I'd like to modify a remote TV control. Put a small microphone on it with a volume control and an LED indicator plus a small timing circuit. You would use the volume control to set the current speaker level with the LED indicator and just back it off a touch. When the loud commercial comes on the LED blinks, auto mutes the TV with the mute button and starts the timer for 60 seconds. After 60 seconds the mute button is hit again and sound comes back on. If the sound is still above set level it mutes another 30 seconds and continues this until the sound returns to normal levels.
There must be enough off-the-shelf stuff to do this with and have it fit inside the remote. You think?