DTS, Inc. has announced an international agreement with ATEME, the leading provider of efficient video compression technology, to integrate DTS Neural Surround™ technology into its Titan range of video transcoders, enabling surround sound in the latest generation of IPTV, OTT and VOD services. This collaboration offers an end-to-end solution that allows broadcasters and service providers to deliver premium entertainment content with immersive audio into the home.
As high speed fiber and ADSL networks continue to expand in order to keep up with the growing demand, ABI Research estimates that worldwide fiber broadband subscriber numbers will more than double by 2016 to 142 million subscribers, up from 69.6 million in 2011. Consumers are increasingly using higher bandwidth services – such as IPTV, OTT & VOD services. Leading ISP Free SAS (part of the Iliad Group) can now provide the next generation of VOD services that utilize DTS high-quality audio to deliver a superior audio experience to its Freebox subscribers. In a crowded marketplace, Free recognizes that by delivering VOD with high quality audio it can clearly differentiate its offering, and increase subscriber signup and satisfaction and reduce churn.
“ATEME and DTS are providing us with the highest quality encoded content that will drive forward our VOD service. This partnership allows us to take our home entertainment offering to the next stage,” declared Maxime Lombardini, CEO of Iliad, Free’s holding company.
“As television viewing habits evolve, we continue to respond to market trends and direct customer demand to deliver an immersive, high-quality audio experience,” noted Rémi Beaudouin, director of product marketing, ATEME. “By incorporating DTS technologies into our TITAN transcoders, we dramatically simplify broadcasters’ workflows; combining DTS high definition audio with our unrivalled video quality is now a one click process.”
DTS Neural Surround enables a seamless conversion between stereo and surround sound audio through a special capture, edit, management and delivery process, allowing broadcast production teams to preserve the integrity of the surround mix while transmitting in a stereo format at the highest possible resolution. DTS Neural Surround™ UpMix technology can output 5.1 or 7.1 multi-channel surround sound from stereo or 5.1 source material, while DTS Neural Surround™ DownMix technology can output stereo or 5.1 content from 5.1 or 7.1 multi-channel source audio. DTS Neural Surround supports legacy audio codecs, such as MPEG, and is a low latency solution that can be edited and monitored in stereo. The end result is that DTS audio solutions deliver an incredible surround sound experience, without a massive impact on broadband bandwidth.
“At DTS, we recognize the paradigm shift in how consumers are interacting with digital media content and are dedicated to partnering with innovative companies, such as ATEME, that adapt to new delivery formats in order to provide high-definition audio to consumers for brilliant streaming media, gaming and TV viewing,” said Brian Towne, executive vice president and chief operating officer of DTS, Inc.
For more information, visit DTS at NAB 2012 booth SU7619 or online at DTS. Media interested in speaking with a DTS spokesperson please contact dts@formulapr.com.
