RSSXM to Offer High-Def Surround Sound
By Ed Oswald | Published December 28, 2005, 7:15 PM
XM announced plans to broadcast two of its channels in high-definition surround sound in 2006, and extend the feature to select shows and live performances from the XM studios during the year. The technology that made the new feature possible comes from work done by digital sound processing company Neural Audio Corporation.
Beginning in March, XM's free form music channel Fine Tuning and classical pops channel XM Pops will broadcast in "XM HD Surround" 24 hours a day. Six discrete audio channels will be provided in the signal.
The company says the new offering marks the first time a radio service would offer over-the-air surround sound programming. "Terrestrial radio stations are just starting to convert from analog to digital," XM CEO Hugh Panero said.
The service is locked in a tight battle with smaller competitor Sirius for customers. While Sirius has taken the programming route in order to attract new subscribers with figures like Howard Stern, XM has focused on adding features to its service to get consumers interested.
Manufacturing partners Denon, Onkyo, Pioneer, and Yamaha have all agreed to begin production and release receivers capable of receiving the surround sound content next year.
The company also said home audio systems that have Neural Surround would also be able to play XM HD Surround correctly. The new format would be backwards compatible, meaning customers with older receivers would still be able to listen to the stations as they had before.
Neural also shared XM's excitement over debuting the new technology. "We are excited to partner with XM to provide the largest source of 5.1 original music content of any medium today," said Neural Audio CEO Geir Skaaden.
XM plans to demo the new technology at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show, to be held next week in Las Vegas.
Opie & Anthony blow away Stern, XM is the obvious choice for programming...
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|XM Rocks. I love it.
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|I wish they get NFL on it. Freakin Sirius sucks.
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|I hope my Acura TL (which has XM and 5.1 surround sound) works with this.
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|I've had XM for 4 years now...was one of the first...continue to enjoy the different formats, but will admit to listening to alot of talk radio...something local stations don't provide...do wish XM would get a GLBT channel as Sirius has!
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|I wish these two would merge already...
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|You want a monopoly? ehhh... I'm a little hesitant about embracing that idea.
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|Me too, except that they're like the "HBO of Radio". They still compete every day with free OTA radio. If they combined, they would be much more content-compelling.
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|"Sirius has taken the programming route in order to attract new subscribers with figures like Howard Stern..."
Which is exactly why I will stay away from it.
Sounds like XM is the way to go. As long as they have a lot of different choices as far as genre, I'll be set. =)
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|If you want NFL, only one has it.........
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|Yeah, NFL on the radio, how many people listen to NFL games on the radio?
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|Ever hear the saying "Content is King"? That's what will win this.
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|Meh. I don't really keep up with any sports anyway, except soccer, and that's only during the World cup.
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|I agree.
For me personally though, I don't even like most popular music. As long as they have a lot of diverse genres available, I'll be fine. I don't care what particular bands they have because it's all new to me anyway.
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|You'd be surprised. Some people could be on the road during a game and have no other way to catch the play by play.
For the record, I think it is stupid, but many people love it.
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|"Yeah, NFL on the radio, how many people listen to NFL games on the radio?"
Me for one when my home team is broadcast by national broadcasters and I want to hear my local guys when I'm in my home area. Much better play by play too on the radio in my opinion. You might be surprised just how popular radio broadcasts are of all sports.
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|Happy New Year from Italy .I know that my resolution was not to include any more comments on betanews;however having read that you are a follower of soccer, I simply could not resist, especially, since Italy and the United States are in the same group in the World Cup.
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