Sony Corporation has licensed MPEG-H 3D Audio Baseline Profile Decoder software from Fraunhofer IIS and joined the MPEG-H Trademark Program.
MPEG-H 3D Audio is described as the leading Next Generation Audio system used for immersive music streaming and TV broadcasts. It is also specified in TV broadcast standards such as Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) and ATSC 3.0. Several major sports events have already been broadcast using MPEG-H 3D Audio in many European countries.
According to Fraunhofer, the MPEG-H 3D Audio Baseline Profile enables maximum interoperability with devices that have implemented that particular profile while at the same time significantly reducing the implementation and testing effort.
Sony also intends to use the software in its object-based 360 Spatial Sound technology, 360 Reality Audio. It places individual sounds such as vocals, chorus, piano, guitar, bass and even sounds of the live audience in a 360-degree spherical sound field.
Shinji Okazaki, general manager at Sony Corporation, said, “The partnership with Fraunhofer on MPEG-H 3D Audio allows us to enable 360 Reality Audio and MPEG-H 3D Audio in a wide variety of products from Sony. We expect to expand the ecosystem of 360 Reality Audio together with Fraunhofer.”
ATSC 3.0 has specified the MPEG-H 3D Audio Baseline Profile as the audio standard for NextGen TV in Korea, while Dolby AC-3 is the audio standard for ATSC 3.0 in the United States.
