TAG, the world leader in 100% SW, 100% IP, 100% COTS/Cloud, Probing, Monitoring and Multiviewing solutions, for all four of the major broadcast applications (Live Production, Playout, Delivery and OTT), has announced that its MCM-9000 Monitoring and Multiviewer platform now supports Dolby Atmos. The unique enhancement allows broadcasters to verify, validate and ensure error-free video and audio content delivery for MPEG-TS and OTT sources. TAG’s MCM-9000 is now certified by Dolby to support Dolby Atmos, while also supporting Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus™ formats.

Dolby Atmos, a 3D surround sound technology developed and adapted for home cinema use by Dolby Laboratories, expands on existing systems by adding multiple height channels, allowing the sound to be interpreted as three-dimensional. Individual sounds can be precisely placed in the room, including overhead and down low, immersing the listener in an intense experience. The added support, certified by Dolby, enables TAG’s MCM-9000 to decode the Dolby Atmos stream for both MPEG-TS and OTT broadcasted content, allowing for full monitoring and audio bars visualization of the audio on all Dolby Surround and Atmos channels.

“The boom in streaming services has motivated many OTT broadcasters to add Dolby Atmos to their content delivery in order to enhance the listening experience for their clients, but until now they had no way of monitoring the protocol,” said Tomer Schechter, CEO. “When one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies came to us to request this capability be added to our MCM-9000 Multiviewer, we were happy to do it and can report that it is being successfully used to ensure error free video and audio content delivery.”

The MCM-9000 monitors the Dolby Atmos stream in parallel with the video and regular audio allowing the broadcaster to ensure all structural aspects are correct and to detect any abnormalities. All channels can be decoded down to baseband audio with the Atmos information displayed on the Multiviewer.

Added Schechter, “TAG always strives to provide the highest level of service by integrating support for all the newest formats, technologies, and hardware into our MCM-9000. If our customers ask for it, we respond quickly to ensure they maintain a competitive edge in a crowded marketplace. We’re delighted to add Dolby Atmos to the list of other formats we recently added support to such as CMAF and Zixi, and we’ll continue to keep ahead of the technology curve as more formats emerge.”