Automated Stereo-to-5.1 Conversion with Penteo Surround
Hear Automated Stereo-to-5.1 Conversion
Optimod 8685 with Penteo Surround
March 24th, 2010 — Orban's Penteo Surround stereo-to-5.1 upmixer allows the 8685 to provide two-band and five-band audio processing for surround sound broadcasting and netcasting. Orban and Penteo now make it possible for television stations to effortlessly and automatically broadcast all of their legacy stereo programming and stereo commercials in discrete 5.1 Surround. Unlike other upmix methods, Penteo 5.1 is completely compatible with televisions that have stereo audio systems because these sets will reproduce the original stereo that was applied to the Penteo upmixer.
The Orban Optimod 8685 is also ideal for mastering audio in broadcast productions as well as productions intended for media such as DVD and Blu-ray.
Robert Orban, Chief Engineer of Orban stated, "When choosing an upmix algorithm to complement Orban's Optimod-Surround 8685 audio processor, I auditioned a number of different processes. Of these, only the Penteo Surround upmix sounded like discrete five-channel while preserving the balance of the stereo source without coloration. I was particularly impressed by its ability to place dialog firmly in the center channel even when the mix included other elements placed around the stereo soundstage. Penteo was the hands-down winner of my shoot-out."
The revolutionary Penteo 5.1 process was used in Warner Bros. blockbuster "Watchmen," "Book of Eli" starring Denzel Washington, and in the Academy Award-winning "Inglourious Basterds" as the first major motion pictures to take advantage of the new direct stereo-to-5.1 surround sound processing system.
John Wheeler, Penteo, LLC founder and inventor of the new technology, commented, "We are very excited to be working with Orban on this new product developed from the ground up to offer broadcasters a turnkey, automatic tool that creates truly exceptional surround sound. The Penteo system is based on entirely new stereo analysis and we're thrilled that broadcast leader Orban has chosen us for this major product introduction at NAB. We view this as strategic validation of our technology and with their stature in broadcast technology we have a perfect launching pad for Penteo's leading presence in this new era of quality television, radio, and modern media delivery."
Orban's Penteo upmixer for the 8685 resides in a stand-alone 1 rack unit chassis that is controlled by the 8685 via an Ethernet connection. The Penteo unit only upmixes if it detects a controlling 8685 on the same subnet; otherwise it remains in "pass-through" mode. Program-adaptive automatic mode switching is available, where the Penteo detects whether its input is receiving stereo or 5.1 material and automatically activates upmixing if it detects stereo. If 5.1 material is detected, it is passed through to the Penteo's output with the same delay as the upmixed material, thus preserving lip-sync.
Penteo has developed a system of processes and patent-pending proprietary technology that cleanly and efficiently converts any stereo mix of music, film, and TV soundtracks directly into quality 5.1 surround sound. At the core of this system is the new stereo "panorama slicing"® algorithm that Wheeler says creates a much cleaner, clearer, more discrete 5.1 surround experience than any other 5.1 conversion technology available today. "Most importantly, our surround masters downmix back to stereo with absolutely no sonic artifacts," Wheeler said. "Our approach absolutely respects the vision of the original mixing engineers."
For more informaton, contact sales@penteosurround.com
ABOUT PENTEO®
Penteo, LLC, based in San Francisco, California, has created cutting-edge technologies and services that convert any stereo audio into 5.1 surround sound, with automatic downmixing back to stereo. The company has developed proprietary, patent-pending technologies and applications that allow television, film, and music industry professionals to convert and deliver their stereo content and assets into superior-quality 5.1 surround sound automatically, setting a new standard in completely downconvertible, stereo-compatible 5.1 audio processing. Penteo is a registered trademark of Penteo, LLC.
ABOUT ORBAN
Orban leads the industry in the design and manufacture of audio processors for radio, television and Internet broadcasting. Recognized for its standard-setting Optimod(r) digital audio processors and Opticodec(r) codecs, the Orban name has become synonymous with reliable, high performance products. From ESPN to CBS to BBC, its versatile audio processing equipment and codecs are the products of choice in fast-paced production and broadcasting environments worldwide.