Channel + object + sound field to create a three-dimensional immersive experience of sound.
From silent to vocal, from mono to stereo, from stereo to surround sound to immersive audio, audio technology has evolved step by step, continuously satisfying listeners’ needs for high-quality sound enjoyment. For a long time, Dolby and DTS have been regarded as synonymous with high-end audio.
Recently, I came into contact with a company engaged in the development of immersive audio technology-“LEONIS”. HOLOSOUND, an immersive audio technology developed by Zhongke Leo, supports a maximum of 256 channel outputs, conforms to and is compatible with the DCI / SMPTE standard, and can support international film sources such as Hollywood.
In simple terms, immersive audio technology is the most realistic simulation technology for sound, allowing listeners to fully experience the sound field that is exactly the same as the scene. HOLOSOUND’s immersive audio technology is based on the object and channel technology, and incorporates the concept of a sound field into it, enabling sound to move in a three-dimensional space, allowing viewers to experience realistic and lingering sound effects. Putting it in the movie scene is “moving with the sound”, the audience can hear the birds flying overhead, can also hear the soft whispers near the ears, and can also hear the whistling of cars approaching in the distance.
Specifically, HOLOSOUND has the following characteristics:
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It can support a maximum of 256 speakers, which is 4-16 times that of other immersive audio technologies (64 channels for Dolby and 16 channels for DTS);
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In contrast to Dolby ATMOS, which only supports channel and object technology, HOLOSOUND also supports sound field technology, which can simulate the spatial distribution of sound and achieve the effect of sound moving in three-dimensional space.
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Supports Point Source, each speaker can be driven separately.
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On the speaker layout, in addition to top ring speakers and side ring speakers, bottom ring speakers (Beneath Speaker) are also provided;
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Immersive Index) is much higher than manufacturers such as Dolby and DTS. (The immersive index was proposed by China Coreo and has been adopted by relevant international standards organizations such as SMPTE and AES.)
At the application level, HOLOSOUND technology is mainly used in digital cinema and personal consumer electronics.
In the film field, the business of China Coreo covers the entire process of content production, content transmission, and content projection, and provides end-to-end solutions for users. Digital cinema immersive audio playback system.
In terms of production, Zhongke Leo deployed the immersive audio content post-production system to the post-production company. The post company uses the immersive audio content post-production system MPU, 3D Panner plug-in and The HOLOSOUND Monitor system for audio object monitoring produces the HOLOSOUND version of the movie.
According to the data provided by China Coreo, the HOLOSOUND production system has been deployed in Hesheng Chuangying, China Film Base, Jinzhi, and post-production units in the United States, India, and Europe, and has produced more than 300 films. Production films include “The Twin Killer”, “Wandering Earth”, “The Richest Man in Xihong City”, “Fanghua”, “Shadow”, “Biography of the Demon Cat”, etc. “People Captured by Light” will be released in December and the Spring Festival , “Ginger Ziya”, “Chinese Women’s Volleyball”, “Ye Wen 4”, “Aunt”, “Detective Chinatown 3”, “Emergency Rescue” and other films are available in HOLOSOUND version.
At the screening side, to enjoy the best HOLOSOUND effect, you must experience it in the HOLOSOUND projection room. Zhongke Leo provides complete HOLOSOUND cinema solutions for cinemas. On the one hand, HOLOSOUND includes immersive audio processor DCAP-OBIA, immersive audio multi-channel digital-to-analog converter DAC-OBIA, and immersive audio multi-channel digital surround power amplifier. Projection equipment such as SMA-OBIA. It is worth noting that the HOLOSOUND playback system can not only play HOLOSOUND immersive sound, but also be compatible with other immersive audio and conventional 5.1, 7.1 surround channel copies; on the other hand, Zhongke Leo also provides artificial intelligence (AI) -based Cinema speaker layout design, can support up to 256 speakers.
“But the 256-channel solution is generally used for immersive experiences in larger scenes such as song and dance theaters, concert halls, studios, etc.,” Ma Shichao, president of Zhongke Leo told. At present, the number of HOLOSOUND immersive cinemas in the country has exceeded 300. In Europe and India, DEMO halls have been established.
According to the interface news report, As of now, China has installed Du The number of panoramic cinemas has reached 2,000. Compared with Dolby Atmos Cinemas, the number of HOLOSOUND cinemas needs to increase significantly. More cinemas mean more screenings, more income, and more. Dilute the production cost of HOLOSOUND films, and at the same time allow more outstanding film works to choose to produce a special version of HOLOSOUND.
To add more HOLOSOUND movie theaters, the key lies in whether the immersive experience can meet the audience’s demands, whether there are enough outstanding film releases, and whether the cost is low enough to further open the market.
Experience, HoloSound technology Passed the certification of experts from the China Film Distribution and projection Association, and considered it “completely comparable to international immersive audio systems.” In addition, HOLOSOUND has also tackled other issues that have not been resolved in other immersive audio theaters including Dolby Cinema. “Although the projection versions are the same, the experience of panoramic or immersive audio in different cinemas is not the same.” Ma Shichao said, “In order to solve this problem, we have written a self-developed adjustment in the projection system Algorithm , which automatically adjusts audio playback based on pre-set data such as the distribution of movie theater speakers to ensure that each movie theater has the same excellent experience. “
In terms of the number of films, at present, an average of 6-8 HOLOSOUND format movies enter the market every month. In terms of cost, Ma Shichao revealed that the construction cost of the HOLOSOUND cinema is about 70% of the same type of cinema.
According to the data from the National Film Agency, as of the end of June 2019, the number of screens nationwide reached 63,572, and the growth rate has gradually slowed down since 2015. “Our cinema plan has a price advantage, and there are plans for the reconstruction of existing cinemas. In addition to the construction of more new cinemas, the reconstruction of existing cinemas is also our focus.” Ma Shichao said, “At the same time, it is also our brand building Focus, positive and competitive brand image can help us open the market faster. “
In the field of personal consumption, HOLOSOUND has two main aspects. The first is to integrate functions into personal electronic consumer products such as mobile phones, tablets, and computers; the second is to produce HOLOSOUND content products, including streaming media content played on video platforms such as iQiyi, Youku, and Tencent Video, and VR / AR Content requires immersive audio and experience project content in theme parks.
In order to accelerate the layout in the field of personal consumer electronics, in early 2019, Leonis launched the HOLOSOUND series of chips, which will include Channel-Based Sound Processing, Object-Based Sound Processing and sound field Core functions including Scene-Based Sound Processing are integrated on the chip. This series of chips include the chip HOLOSOUND-Cinema for digital cinema, and the chip HOLOSOUND-Consumer for the consumer electronics field.
“We do not sell this series of chips separately, but only use them in our self-developed equipment and solutions.” Ma Shichao said, “The production volume of audio and video content in the consumer field is greater, and the chip also combines AI, 5G, and cloud Computing and other technologies can improve audio processing capabilities and transmission efficiency. “
At present, Zhongke Leo has launched in-depth cooperation with Huawei, iQiyi and other companies on HOLOSOUND immersive audio technology.
In terms of team, the core members of the R & D team come from the PhD (post-doc) of the Institute of Computing Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and scientific and technological personnel with years of experience in audio and video technology accumulation in the industry. Ma Shichao, President of China Leo, is the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers of SMPTE. ), AES (Audio Engineering Society) and other core members of international audio standards organizations.
