HRTF stands for Head Related Transfer Function and, simply put, is a catch-all term for the characteristics a human head imparts on sound before it enters the ear canal. Everything from level tonal changes caused by our head, shoulders, and pinna (external ear parts), to arrival-time differences (Interaural Time Difference, or ITD) between the two ears have an effect on our perception of the direction and distance of sources.
The familiar “Faster, Higher, Stronger” motto is not just for Olympic athletes but also applies to the common man (and woman): The first black-and-white television sets were considered a sensation until color TV came along, opening a whole new dimension to the viewing audience. In parallel, cinema screens grew ever taller and wider. This went hand in hand with the switch from mono to stereo and a stunning series of dramatic boosts regarding picture quality. While 4K is still in the process of being implemented, more daring early adopters are already grooming their 8K offering.
As IP, COTs and IT systems advance through broadcast infrastructures, monitoring continues to play a critical role in the efficient and reliable running of a facility. Combining traditional video and audio monitoring with network and system analysis soon increases in complexity, so what do we need to do to optimize monitoring and provide the most reliable system possible?
Without doubt, virtualization is a key technological evolution focus and it will empower many broadcast and media organizations to work differently, more efficiently and more profitably.
Sennheiser examines the theory, implementation, and uses of the Ambisonic soundfield, and its important role in the immersive audio world.
Digital audio has a remarkably short history, but apart from a few enthusiasts of legacy technology, the takeover has been total.
The Farm is a leading full-service post production group that started in Soho, London, subsequently opening facilities in Manchester and Bristol in the UK, and West Hollywood in Los Angeles. The Farm is well known for its ground-breaking creative approaches and its willingness to embrace all that technology has to offer to further that cause. The Farm team has been responsible for some of the most popular television projects of the last 20 years and has an array of awards to prove it.
Felix Krückels is a certified audio engineer who graduated from the Detmold University of Music and has been involved in immersive audio since 2012. He was there when NHK launched its Super Hi-Vision project with the help of Lawo.