Touring the globe: Latest audio technology highlights by Fraunhofer IIS showcased at international tradeshows this fall

September 2016 is packed with tradeshows across the globe, and Fraunhofer will be there to meet you. We will kick off September with IFA in Germany followed by IBC in the Netherlands, and then we will cross the globe to stop over in China at PT/Expo before moving on to the United States for SMPTE in Hollywood and AES in Los Angeles. After a short break in October, you can also meet us at InterBEE in Japan and at the German Tonmeistertagung in Cologne.
The technologies we present enable broadcasting, communication, streaming and of course VR applications. Find just a few of our demo highlights in the following.

The World’s 1st Terrestrial UHD TV Service enabled by MPEG-H Audio

With 4K TV on the rise, a presentation of the next-generation sound system MPEG-H Audio is a must. The demonstration will display immersive audio content production tools, the new reference design of a 3D soundbar and the first professional broadcast encoders as part of a 4K-live broadcast chain.
As reported earlier, MPEG-H Audio is now part of the Korean standard for terrestrial Ultra High Definition TV, recently published by South Korean standards organization Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA). Once governmental officials approve the standard in September, MPEG-H 3D Audio will provide an entirely new sound experience in the world’s first 4K terrestrial TV system. The launch is planned for February 2017. By 2021, the service will be available nationwide.

Delivering an end-to-end suite for VR audio

When it comes to VR audio, Fraunhofer IIS offers audio solutions for every step of the way, from capturing content, production to delivery and playback. Aside from the audio codec MPEG-H for immersive 3D sound delivery, Fraunhofer will present post-production tools such as the Cingo Composer, a plug-in for 3D sound mixing based on audio objects, multichannel beds or ambisonic signals. The post-processing technology Cingo will also be showcased. It enables the playback of surround and 3D audio over headphones and allows the simultaneous placement of sound objects anywhere in the virtual space around the listener, which creates the feeling of “being there.”

The Complete Digital Radio Broadcasting Chain Powered by Fraunhofer

Back in May 2016, Fraunhofer researchers Max Neuendorf, Martin Speitel and Alexander Zink and their teams received the Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Prize 2016 for developing the foundations of digital radio and paving its way to market launch. These efforts set Fraunhofer IIS into motion as the one-stop-shop for digital radio solutions that together power the complete broadcasting chain.
Visitors to Fraunhofer’s IBC booth can witness a broadcasting stream from transmission to reception, all based on Fraunhofer technologies. These include:
Fraunhofer DAB/DRM ContentServer:  A combination of internal audio encoding and support for external audio encoders, data service management and multiplex generation.
xHE-AAC:  The mandatory audio codec for speech and audio coding within DRM
Fraunhofer DAB/DRM MultimediaPlayer: A radio app for reception on mobile devices, PC receivers, and the SDR receiver platform with baseband and service layer decoding powering professional multi-standard receiver chipsets.

xHE-AAC: Audio for Mobile Music Streaming

At IFA and IBC 2016, Fraunhofer will present for the first time xHE-AAC streaming with dynamic bit rate switching. The codec effortlessly meets the requirements of streaming applications where various audio content types need to be transmitted at very low bit rates such as 6 kbit/s. Thus, allowing xHE-AAC streaming apps and streaming radio players to switch to low bit rate streams and offer a continuous playback even if the network is congested.
The xHE-AAC audio codec  makes it possible to reach billions of 2G users with music streaming services for the first time, including emerging markets such as India. Streaming service providers benefit from drastically reduced CDN cost, while consumers benefit from improved service quality and savings on monthly data allowances.

EVS Operating Worldwide

EVS (Enhanced Voice Services) is one of the technologies we will be presenting at PT/Expo in China. The 3GPP communication codec co-developed by Fraunhofer, is picking up speed after launching in March 2015 with several major telecommunication operators in recent months announcing the implementation of EVS into their VoLTE (Voice over LTE) services. Consumers can expect a more reliable and realistic communication experience thanks to the implementation of EVS.

Tradeshow dates:

IFA 2016 (September 2 – 7, 2016): Hall 11.1/Booth 3 at the Berlin ExpoCenter City, Exhibition Grounds, Berlin, Germany

IBC2016 (September 9 – 13, 2016): Hall 8/Booth B80 at the RAI in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

PT/Expo (September 20 – 23, 2016): Hall 4/Booth 4502 at the China International Exhibition Center (CIEC), Beijing, China

AES 2016 (September 29 – October 1, 2016): Booth 127 at the Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, USA

SMPTE 2016 (September 25 – 27, 2016): Booth 108 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, California, USA

InterBee (November 16 – 18, 2016): Booth 3115/Hall 33 at the Makuhari Messe, Tokyo, Japan

Tonmeistertagung (November 17 – 20, 2016): Booth 2-06 at the Congress-Centrum Nord Koelnmesse/ KölnKongress, Cologne, Germany

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