Software, Tools and Services
Emerging Technology, Surround Professional 2003 - Part Two

The transition from two-channel to multichannel music benefits from a wide range of underlying enabling technologies, from studio tools that facilitate production to consumer products and services that raise public awareness about the exciting possibilities of surround sound. A New Technologies Forum at Surround 2003 introduced attendees to some important developments on several fronts.


Minnetonka Software

For sound engineers, the ability to provide in-progress review copies of surround mixes to their clients is an essential way to allay concerns and gain the acceptance and support of artists, many of whom are unfamiliar and apprehensive about venturing into this radically redefined recording medium. For engineers who choose to work in DSD, however, the format’s draconian copyright protection protocols preclude the creation of playable SACD media until the disc goes into final production. This may be great for the labels bent on curbing piracy, but it’s also a serious handicap when the mixer wants to consult with the artist at an intermediate stage.

Fortunately, a solution is at hand with the upcoming Version 2 update to discWelder™ CHROME, the PC-based DVD-Audio authoring tool from Minnetonka Software. As explained by Minnetonka’s John Calder, among the new features introduced in this upgrade to its flagship DVD-Audio authoring application is a DSD Import/Conversion capability, which allows the sound engineer to import DSD-format DFF audio files into the CHROME playlist. DSD-to-PCM conversion bit-depth is set at 24-bit, and the sample rates are set at 48kHz for surround and 96kHz for stereo. For the first time, authors of SACD discs will be able to create DVD-Audio reference and approval discs of their SACD projects, something not possible in the DSD native format.

The discWelder™ CHROME update also introduces some new features for working with video content, one of the key advantages of DVD-Audio over SACD. A Video Track Link allows a track in a DVD-A disc’s Audio Zone to access a Video Title in the VIDEO_TS, enabling playback of videos from within the Audio menu. Another feature allows the engineer to automatically create the Video Zone from the contents of the Audio Zone, which allows playback on both DVD-Audio and DVD-Video players (by creating a universal DVD-A/V disc). For those who appreciate visual aesthetics, a menu customization feature allows the importing of background images, buttons, and other menu elements from image editing program (such as Adobe Photoshop). Available in the first quarter of 2004 and priced at $2,995 ($500 for those upgrading from a previous version), discWelder™ CHROME’s efficiency and quality enhancements will hopefully speed up the production of DVD-Audio titles.


Dolby Laboratories

In the meantime, unfortunately, the slow pace and limited selection of multichannel music releases limits broad public awareness of the possibilities in an involving and immersive surround experience. In the battle for consumer hearts and minds, a useful means of paving the way for the acceptance of DVD-Audio and SACD recordings engineered for surround is through DSP algorithms built into home based playback systems that can extrapolate more channels from any two-channel source – in effect, transforming every consumer’s existing music collection into a multichannel experience.

All matrix decoding algorithms are not created equal, however. Although some highly effective proprietary processing techniques have been developed over the past decade, they have traditionally only been available to owners of very pricey surround processors from companies such as Lexicon and Meridian.

But in recent years, the inclusion of Jim Fosgate-designed Dolby Pro Logic II in mass-market receivers and processors has done much to bring the benefits of well-implemented matrix enhancement to a wider audience, and the deeply ingrained two-channel paradigm has finally started to loosen its grip.

During the New Technologies Forum, Dolby Laboratories’ Craig Eggers described how his company’s new enhancement, Pro Logic IIx, extends the algorithm beyond its original 5-channel limit to support up to 7 speakers, in keeping with the trend in home theater systems to utilize both side and rear surrounds. Afterwards, I asked Eggers if any other changes or improvements had been introduced in the new version. As in turned out, some unadvertised running changes have been made to improve performance, including a tweaked Center Width parameter to better position centered vocals, and modified Panorama control for tighter integration of front and surround speakers. These modifications were incorporated in the PL IIx and the 5-speaker PL II variant, both of which will be included in new receivers and surround processors. Like every Dolby representative I’ve spoken with on the subject, Eggers agreed that the six-channel option supporting a psychoacoustically flawed singe rear center speaker configuration was driven by marketing necessity.


SRS Labs

Although Circle Surround matrix technology from SRS Labs does not enjoy the same ubiquitous market penetration as Dolby Pro Logic in its various incarnations, the company has made some headway with the introduction of its Circle Surround VST Pro. A plug-in for VST-powered software applications, the package offers both encode and decode capabilities, allowing delivery of up to 6.1 channel surround over any stereo broadcast or storage media. The company claims that ESPN games are encoded for broadcast with its technology, giving a home-field advantage to the niche processors equipped with Circle Surround decoders (the process is robust enough to yield good results with alternative matrix decoders, representatives were quick to point out). In its demo room, as in previous years the company persisted in using a single center rear speaker, despite the well-documented front-back reversal problems that have prompted THX, Dolby and DTS to adopt dual rear speakers for their respective Surround EX and ES technologies, even when the same mono rear channel is fed to both rear speakers.


iBiquity Digital

Even the quaint old medium of radio is due for a high-resolution audio makeover, if iBiquity Digital’s Joe D’Angelo has anything to say about it. The company is currently rolling out its new HD Radio technology, which transmits AM and FM digital audio and data alongside existing analog signals. Using 96kb streams, iBiquity says it can achieve CD sound quality on FM, and boost AM sound to FM standards. An additional 96kb can be used to deliver textual data (such as song titles, artist names, news, traffic updates, weather forecasts, and sports scores). Claiming that HD Radio has already signed up nearly 300 licensed stations in 37 states and 79 markets, D’Angelo said that planned enhancements to the technology will permit surround sound, time shifting, and multimedia services. Kenwood, Panasonic, JVC, and Onkyo have already announced HD Radio receiver and tuner products.


Philip Brandes 12/01/2004.

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Surround 2003 Report Index
Last update: 27th February 2004

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