Fraunhofer introduces multi-channel MP3

Written by Jari Ketola @ 16 Mar 2004 8:57 User comments (4)

Fraunhofer IIS and Agere Systems have developed a multi-channel MP3 format that produces 5.1 sound at bitrates comparable to those used today to encode stereo sound in MP3 format. In addition to offering multi-channel sound at low bitrates, the MP3 Surround -format is also fully backwards compatible with all existing MP3 players.

MP3 Surround technology encodes multichannel sound by transmitting a stereo audio signal that carries a compatible stereo down mix of the multi-channel material. The multi-channel sound image is created by additional side information, that characterizes the spatial distribution and attributes of the sound. Since the channel information is not discrete, the format cannot be compared to, for instance, Dolby Digital multi-channel audio.

"Enjoying personal multi-channel audio has been on the wish list of the MP3 user community for quite some time. This is exactly what MP3 Surround has to offer -- and it does so at astoundingly low bit rates", says Jürgen Herre, Chief Executive Scientist of the Audio & Multimedia departments of Fraunhofer IIS, Erlangen.

The most obvious solution for multi-channel, low-bitrate MP3 audio is in network distributed movies. First software implementations are expected to be available by mid 2004. Until then we can only guess how well MP3 Surround can perform.

Source: Fraunhofer IIS

<Disney to expand disposable DVD trials >ShareReactor shut down by Swiss authorities

4 user comments

116.3.2004 12:49

pcshateme

Inactive

this is pretty cool, but AC3 does the same thing- but AC3 isnt compatible with mp3 players (most of them)

217.3.2004 13:19

Ketola

Send private message to this user

Admin

As far as I know AC3 isn't capable of the kind of encoding that MP3 Surround utilizes. Ie. encoding the audio and spatial information separately. AC3 requires quite a bit of bandwidth to produce an adequate 5.1 soundscape. At least according to the hype, MP3 Surround sould be able to achieve similar results at considerably lower bitrates. We'll see..

317.3.2004 17:42

Daskins

Send private message to this user

Senior Member

sounds kool though

419.3.2004 15:55

pbailey

Send private message to this user

Member

I noticed it mentioned use through network distributed movies, but, and correct me if i'm wrong (Australian without digital tv yet) doesn't the digital broadcast allow for the amount of data 5.1 discrete channels requires? I agree though, it does sound very interesting, can't wait to see what the quality is like.

Comments have been disabled for this article.

	YouTube Premium starts showing ads to subscribers (13 Nov 2024 3:09) For years, YouTube Premium has been marketed as a way to enjoy an ad-free YouTube experience. But apparently, that is no longer the case, as Premium subscribers are now starting to see ads on the platform. 1 user comment
	Android 16 will launch sooner than expected (01 Nov 2024 6:45) Google announced that upcoming Android 16 will break the traditional once-a-year cycle of major Android launches. Next Android is poised to launch in Q2 of 2025, so Android 16 should ship before end of June, 2025.
	Winamp ends its "open source" project that wasn't really open source (20 Oct 2024 11:12) Less than a month after the legendary MP3 player Winamp made its source code public, the company has made a sudden U-turn and removed its code from distribution. 2 user comments
	Winamp released its source code - but didn't go open source (25 Sep 2024 12:38) The source code of Winamp has now been officially released. However, it hasn't become a pure open-source project, as its licensing terms prohibit the creation of new, different versions.
	Does your phone rattle? Here's why it happens (25 Aug 2024 8:30) When you shake your phone and hear a light rattle, clatter, or jingle, it's likely not broken. The culprit is probably the optical image stabilization (OIS) system in your phone's camera, meaning everything is functioning as it should. 2 user comments

	Does your phone rattle? Here's why it happens When you shake your phone and hear a light rattle, clatter, or jingle, it's likely not broken. The culprit is probably the optical image stabilization (OIS) system in your phone's camera, meaning everything is functioning as it should. 2 user comments
	GUIDE: Wi-Fi speeds are slow? Here are some tips Having problems with Wi-Fi speed and stability at home? Here are some tips to follow to alleviate the issues. 1 user comment
	Guide: Is Your Wi-Fi Sluggish or Slow? Here's How to Fix Do you have problems with you Wi-Fi? Slow connection or is it cutting off constantly? This guide aims to remedy these problems. 1 user comment
	What happens if you don't update Android? Sometimes it can be tempting to avoid updating to a new Android version. What happens if you decide to delay major updates to the OS?
	Guide: Phone battery drains quickly - how to fix (iPhone / Android) In this guide, we go through the most typical reasons for rapid battery drain with phones, and look at potential reasons or solutions.

Fraunhofer introduces multi-channel MP3

4 user comments

Latest news

Reviews

Guides

News archive

Subscribe

Sections:

Follow us:

	Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra review - obstacle avoidance doesn't work as it should, otherwise almost perfect robot vacuum We put the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra through a very, very long review process. The $1800 mopping robot vacuum is almost perfect, but its obstacle avoidance was surprisingly bad, considering the price - and compared to its competitors.
	Sharge x OnePlus Pouch review: Beautiful power bank that supports SuperVOOC charging In our review, we take a look at Sharge's power bank that supports OnePlus SuperVOOC quick charging technology as well as standard USB PD charging. It has small design flaws, but despite those, the Pouch is very nice product. 1 user comment
	Roomba Combo j7+ review - Clever trick allows robot vacuum finally to tackle home with rugs and carpets Roomba Combo j7+ is the very first Roomba model to combine robot vacuum with mopping features. And Roomba Combo j7+ does all that with a very clever trick, which tackles the problem with mopping and carpets. But is it any good? We found out.