Momentum Data Systemsí Digital Audio Engines Offer A Fast Track To Multichannel Audio Decoding

New Modules Speed Time-To-Market For Manufacturers

30-Oct-00

Momentum Data Systems announces availability of new modules designed to speed time-to-market for manufacturers of consumer audio products using multichannel audio decoding, such as DolbyÆ Digital, MPEG and DTSÆ Digital Surroundô. The features include:- Ready-made modules for multichannel audio decoding - All popular audio decoding formats supported (Dolby Digital, DTS Digital Surround, MPEG, THXÆ and THX Surround EXô) - Digital and analog in single module Consumer audio is a fast changing world. Audio standards are still evolving and high audio reproduction quality is essential but is no longer enough. Today's consumers demand - and audio manufacturers need to offer - unique features to differentiate products in a crowded marketplace. The speed of change shortens product development cycles so that manufacturers are obliged to get products to market quicker and to adapt current products to meet new market requirements. Digital Audio Engines provide a fast track to audio product development. Adaptable, modular audio platforms, Digital Audio Engines are ""off the shelf"" modules, combining support for all major multichannel audio decoding standards with high quality analog audio, and an open software architecture which supports custom functions. Expert mixed signal design means the very difficult job of preserving analog audio quality is already done. Digital Audio Engines are ""off the shelf"" hardware modules providing all the functions for the heart of multichannel audio decoding. They can be used in surround sound audio or home theatre systems. Digital Audio Engines include digital processing for all the main multichannel audio decoding formats, plus post processing such as equalization and sound fields, with the facility for manufacturers to add their own unique post processing features. They also provide high quality analog output on the same compact module. ""Mixed signal"" design allows a cost effective, compact final system but demands very careful attention to detail in the design to preserve the analog signal quality - Digital Audio Engines are specially designed to preserve the analog audio quality. A family of modules addresses different needs, from lower cost consumer products to high-end systems where the audio quality and unique features are paramount. Digital Audio Engines use as their core the DSP5636x audio processors from Motorola. Momentum Data Systems, designers and manufacturers of Digital Audio Engines, wrote much of the firmware that powers the Motorola audio processors and so have unique expertise and insights into its use and further extension. The DSP5636x family of processors adopts an innovative combination of firmware (ROM based code) and software (loaded at run time) to combine standard chip functions such as multichannel audio decoding, with the ability to add programs for unique features such as parametric equalization or sound field simulation.Using 24-bit arithmetic and extended registers to maintain audio headroom, the DSP56362 has all the major multichannel audio decoders in ROM. Chip firmware automatically detects and decodes the audio source material, leaving about half the chip's power still available for post processing such as headphone downmixes, speaker equalization, tone controls and volume control. Decoding the incoming digital audio is only part of the job. An audio system also has to handle essential tasks such as managing the overall volume, as well as desirable features such as equalization and sound field simulation. Post processing features are self contained software (or, for the more usual functions, firmware) modules that can implement all the audio processing needed for a complete audio system - for example, bass and treble control, parametric equalization, speaker compensation, soundfield processing and volume control. Currently available ""standard"" post processing features include Dolby Pro LogicÆ, bass management, delay management, volume management, custom mixdowns, THX, soundfields, parametric equalization, 3D virtualization and bass enhancement. The self contained, modular nature of post processing means that developers can easily add custom processing to match specific system needs (such as speaker crossover management) and to provide unique features (such as parametric equalization). The software architecture also supports auxiliary channels - for example a second listening room could be handled with a two-channel downmix, while the primary room continues to receive 5.1-channel surround sound. An example of a problem that is easily solved because of the software architecture is volume management. When different decoders are used and different combinations of post processing, it can be hard to keep the final operating volume of the system constant. The software architecture provides volume management to solve this problem and allows the user to switch decoders and change post processing without having to keep adjusting the system volume. During development, manufacturers can use a Digital audio Development Environment (DDE) which includes a ""motherboard"" with all the necessary test connectors, and the Momentum OEM Interface (MOEMI) which provides control over all aspects of the digital decoding and post processing so that it is easy to set up and evaluate a test system. The MOEMI software has a ""logging"" function that allows the developer to capture the commands sent to the Digital Audio Engine and use these in their own software product. The Digital audio Development Environment (DDE) comprises all the components - software and hardware - needed to evaluate the Digital Audio Engines and to develop, test and debug systems using them. The DDE-1 is a larger motherboard with monitor points for all signals including the intermediate digital audio outputs (before analog conversion). The DDE-2 is a smaller motherboard with the same footprint as the DAE module, and is suitable for compact demonstrators and as the basis for some small-scale complete OEM products.For more information about the Digital Audio Engines and Momentum Data Systems, visit www.mds.com.

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