look into that. Do you recall if it prevented AdChoices from running?  I currently see AdChoices panel ads displayed in both iExplorer 11 and Chrome.
Honestly I don't recall - I just don't recall being bothered by things like that - which does happen occasionally now (why I have my web browser muted).
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Hello Joe and the rest of The Experts contributing to this topic -

I never heard of this particular hotkey capability in Windows 7. No doubt this scripting language would have other applications.

I see that you have linked to a page more fully describing AutoHotKey. Many thanks for your efforts.

Would you be willing to post the code?
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You know, I never heard of "Hot Key Script". Can you point me to a reference manual, too?

Many thanks for your efforts, Joe.
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Hello Joe -

I'm confused. Are you going to post the code to switch my sound ON and OFF?

Thanks.
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How do I give Lee W and "assist" on this question?

He introduced an approach that I was unaware of when I posed my question.
Gordon,
You may accept more than one comment from the same member and/or more than one comment from many members as solutions. One comment must be the "Best (Accepted) Solution", while multiple other comments may each be an "Assisted Solution". Also, you may split up the points however you want. This EE support article explains it all:
How do I accept multiple comments as my solution?

However, since you've already closed it, you'll need to have it re-opened in order to accept Lee's post as an Assisted Solution. To do that, click the Report Question link underneath the question and request that the question be re-opened. An EE Mod will re-open it and then you'll be able to re-close it as you please. Regards, Joe
Thanks. I've piut the request in.
Great!
Gordon originally gave me all the points, but then said that he wants to "give Lee W an 'assist' on this question". Thanks to ModeIT for reopening the question, but Gordon hasn't come back to close it in more than three weeks, so I decided to take a run at it. I don't recollect which of my post(s) that Gordon originally selected (but I do have the email showing that he gave me all of the points) and I don't know which of Lee's posts that he wants as assists, so I'm going to use my judgment and pick the ones that I think are helpful. I also don't know how Gordon wanted to split the points between Lee and me, so I'm simply going to split them evenly, which I think is fair. Regards, Joe