World Cup Craziness: Devivizelator Squelches the Vuvuzela

Despite what it may sound like, teams in the 2010 World Cup have not been competing inside a giant bee hive. That buzzing comes from a South African horn called the vuvuzela, and its constant drone in the background of every broadcast has polarized soccer fans around the globe. Now, whether you want more vuvuzela or less, there are new computer programs to help.

For those who can’t stand the noise, the Devuvuzelator will filter the buzzing sound out of any streaming audio or video broadcast. Developed by the Stardock Corporation, the Devuvuzelator isolates eliminates the most common frequency produced by the vuvuzela, 230Hz, or B-flat below middle C. Luckily, the play by play commentary remains louder than the horn, allowing the Devuvuzelator to remove the sound without destroying the listening experience entirely. [Read “How Do Vuvuzela Horns Cause Hearing Damage?”]

The Devuvuzelator has a number of different settings, so the user can optimize the balance between suppressing the buzzing and distorting the broadcast.

However, if you’re a soccer fan who has a fever, and the only cure is more vuvuzela, then Vuvuzela Time will add the humming tones of the plastic horn to any website. When used on an ESPN3 or Univision broadcast of an actual World Cup match, Vuvuzela Time doubles the level of vuvu-tainment.

YouTube has also answered the demand for more vuvuzela, adding a button to their interface that plays dulcet vuvuzela notes over any YouTube video.