MP3 Surround
Encyclopedia
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MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
for multi-channel audio support including 5.1 surround sound
Surround sound
Surround sound encompasses a range of techniques such as for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. Surround sound is characterized by a listener location or sweet spot where the audio effects work best, and...
. It was developed by Fraunhofer IIS
Fraunhofer Society
The Fraunhofer Society is a German research organization with 60 institutes spread throughout Germany, each focusing on different fields of applied science . It employs around 18,000, mainly scientists and engineers, with an annual research budget of about €1.65 billion...
in collaboration with Thomson
Thomson SA
Technicolor SA , formerly Thomson SA and Thomson Multimedia, is a French international provider of solutions for the creation, management, post-production, delivery and access of video, for the Communication, Media and Entertainment industries. Technicolor’s headquarters are located in Issy les...
and Agere Systems
Agere Systems
Agere Systems Inc. was an integrated circuit components company based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Spun out of Lucent Technologies in 2002, Agere was merged into LSI Corporation in 2007....
, and released in December 2004.
MP3 Surround is backward compatible with standard MP3. The data overhead is 16 kbit/s, which allows for file sizes similar to standard stereo MP3 files. The file size is approximately 10% larger than that of a typical MP3 file. The current evaluation encoder is licensed for personal and non-commercial uses. An MP3 Surround file can be created from 5 or 6 channels of WAV
WAV
Waveform Audio File Format , is a Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream on PCs...
audio.
Several companies, such as DivX, Inc.
DivX, Inc.
DivX, Inc. , based in San Diego, California, now part of Sonic Solutions, a division of Rovi, was the corporation behind the MPEG-4 Part 2-based codec, DivX. The company's codec has been downloaded over 240 million times since January 2003...
and Magix
MAGIX
MAGIX AG is an international provider of software, online services and digital contents for multimedia communications based in Berlin, Germany. The Company also operates from branches in the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands...
, have announced support for the new codec. DivX, Inc.
DivX, Inc.
DivX, Inc. , based in San Diego, California, now part of Sonic Solutions, a division of Rovi, was the corporation behind the MPEG-4 Part 2-based codec, DivX. The company's codec has been downloaded over 240 million times since January 2003...
released their first player with MP3 Surround support on September 6, 2006.
In January 2006, Thomson
Thomson SA
Technicolor SA , formerly Thomson SA and Thomson Multimedia, is a French international provider of solutions for the creation, management, post-production, delivery and access of video, for the Communication, Media and Entertainment industries. Technicolor’s headquarters are located in Issy les...
and Fraunhofer IIS
Fraunhofer Society
The Fraunhofer Society is a German research organization with 60 institutes spread throughout Germany, each focusing on different fields of applied science . It employs around 18,000, mainly scientists and engineers, with an annual research budget of about €1.65 billion...
also released two new companion technologies:
Ensonido
Ensonido
Ensonido is a real-time post processing algorithm that allows users to play back MP3 Surround files in standard headphones.Ensonido was developed by the Fraunhofer Society. It simulates the natural reception of surround sound by the human ear, which usually receives tones from surrounding...
, which allows playback of MP3 Surround 5.1 channel sound through stereo headphones, and
MP3 SX
MP3 SX
mp3 SX is a program that allows users to upgrade mp3 stereo files to MP3 Surround files.mp3 SX analyzes the existing natural ambience of the stereo material and plays it back through the rear channels...
, which upgrades standard stereo mp3 file to mp3 surround files.
On its 5.5 release, Nullsoft Winamp
Winamp
Winamp is a media player for Windows-based PCs and Android devices, written by Nullsoft, now a subsidiary of AOL. It is proprietary freeware/shareware, multi-format, extensible with plug-ins and skins, and is noted for its graphical sound visualization, playlist, and media library features.Winamp...
has included the MP3 Surround format as a part of its integrated MPEG audio decoder (released October 10, 2007).
As of 2 July 2008, with system software
PlayStation 3 system software
The PlayStation 3 system software is the updateable software and operating system of the PlayStation 3. The process of updating is almost identical to that of the PSP...
v2.40, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
supports MP3 Surround playback.
Depending on source, this system can also output music, games and movies in 7.1.
External links
- all4mp3.com Software, demos, information, and various mp3 resources
- mp3surround.com - Demo content, information and evaluation software
- Designtechnica news story
- Slashdot story
- Press Releases
- Nullsoft Winamp Player site
- http://uk.playstation.com/ps3/support/system-software/detail/item420185/Update-features-%28ver-3-73%29/