Television viewing technology is improved over the systems of just a few years ago. But meanwhile, audio playback has lagged, at lrast until now. Fraunhofer IIS will preview the future of audio entertainment for TV broadcasts at CES when it unveils a new Fraunhofer TV audio system based on the upcoming open audio standard MPEG-H Audio. The new Fraunhofer TV audio system is destined to push TV broadcasts to a new level and provide viewers with interactive features that offer control over the audio signal and true 3D sound. As one of the main developers of MPEG-H Audio, Fraunhofer IIS is leading the evolution of television playback well beyond 5.1 surround sound.

"Throughout the development of the new Fraunhofer TV audio system based on MPEG-H Audio, Fraunhofer IIS focused on the needs of current and future TV broadcasts audiences for viewing content on a variety of devices from complete home theaters to mobile tablets and phones," said Harald Popp, head of the Business department of the Audio & Multimedia division of Fraunhofer IIS. "As a result, the system is a true multiscreen audio codec allowing for the efficient delivery of audio content to any screen over any kind of transmission channel, including broadcast, cable, Internet or 4G wireless networks."

MPEG-H Audio is based on a new, efficient audio codec that includes processing to offer an optimized experience with controlled loudness on every device. It includes object-based audio and is capable of transmitting 3D sound.

Object-based audio allows viewers to adjust the sound mix to their preferences, boosting otherwise hard-to-understand dialogue or creating a "home team" mix of sports broadcasts.