Samsung and Google's New Spatial Audio Format Will Take On Dolby Atmos (theverge.com)
- Reference: 0175824527
- News link: https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/25/01/03/2127241/samsung-and-googles-new-spatial-audio-format-will-take-on-dolby-atmos
- Source link: https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/3/24335170/samsung-google-eclipsa-spatial-audio-format-2025-tvs
> The two companies [3]first announced a partnership to develop spatial audio technology in 2023, initially calling it Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF). At the time, Samsung spatial audio head WooHyun Nam [4]said the format would provide "a complete open-source framework for 3D audio, from creation to delivery and playback."
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> The IAMF spec has also been adopted by the Alliance for Open Media, a group that has been pushing for royalty-free codec support since 2015 and counts companies like Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Netflix -- along with Samsung and Google -- among its members. If they also add support for this audio format, it could help it catch on, although it's already taken years for their AV1 video codec to see more use. Samsung and Google are also creating a certification program with the Telecommunications Technology Association "to ensure consistent audio quality" across devices using the format, which also sounds similar to the way companies like Dolby and THX manage the labeling for their specs.
[1] https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-brings-eclipsa-audio-3d-technology-developed-with-google-to-2025-tvs-and-soundbars
[2] https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/3/24335170/samsung-google-eclipsa-spatial-audio-format-2025-tvs
[3] https://news.samsung.com/global/interview-movie-quality-audio-from-the-comfort-of-your-home-meet-the-leaders-of-next-generation-3d-audio-technology
[4] https://news.samsung.com/global/interview-movie-quality-audio-from-the-comfort-of-your-home-meet-the-leaders-of-next-generation-3d-audio-technology#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIn%20order%20to,in%20the%20future
I wonder how Samsung will screw this up (Score:3)
I've had the misfortune of using a Samsung "Dolby Atmos" soundbar in the past, and found that most streaming applications just don't work correctly with it.
Even when connected to a fairly recent Samsung Smart TV over HDMI ARC, neither Disney+, Prime Video, or Hulu offer Atmos support. They only offer 5.1 support, and even that didn't really sound right until I got the optional rear channel wireless speakers. Netflix and Apple TV+ work with it, but only with limited content. My XBox also has Atmos support, but it randomly stops working and falls back to Stereo sound. I've tried firmware updates and different HDMI cables, and nothing helped.
After that experience, I wouldn't buy another Samsung audio product even it was on a half off sale. The compatibility headaches just aren't worth it.
Re: (Score:2)
" And another shit sci-fi show with a giant ass battle ship and its fleet cruising by (making rumbling noises in deep,space, of course)"
Would you rather your speakers were more realistic and sucked the air out of your room to simulate the vacuum?
Re: 3D sound awesome when it works (Score:2)
Most of your shitty sounding movies are probably on streaming services. They don't make a serious effort to provide multi-channel audio.
Blu-rays or even DVDs, even of very old movies, can sound amazing. It's not just sci-fi. Also, multi channel music can, too. I have some great 4.0 SACDs from quadraphonic LP transfers. They sound amazing. Especially organ music. You feel like you are in the church/cathedral. And can hear the different pipes in various corners. Sound like you just haven't been listening to t
Will go over real well... (Score:3)
Atmos and DTS-X work right now with home theatre systems.
The problem with other systems is how do they work with existing installed user bases? Because those systems already support Atmos and DTS-X, and users aren't going to replace their receivers and such with new systems that add support for other formats.
For example, the PS5 uses Tempest, but takeup on it was slow because it didn't work with users with home theatre systems. The Xbox audio system did, however, so adding support for Atmos was easy. Sony eventually relented and licensed Atmos on the PS5 so Tempest could use that.
(Atmos supports PCM audio with Atmos metadata so it's quite a mininmal amount of overhead). If the system cannot be used with current installed systems it's going to be a non-starter simply because no one's going to upgrade to get it.
Re: Will go over real well... (Score:2)
Exactly this. I have expensive Marantz AVRs. The prices of new unit has skyrocketed in recent years.
The only way I see this succeeding is if they put the decoder in the set top box or streaming stick, and it can be set to output multichannel PCM over HDMI. At that point, existing AVRs could process the signal according to the AVR's configuration. Any addiitional metadata would not be interpreted, though.
Games... (Score:2)
3d audio is most valued by games
if games studios can master and the engines can play the format with no fee's then it will be picked up
frankly the atmos is a bit of a mess
Re: (Score:2)
"Work" is a relative term. You need both a TV, a Soundbar/Stereo, and a Streaming hardware platform that supports Dolby Atmos for this to work right. Then you need the various streaming services to support Dolby Atmos for your chosen platform, and THEN you finally need the content itself to support Atmos.
Because of all these requirements, maybe 10% of the content that you watch will actually be in Atmos when you try to watch it. If the content is more than 5 years old, it's practically guaranteed NOT to sup
I'm sure they'll pass on the savings, yes? (Score:2)
Are Samsung one of the good guys in intellectual property & licensing?
what about DTS-X? (Score:2)
what about DTS-X?
Re: (Score:2)
I looked briefly and it says DTS:X is patented and licensed.
Some people were complaining that on XBox their family members have different profiles and they "had to" buy a $14 DTS:X license for each profile on their one XBox. Apparently to use it on /headphones/ costs $20 too.
It seems DTS's MDA container format is freely licensed.
Their sound object format is pretty cool. I made a rudimentary one in college c. 1994. That was just a CSV basically.
It's silly that 3D sound formats cost money thirty years later
Re: (Score:1)
> Some people were complaining that on XBox their family members have different profiles and they "had to" buy a $14 DTS:X license for each profile on their one XBox. Apparently to use it on /headphones/ costs $20 too.
On Xbox, DTS-X is free to output via HDMI to a home theater receiver. It's the headphone support (in-app purchase) which decodes it to binaural audio which costs money.
Re: (Score:2)
Ogg Vorbis anyone?