Will alternative immersive channels create an imperative for broadcasters? Veronique Larcher, Director of AMBEO Immersive Audio, Sennheiser, explores immersive content outside of the commercial broadcast space, including virtual, augmented, and mixed realities.
Digital audio relies completely on sampling and no treatment of the subject can be complete without looking at how it works.
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.
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.