At CES, THX and Neural Audio announced that they would jointly develop and market surround-sound technology solutions to the content creation community and consumer electronics manufacturers. Under the terms of the deal, Neural Audio will work with THX to develop its next-generation Neural Surround product suite to enable consumer electronics devices, broadcasters and emerging content distribution channels to deliver multichannel surround-sound presentations using existing stereo channels. This joint branded technology will first appear in AV receivers by Sony, Onkyo and Yamaha. The company previewed prototypes at the THX booth at CES 2007.
The THX-Neural Surround solution will provide a means for broadcasters to encode 5.1 content during a live mix or post session, then transmit it in a two-channel format to audiences worldwide. The content is then decoded back to 5.1 by THX-Neural-enabled home AV receivers, which provide viewers with a full surround-sound experience while reducing the bandwidth needed for broadcasters.
Additionally, for next-generation video game titles, the THX-Neural Surround will enable the creation of true 7.1 soundtracks on platforms that currently only support 5.1 channels. This allows sound designers to push the creative limits of their sound effects, dialogue and musical score, producing more interactive, 360-degree soundtracks that pull gamers closer to the action.
Neural Surround technology has already been implemented by leading TV and radio broadcast stations, and powers XM Satellite Radio's XM HD Surround, which provides original surround content across the U.S. on channels 76 (Fine Tuning) and 113 (POPS).
For more information, visit www.neuralaudio.com and www.thx.com.
