DTS Headphone X, Play-Fi And DTS-UHD Decoder Appear At CES - Printer Friendly version without Comments

Appeared on: Thursday, January 9, 2014
DTS Headphone X, Play-Fi And DTS-UHD Decoder Appear At CES

DTS at CES introduced the Headphone:X Headphone Tuning Program, expanded its Play-Fi wireless platform and also demonstrated the new DTS-UHD decoder on a single-chip audio DSP from Cirrus Logic.

The DTS Headphone:X Tuning Program program offers headphone manufacturers access to tools and support, designed to optimize the DTS Headphone:X experience across product lines. The program also helps headphone brands maintain their signature sound across all DTS Headphone:X- equipped mobile devices. Headphone manufacturers, including Skullcandy, Inc., Panasonic, and Republic of Frends, have officially joined the Headphone:X Headphone Tuning Program.

DTS Headphone:X technology allows listeners to hear their favorite content as if it was coming from multiple speakers located around and above them, with a higher degree of accuracy than before.

DTS Play-Fi is an open audio platform capable of streaming lossless, high-quality audio from Android, iOS and Kindle Fire devices, as well as Windows PCs, to multiple rooms, from multiple users, simultaneously using a standard home Wi-Fi network. Unlike single speaker wireless solutions, which only allow users to stream directly to one speaker from their mobile devices, Play-Fi gives users full control of an entire network of speakers in the home. Users can set-up, link, and stream audio to one Play-Fi enabled speaker or multiple speakers throughout the home at once, synchronized and with no lag.

DTS announced at CES the expansion of its Play-Fi ecosystem to include a Play-Fi Certified ODM Program. The program currently includes several audio manufacturers including: Eastech Electronics Inc., Fenda Technology Co., Ltd., LiteOn Technology Corporation, Meiloon Industrial Co. Ltd., Solidex Audio Corporation, Tymphany Corporation, Wistron Corporation, and Zylux Acoustic Corp.

DTS, also gave the first demonstration of the new DTS-UHD decoder on a single-chip audio DSP from Cirrus Logic.

DTS-UHD is the first object-based audio format designed for consumer delivery. Object-based audio brings realism through more accurate spatial rendering, height audio elements, and customizations that adapt to any speaker layout. In addition to rendering object-based audio content, DTS-UHD supports complete compatibility for playback of DTS channel based content.

Environmentally compensated audio rendering allows users to hear audio directionality and dimensionality more precise than ever before possible. Object control also enables consumers to interact with key objects within the audio mix and adjust them to preference.

"We see object-based audio playing a large role in the future of our industry, and are excited to be working with Cirrus Logic to demonstrate their powerful quad-core audio DSP with the capabilities of decoding object-based audio content delivered in the DTS-UHD codec," said Joanna Skrdlant, senior director, IC solutions licensing at DTS. "Many of our licensees rely on Cirrus to provide solutions that allow their products to take advantage of DTS audio codecs. Providing licensees with access to the DTS-UHD decoder will allow them to quickly bring to market products capable of delivering new levels of immersive sound enabled by object-based audio."

AVR, HTiB and soundbar licensee partners of DTS that utilize Cirrus Logic quad-core audio DSPs will be able to license the DTS-UHD decoder into their product designs beginning Q2 2014.