/ 09.14.2012 12:12PM
Fraunhofer Demos HE-AAC 5.1
Thomson Video Networks and Rohde & Schwarz provided equipment
AMSTERDAM
—Fraunhofer IIS demonstrated its HE-AAC
5.1 surround codec in real-time DVB-T2 live broadcasting and in Android
4.1 at IBC 2012.
The broadcasting chain consisted of all
necessary elements to bring multichannel content to the end user's TV
set over DVB-T2 terrestrial TV, including encoder, multiplexer, and
modulator on the transmission side, as well as set-top box, and TV set
on the reception side. Thomson Video Networks and Rohde & Schwarz
provided equipment for this demo.
With a bit-rate of only
160kbit/s for high-quality 5.1 surround sound and freedom of choice of
the channel configuration from mono to stereo to 5.1 surround, up to 48
channels, Fraunhofer claims HE-AAC is unmatched in efficiency,
flexibility and quality. HE-AAC is the mandatory audio codec in most
countries, which recently introduced the second generation of
terrestrial TV, for example, UK and Sweden.
Native support of
HE-AAC enables playback of 5.1 surround content on Android 4.1 phones
and tablets connected via HDMI to a home theatre system. In combination
with adaptive HTTP streaming technologies such as MPEG DASH, Android
devices become delivery platforms allowing service providers to offer
their content.
"With the inclusion of HE-AAC multichannel in
Android 4.1, users will be able to enjoy full surround sound with
content delivered to Android phones and tablets as easily as they have
with BluRay or DVD titles. Connecting a HDMI cable from their existing
audio/video receiver or TV set to the MHL or HDMI connector on Android
devices will deliver foolproof surround audio and video", says Robert
Bleidt, division general manager at Fraunhofer USA Digital Media
Technologies.
HE-AAC multichannel is part of the new Fraunhofer
FDK AAC codec library for Android. This software, included in Android
since version 4.1, makes open-source Fraunhofer implementations of the
MPEG audio codecs AAC, HE-AAC, HE-AACv2, and AAC-ELD available to the
Android community.