https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/series/dal/1373564.html
Related information.
This is the latest version of immersive audio, WOWOW's omega player experience event. High resolution of the world's best news by combining MQA and Auro-3D. Experience 3D audio. 2022/9/3 (Sat) and 9/4 (Sun) WOWOW Tatsumi Broadcasting Center. Application form.
December 13, 2021 12:08
On the 13th, WOWOW started recruiting beta testers for an app called "ω (Omega) Player" to consider a high-resolution 3D audio service.
ω Player is a playback application for Mac and iPhone that allows users to view high-resolution 3D audio content provided by WOWOW via the Internet in the form of on-demand and live distribution. The development is in collaboration with NTT Smart Connect, and even those who are not currently watching WOWOW can apply for this distribution demonstration experiment.
Two types of distribution formats, "Auro-3D" and "HPL-MQA", are available, and can be selected according to the user's environment. Not only for those who have an immersive playback environment, it is also a point that high resolution 3D playback can be done with 2ch speakers and headphones. Since I was able to try the omega player early, let's take a look at what it actually looks like.
What is "ω Player" for high-resolution 3D audio playback?
I learned about the existence of ω Player when I did a special performance at Inter BEE 2021.
WOWOW executive creator Hideo Irimajiri introduced the development of ω Player in the session "Immersive Audio Current Status and Future Trends", which was archived until December 17th. After recording the seminar, Mr. Irimajiri approached him and showed him a demo of the ω player.
The demo video was made using Mr. Irimajiri's MacBook Pro's built-in speaker, but it was clearly different from normal sound, and the sound seemed to pop out three-dimensionally.
I heard that this effect is a technology called "Auro Scene", which enables 3D playback even with stereo speakers. By implementing Auro Scene technology in the omega player, the built-in speakers of the MacBook Pro create a three-dimensional expression.
Omega Player is currently available in two versions, a Mac version and an iPhone version, due to the convenience of development. The supported OS for the Mac version is Mojave or later, and it can be used not only for the conventional Intel version but also for the M1 Mac. The iPhone version is for iOS 14 or later. There are differences in functions between the Mac version and the iPhone version, specifically as shown in Table 1. The installation conditions for the Mac version and the iPhone version are shown in Table 2.
This time, the Mac version of the app was provided in advance, so we will use it to introduce the contents, but if you participate in the beta tester of ω Player, you can get both the Mac version and the iPhone version.
Regarding this initiative, Mr. Irimajiri said, "We have been considering whether it is possible to distribute high-quality immersive audio online. I was looking for a good codec because there was a bottleneck.In the midst of that, Auro 3D can be lossless, but the file size is huge.So I tried MPEG-4 ALS (MPEG-4 Audio Lossless Coding). Three years ago, we devised a method to combine the two, and we have been developing it.Now that we have finally completed the application, we will invite users and conduct experiments to see if it will actually work as a service.”
4 playback methods and numerous streams available
As shown in the table above, there are four major types of playback methods.
The first is to use an AV amplifier to play Auro 3D with pass-through. In this case, after connecting the AV amplifier and HDMI in advance, set the audio output device to the AV amplifier on the setting screen and check the pass-through.
By doing this, the Auro 3D signal can be sent directly to the AV amplifier and played back without using the decoder in the ω player. At this time, even if the playback environment is a Dolby Atmos system speaker arrangement, it is said that you can listen without problems. “Speaker placement varies from person to person, so I thought it would be a problem to make it too optimal for either Auro 3D or Dolby Atomos. Irimajiri said.
The other method is to use a multi-channel audio interface to play speakers such as 7.1.4ch. If you combine a high-performance audio interface and speakers, it should be possible to listen to higher sound quality than an AV amplifier.
The third method is to use Auro Headphones. By setting the player output mode to Auro Headphones on the setting screen, this makes it possible to play 7.1.4ch Auro 3D with headphones. It is said that it is the first application in the world to be equipped with Auro Headphones, so it seems worth trying.
