Linear Acoustic continues to expand its product offerings designed to help sports networks, leagues, and production companies more easily manage multichannel surround-sound audio.  

Topping the list this year is a 10-channel version of the Aeromax 5.1-XL TV audio processor. It is the world’s first to feature built-in Dolby Digital (AC-3) encoding and is equipped with a loudness controller, upmixer, and metadata manager, as well as full-time, two-channel downmixing to support legacy analog paths.

“The Aeromax audio processor combines audio loudness and metadata processing with Dolby Digital encoding, giving stations a simple, inclusive, and cost-effective answer ,” says Tim Carroll, president of Linear Acoustic.

Among its capabilities is the ability, via built-in AutoMAX processing, to fix two-channel audio broadcast wrongly as 5.1 channels. The processor accepts 5.1 network audio, two-channel local audio, and digital or analog auxiliary/EAS stereo audio. HD-SDI audio input and internal Dolby Digital (AC-3) encoding are available as options.

At NAB, Linear Acoustic will also showcase the latest version of its StreamStacker-HD high-density audio-distribution system, which is capable of carrying multiple programs with surround sound, audio metadata, and associated auxiliary data. This version carries Dolby-compatible metadata and also generates and regenerates metadata in both the encoder and decoder, allowing simple editing or correction of parameters.

Built on a DTS Coherent Acoustics encoder, the system has improved jitter performance, increased error resilience, and a GPI-controlled soft-bypass mode to allow it to be installed in series with other coding systems, such as Dolby E to support legacy content. A software development kit (SDK) allows OEM customers to incorporate a software version of the e2 decoder into their products.  

Also on display will be the UPMAX:neo, a 1RU production 5.1 channel upmixing tool.

“The UPMAX:neo will be used during the Beijing Olympics,” Carroll explains. “This is a 1RU product that contains our road-proven upMAX technology that aids in the production of surround content as well as being perfectly downmix compatible for stereo viewers.”

Future options will include metadata generation to continue to provide customers with an all-in-one solution.

For those looking to get the most out of metadata, the Linear Acoustic MetaMAX Series LA-5180 audio metadata frame synchronizer and generator can help create audio metadata and keep it passing properly through the production chain. The unit accepts professional audio metadata via standard RS-485 serial input or as delivered inside the VANC space of an HD-SDI stream. It allows easy on-the-fly correction of incoming errors, rewriting of all parameters, and reversion to fully adjustable, internally generated values output via serial and HD-SDI. The system can also be used as a standalone generator, with eight presets for both Dolby E and AC-3 metadata.

For monitoring needs, the Linear Acoustic LAMBDA professional digital audio and metadata monitor displays and reproduces up to 16 audio channels from AES or embedded HD-SDI input. The system accepts audio metadata via nine-pin serial input or extracts it from the VANC space of an applied HD-SDI input. Audio and metadata are displayed in combination for accurate monitoring.

Carroll adds that a a very cost-effective 1RU DTV processor and several other infrastructure products will also be on display at NAB.