The name Dolby Digital immediately pops up in the minds of many when they think about surround sound. Surround/Immersive Sound Codecs – Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X Let us now take a look at the popular codecs used for surround sound. As long as the surround channels and audio objects are included in the bitstream, “surround virtualization” algorithms can simulate surround effects (to a lesser extent) even on playback systems with a lesser number of speakers. Recording, mixing, and encoding are part of program production. In the case of object-based audio, audio objects (soundtracks with associated metadata indicating spatial coordinates and other information useful for rendering) also need to be embedded in the encoded bitstream. Finally, the playback system should have the needed number of speakers placed optimally.
Then the codec should support the encoding and identification of all the channels in its bitstream. The recording should have produced the channels tailored to be played on the front, surround, and LFE speakers. But true surround / immersive sound effects can be realized only when all stages in the digital audio processing chain, from capture to playback-support handling of surround / immersive sound.
We have talked about the number of speakers and their placement for surround and immersive sound. Surround/Immersive Sound involves the whole audio ecosystem! But this feature requires a good deal of improvisation in the production workflow and infrastructure all across the ecosystem and not yet widely prevalent. Consumers can switch off / on or play up / down the volume of different audio objects based on their needs, preferences, hardware capability, or listening environment.įor example, many listeners might want to boost the dialogue a bit. The term “object-based audio” is also used for immersive sound technologies as they allow modeling of sound sources along with their coordinates in 3D space as “objects.” This differentiates them from earlier “channel-based” surround sound technologies where directors had to mix the sounds from a scene into pre-determined channels.Īudio objects also open up possibilities for the personalization of audio delivered to consumers. The following figure shows the recommended layout for a 5.1 speaker surround sound system.Ĭheck out this link on Dolby’s website for some expert advice on speaker placement for surround and immersive sound effects. The 5.1 system is widely used in home theaters. “5.1” indicates that it has five main (full audio spectrum) channels and one low-frequency enhancement (LFE) channel. The most common surround sound speaker layout is “5.1”. Difference between 5.1 and 7.1 Surround Sound Surround sound systems extend the “sound field” to all directions surrounding the listener, including the sides and rear, by using additional speakers placed strategically. However, this configuration can create perceptions of left and right directions. Sounds produced by stereo systems, comprising of a left and a right speaker, can only seem to originate from the front of the listener. The term “surround sound” is used to describe sound systems capable of producing a sensation of sound from all directions surrounding the listener (i.e., 360 degrees) at ear level. Surround/Immersive Sound Codecs – Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X.Surround/Immersive Sound involves the whole audio ecosystem!.Difference between 5.1 and 7.1 Surround Sound.Joe Lancaster as Chief Strategy Officerĭejero Strengthens CellSat Service across North America with New X2nSat Partnership Lightware Joins the Esports Trade Association to Enable Innovation and Drive Market GrowthĬobalt Iron Patents Technology for Dynamic Infrastructure Optimization in Response to Cyberthreats Unified Streaming launches Remix VOD2Live solution on AWS Marketplace, offering greater flexibility to customersĮditShare Receives Prestigious Emmy® Award for Technology and EngineeringĪgile Content strengthens its position as the leading neutral video infrastructure provider in Europe, with a revenue growth of 160% in 2021 New Report Reveals Converged Broadcast and Streaming Services To Become MainstreamįUBOTV Names John Janedis Chief Financial Officer Mediaproxy LogServer now available on a per-use-basis