Harris Corporation and Neural Audio Launch Innovative Perceptual Loudness Control Solution for Broadcast TV

Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has teamed up with Neural Audio Corporation, the market leader in developing advanced audio and surround sound technologies, to market Neural Loudness Control™ (NLC), an innovative perceptual loudness control solution for television broadcasters. Integrating into any facility via an array of Harris signal processing platforms, the 1RU NLC enables broadcasters and network operators to manage perceived loudness levels within a specific desired volume range and enhance the overall consumer entertainment experience.

“Neural Audio has developed a brand name that signifies greater audio quality and greater entertainment experience, which complements in many ways our own work,” said Tim Thorsteinson, president of Harris Broadcast Communications. “Our collaboration with Neural Audio allows us to provide our customers with innovative and advanced audio processing technologies such as Neural-THX® Surround and now the Neural Loudness Control™, which provides a solution for a significant and constant problem that television engineers have had to struggle with.”

Unlike traditional volume management solutions, this innovative, patent-pending solution uses Neural Audio’s perceptual loudness measurement tool to model how the human ear will perceive the loudness of the audio content. This process accounts for many variables that can affect how audio is perceived, including spectral and density differences and temporal overlaps. By accounting for the human experience of listening, Neural Audio’s loudness measurement accommodates both stereo and multichannel audio equally well.

After measurement, NLC applies appropriate gain or attenuation to achieve the desired target loudness level (Dial Norm). The correction process preserves the spectral balance of the original signal by adapting the frequency response of the low and high frequencies to compensate for level differences within the original signal. NLC can be used in a protection role that only affects content that falls aggressively outside the desired target or in a management role to tightly control loudness and enable intelligibility without the distracting side effects of traditional volume management solutions.

NLC technology integrates into TV broadcast applications via the proven frame synchronization and delay products in a wide array of market-leading Harris audio/video signal processing solutions, including the X75™ all-in-one 1RU processor, the NEO® advanced applications modular platform, and the 6800+™ core processing modular platform.

“This new product release demonstrates our commitment to providing exceptional audio processing solutions that are fully interoperable with the current DTV infrastructure, while supporting all stereo and multichannel broadcast formats,” said Geir R Skaaden, Neural Audio CEO. “By working hand in hand with broadcasters, CE manufacturers and consumers, we are able to ascertain the real problems and provide effective solutions for them by enhancing the overall consumer entertainment experience.”

The Neural Loudness Control™ solution features an unbalanced 75-ohm XLR over BNC connectors or balanced 110-ohm XLR over D-SUB connectors, supporting both stereo and multichannel input and output. It also supports wordclock in, out and through.

See Harris Broadcast Communications at IBC2007 Stand No. 7.621.