Reality Technologies Australia

Braeside, Victoria

Phone: +61-3-85817638

Fax: +61-3-9587-4986

Email: info@reality-design.com.au

Website © 2011 Reality Technologies Australia

• No existing surround sound matrix decoder on the market is capable of a true circular surround sound.
• All existing stereo-to-surround matrix decoders have fundamental issues with correct balancing of surround mixes and/or degrade the sound in some way.

There are a number of encoder-decoder solutions available in the market today, with Dolby’s Pro-Logic II being the most recognized. Other companies such as DTS and SRS also offer solutions for this market. However, these systems suffer to a greater or lesser degree from a variety of well documented issues, such as:

• They are not capable of delivering a true circular surround sound.
• They have a preference to the front of the sound stage, arguably decreasing the audience perception of a “surround” stage.
• All existing stere-to-surround matrix decoders have problems with audio artifacts, pumping, breatthing, colouring and compression, rely on reverb and echo effects, and often require a carrier signal to steer the audio.

There are still significant arguments for the use of encode/decode systems:

• With computer processing power being in abundance, the need for dedicated hardware decoding becomes less so
• Bandwidth restrictions across the spectrum, but particularly Internet and telephony related are almost always a factor to be considered when transmitting sound, with or without other data such as video. Encode / decode systems can allow for significant reduction in bandwidth demands, if done well. Arguably they haven’t so far.

The major existing format is Dolby Pro-Logic II. It has been the industry leader for 11 years, and any extra development in this area has only resulted in minor upgrades and patches, with no real evolution to the technology. As it stands, it is still incapable of fully-encompassing surround sound, and cannot reproduce precise and accurate discrete surround channels. When playing music through Dolby PL-II, existing audio cues within the stereo signal can be and often are improperly treated, and in many cases ignored by the decoder.

With online movie streaming fast becoming a reality (Netflix launching HD movie streaming in the US and Australia on XBOX360), our Internet capability is strained as it is, coping with 1080p content will be hard enough; any advantage that can be gained in bandwidth is highly desirable.

There is also a push forward for 3D television broadcast, with one full 3D broadcasting TV station being slated in Europe by the end of 2010. This increases the broadcast bandwidth requirement significantly.

A perhaps less well-recognized issue is that surround sound mixing is only as good as the person who mixes it.

If the sound requires mixing a complex environment, it doesn’t just mean putting the sounds where they belong. Other factors such as ambient noise, audio reflections and surfaces within the environment – all of these things contribute to how the human ear detects sound. In an industry where speed and efficiency is often valued as much or more than the quality, the pressure is intense on recording engineers, and these factors are easily overlooked or ignored. Use of an encode/decode capable of extracting all the original detail of the recording will help engineers significantly and improve the quality of the production and playback.

Additionally, there is a wealth of stereo and surround-matrix material from over the last century which already has the cues and hints that the human ear uses to determine the audio environment it was intended to be in.

What is needed is a system that works like the human ear, but doesn’t discriminate according to time, budget or preference. A system that is truly compatible with stereo and all recorded content currently available. Most importantly, a system that is fully circular in its surround sound, and finally, a system that minimizes the need for bandwidth.

Involve Audio is a 4/5 -> 2 -> 4/5 matrix encode and decode system, with fully circular capabilities, and precise surround sound placement that is as good, and in most cases better than discreet multi-channel audio.

• It has no pumping, no surging, no smearing, no audio artefacts, no additional echo and a flat frequency response.
• It is able to decode all known encoding matrices from Dolby, DTS, QSOUND etc, as good or better than each system’s own decoder.
• It is able to extract surround information from existing stereo-only tracks, and presents a very convincing surround stage with no preference to the front or back of the setup. The transition from front to back is every bit as smooth as the transition from left to right. The system also places instruments and voices, and sound effects, accurately and completely; instruments aren’t smeared between two speakers or across the room diagonally.
• Voices stay at the front of the stage where they belong, with only echo and ambiance at the rear, unless the voices were intended to be elsewhere in the room.
• The system minimizes bandwidth requirements.
• The system is also capable of delivering true 3D sound (See Involve 3D Technology)

The result is that a listener becomes involved with the sound environment that is being reproduced. Because the system is able to extract audio cues that engineers might miss, then the reproduction of a down-mix from discreet surround into our format and back again, actually extracts more information than was originally present in the discreet channels and does it accurately, further improving the audio experience..

Most importantly the Involve 2 channel down-mix is indistinguishable from stereo, meaning it can be used as a recorded format for to CD, DVD, broadcast on FM, television, or over the Internet, with no fear of incompatibility with current stereo equipment.

If you’re interested in the technical data, our encode/decode lab document can be downloaded HERE

• Companies associated with the recording Industry and the movie/television industry including all companies who currently use Dolby/DTs/SRS as a licensing partner for their recording technology.
• Any organisation who is currently looking at or attempting to set audio standards.
• Any organisation who is currently interested in improving the actual reproduction of audio and their by improving the end user experience, particularly those companies offering hardware to the consumer market.
• Any company or organisation interested in limiting the amount of bandwidth required by audio streams.
• Any company wishing to reduce their costs of licensing fees.

For more information or to inquire about a demonstration, contact our Australian office below, or using the contact page.