Discreet Multi-Channel Audio for Post and Broadcast

Digital Program delivery is becoming a reality. It offers more programs, a higher definition picture and an enhanced audio experience. In order to serve this market both contribution and distribution systems in the Broadcast and Post Production industries must move rapidly to provide the digital infrastructure to cope with this evolution. — This poses many questions. Not least is how to economically, (in terms of financial, technological and bandwidth constraints), sustain a quality multi-channel audio signal through a typical broadcast chain, allowing for interim signal processing requirements. — Psycho acoustic based algorithms by nature discard signal content to accomplish bit rate reduction. Although inaudible in emission environments, this information is irretrievable and therefore adversely affects post production processing. Given that the emission or final delivery system for surround sound transmissions, will utilise a reasonably high compression ratio, psycho-acoustic coding system, the broadcast industry is rightly showing concern that prior audio communications systems are carefully considered. The apt-X algorithm is well established in both the Post Production and Broadcast arenas and is widely recognised for maintaining audio signal integrity through both multiple encode/decode cycles and tandem coding with psycho acoustic algorithms. — This paper proposes the use of the apt-X algorithm as an ideal mezzanine level audio coding system for use in conjunction with DAB and DTV emission standards, to preserve the audio quality throughout the broadcast chain and alleviate production problems arising from psycho-acoustic artefacts.

Published

1998-10

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/M00284

ISBN

978-1-61482-929-4