And the fourth method is to play with 2ch speakers. As a specific setting method, set the player output mode to "Player DAC Outputs", set the listening mode to AURO-3D, and set the mode to AURO-Scene. At this time, it is possible to play with 2ch speakers, but it is also possible to play with 5.1ch and 7.1ch, and the more channels, the closer to the original Auro 3D sound.
This time, I tried listening with this headphone and listening with a 2ch speaker, but the sound is clearly three-dimensional compared to ordinary stereo.
As of December 12th, five on-demand contents were prepared. First of all, there is a channel confirmation signal, so it would be good to use this to check if the sound is coming out correctly.
What is interesting is that many streams are prepared for one content. For example, for the content "Armchair Conductor", 1: Auro 11.1(7.1.4), 48Hz/24bit, 2: Auro 9.1 Hires, 96kHz/24bit, 3: HPL-MQA Stereo, 48kHz/24bit, 4: Stereo MQA, 48kHz/24bit, 5: Auro 9.1, 48kHz/24bit, 6: Auro 13.1, 48kHz/24bit, 7: Auro 11.1ch(7+4), 48kHz, 8: AAC 128kHz, 48kHz/24bit .
What they have in common is that all images are 1,920 x 1,080 full HD (4 Mbps), and only the audio is different. With Auro 3D 11.1ch, the audio speed alone is 6Mbps, exceeding the video bandwidth. In general, even if it is 4K, the sound is usually AAC stereo, and the image is much louder, but I am a little impressed with the content that emphasizes the sound rather than the image.
On the other hand, in the case of HPL-MQA, it will be as small as 1.5Mbps. Still, it's much bigger than AAC, but this is a method that uses a different technology from Auro Headphone. Mr. Irimajiri says, "Basically, Auro 3D, which uses more bandwidth, sounds more three-dimensional and has higher sound quality, but depending on the content, the listener, and the headphones you use, HPL may sound more realistic. There is also, so I would like you to listen and compare."
Among the five existing contents, there is not only music content, but also a recording of the Atami fireworks display, which sounds realistic and interesting. When it comes to 3D sound, it is quite powerful, and you can enjoy the feeling of actually watching the fireworks at the site.
These are usually on-demand content, but live distribution will also be held on January 11 and 12, 2022. From 18:00 on the 11th, the vaudeville performance at Hakuju Hall. It is an attempt to live stream rakugo, a traditional Japanese storytelling art, with 3D audio, and Takehei Hayashiya is scheduled to appear.
The next 12th will also be delivered from Hakuju Hall, but this time it will be played by a piano duo. The work by Nikolai Kapustin, a Russian-born composer whose works incorporate elements of jazz, is performed by two Japanese duos called piaNA. Both will be delivered in the archive after the live delivery is over.
Including these two live distributions, the content will eventually be increased to 15, and a beta test will be conducted for about two months until February 10, 2022. As I mentioned at the beginning, even non-WOWOW viewers can enter for free, so if you are interested, why not apply?
However, in order to enter, it is necessary to obtain a WOWOW WEB account that can be registered for free, and after the beta test period of two months is over, cooperation in the questionnaire is a condition. The final registration deadline is January 28, 2022, but the recruitment will be closed if the prescribed capacity is reached. In addition, in the case of a large number of applicants, there are cases where a lottery will be held.
After working for Recruit for 15 years, established Fractal Design Ltd. in 2004. Since his time at Recruit, he has written mainly articles related to MIDI, audio, and recording. Previously, he was involved in the development of sequence software, MIDI interfaces, and computer sound sources, so he still has a deep knowledge of systems. His publications include "Complete DTM Guidebook" (Ritto Music), "Dekiru Hatsune Miku & Kagamine Rin and Len" (Impress Japan), and "Master of Sonar" (BNN Shinsha). In addition to running the blog-type news site DTM Station , he also serves as a guide in charge of DTM and digital recording at All About . His Twitter is @kenfujimoto .
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