Computing devices have made significant contributions toward the advancement of modern society and are utilized in a number of applications to achieve advantageous results. Numerous devices, such as digital music players (e.g., MP3 players), smart phones, laptop computers, tablet computers, TVs, DVD players, game consoles, desk top computers and the like have facilitated increased consumption of content in most areas of entertainment, education, business and science. Computing devices have also made it faster, easier and cheaper to access content of all types in digital form. The convenience of having content more readily accessible typically results in users accessing content more often and may also result in users acquiring ever-increasing amounts of content from various sources.
The audio and/or audio video content from different sources may be encoded according to different standards. The different standards may result in different audio output levels when the content is played on a given electronic device. Even for content encoded according to the same standard, different content may be recoded at different audio levels resulting in different audio output levels when the content is played on the electronic device.
The various audio and/or audio/video content having different audio output level can result in users experiencing unexpected changes in the audio output level when listening to such content. The proliferation of playlists including audio and/or audio/video content having one or more differing audio output levels can increase the occurrence of being subjected to unexpected changes in the audio output levels. The differing audio output levels can be distracting or even harmful to the user. For example, a first item of audio or audio/video content may be rendered at a relatively low volume causing the user to increase the volume level. Thereafter a second item of content may be rendered at a much higher volume level that is further increased by the volume adjustment made by the user in response to the level of the first item of content. When the difference is too great, it may cause discomfort or even damage or loss of hearing. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for improved audio rendering techniques.