Dallas-based Belo Corp. has selected Neural-THX Surround MultiMerge and Neural Loudness Control (NLC) advanced audio processing technology from Harris to maintain consistent audio levels for its group of 20 TV stations.
“Harris and Neural Audio have provided a straightforward, easy-to-integrate solution for a pressing and continuous problem that television engineers have struggled with for a long time,” said Reed Wilson, executive director of technology for Belo. “Our goal is a consistent high-quality listening experience for our television audience—without annoying sound level changes—and the advanced audio solution from Harris helps us provide just that.”
The products are a joint collaboration between Harris Corp and Neural Audio Corp., a Kirkland, Wash.-based developer of audio processing technology. Belo will use the Harris Corp.-Neural-THX Surround MultiMerge and NLC solution (aka MultiMerge-NLC) in its on-air chain to upmix stereo to 5.1 surround sound, when necessary. The combined system provides a loudness-controlled output that can eliminate annoying drastic changes in volume, especially between programs and commercials. It gives stations the ability to transition between 2.0 stereo and surround sound with a simultaneous 5.1 and 2.0 output. Addressing loudness control, NLC uses Neural Audio’s perceptual loudness measurement tool to model how the human ear perceives the loudness of the audio content, taking into account the many variables that can affect how audio is perceived, including spectral and density differences and temporal overlaps.
