LANCASTER, Pa. — June 2, 2008 — Linear Acoustic has been selected to provide its UPMAX:neo™ upmixers featuring DTS® technology to NBC during the network's coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Aug. 8-24. The announcement was made today by Bob Dixon, director of sound design, NBC Olympics, and Tim Carroll, president, Linear Acoustic.
NBC Olympics is offering all of its Beijing Olympic Games programming in HD with 5.1 sound. When content can't be broadcast live and is recorded or edited through a system without enough channels for 5.1 sound, the UPMAX:neo will provide the upmixing capability critical to maintaining the 5.1 sound field.
"NBC is breaking new ground with its comprehensive HD coverage of the Beijing Olympics, and the network's ability to provide high-quality sound will be key to the delivery of the Games in all their glory," said Carroll.
"The quality of 5.1 sound brings television viewing to a whole new level of enjoyment, adding another dimension that engages viewers in programming," Dixon said. "If we were to shift between 5.1 and stereo audio during our broadcasts, our digital viewers would experience quite a shock as sound collapsed to the front wall. By providing very good 5.1 sound quality, the Linear Acoustic UPMAX:neo upmixer will allow us to incorporate prerecorded or edited stereo content into our broadcasts without interrupting the continuity of the viewing experience. For those listening in stereo, the UPMAX:neo ensures that downmixed audio also sounds its best."
The UPMAX:neo provides the proven Linear Acoustic UPMAX algorithm along with a special broadcast version of the DTS Neo:6® algorithm. DTS Neo:6 expands the palate of upmixing choices and allows the creation of a natural surround sound field with precise localization of sound elements. "We're pleased that through our close partnership with Linear Acoustic, we can help to provide professional broadcasters such as NBC with innovative new options for delivering superior multichannel sound," said Ted Laverty, director of business development at DTS.
The Linear Acoustic UPMAX:neo system will be in use at virtually every Olympics' venue involved in live broadcasting and at the NBC Olympics broadcast center in audio control rooms, edit rooms, and in the quality control area as a monitoring and troubleshooting tool. More than 30 units will be installed for the network's coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games. The UPMAX:neo will allow audio engineers to analyze the quality of incoming stereo feeds, whether for stereo broadcasts or for upmixing to 5.1 audio. The systems will also downmix audio, yielding stereo sound comparable to the stereo audio originally fed into the system.
Based on the award-winning upMAX 2251 product, the UPMAX:neo provides advanced processing in a compact, rugged 1-RU chassis. Additional upmixing choices are added to the original upMAX algorithm for increased flexibility in post-production applications. Metadata input is standard, along with GPI inputs to control upmixing. Available options include an eight-channel monitoring-grade balanced analog output with remote volume, mute, and return to reference inputs.
More information about the UPMAX:neo and other Linear Acoustic products is available at www.linearacoustic.com.
# # #
About NBC Olympics
NBC, "America's Olympic Network," owns the exclusive U.S. media rights to the Olympic Games, television's most powerful property, through 2012, which includes Beijing in 2008, Vancouver in 2010, and London in 2012. From Aug. 8-24, 2008, NBC Universal will present an unprecedented 3,600 hours of coverage, highlighted by NBC in primetime with live swimming, gymnastics, and beach volleyball. In August 2004, 203 million viewers watched as the networks of NBC Universal — NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Bravo, Telemundo, and NBC's HD affiliates — offered a then record 1,210 hours of Olympic coverage from Athens. For additional information, go to NBCOlympics.com, a year-round destination for fans of Olympic sports, featuring news, Beijing previews, athlete features, expert blogs, photos, Olympic video from the NBC archives, and social tools enabling users to build communities around their favorite sports, post comments, and blogs.
About DTS
DTS, Inc. (NASDAQ: DTSI) is a digital technology company dedicated to delivering the ultimate entertainment experience. DTS decoders are in virtually every major brand of 5.1-channel surround processor, and there are hundreds of millions of DTS-licensed consumer electronics products available worldwide. A pioneer in multi-channel audio, DTS technology is in home theatre, car audio, PC and game console products, as well as DVD-Video, Blu-ray Disc and Surround Music software. DTS audio products are featured on more than 27,000 motion picture screens worldwide. Founded in 1993, DTS is headquartered in Agoura Hills, California and has offices in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan and China. For further information, please visit www.dts.com.
About Linear Acoustic
Linear Acoustic, a Telos company, provides innovative, customer-centric solutions for managing multichannel surround sound audio and loudness issues in digital broadcast. The company designs and manufactures the acclaimed AEROMAX™, StreamStacker™, and MetaMAX™ line of products, and licenses key technologies to OEM partners. It has been involved worldwide in projects with all major U.S. terrestrial networks, multiple local stations, and companies including Dolby Laboratories, Sirius Satellite Radio, Microsoft, HBO, Viacom (Showtime, MTV, etc.), Disney (ABC, ESPN), Sony Studios, and others. It is also actively involved in the ATSC, the NRSC, and other industry organizations, as well as being members of the AES, IEEE, and a sustaining member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. More information is available at www.linearacoustic.com.
ENDS
