Minnetonka Audio Places Productivity First at IBC

Minnetonka Audio Places Productivity First at IBC

Company will showcase QC, loudness & automation solutions for diverse platforms

MINNETONKA, MN - Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc., a leader in production software for motion picture, broadcast surround sound and consumer electronics applications, will announce new products at the upcoming 2011 IBC conference and exhibition, the annual European event for the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and news content.

This year, Minnetonka Audio Software will focus on three new releases, including the latest generation of AudioTools Server (ATS), version 2.0 of Minnetonka Audio's SurCode for Dolby E Suite, and a new loudness measurement and control plug-in for Harmonic's ProMedia Carbon.

Debuting at IBC 2011, the next generation deployment of AudioTools Server adds new functionality, with one new application and 3 additional modules. First is the new optional AudioTools Workflow Control application, which adds decision logic to AudioTools Server. Enabling more complex, customer-defined conditional workflows, the new AudioTools Workflow Control module is also applicable to load balancing, distributing the workload across multiple AudioTools Server systems. AudioTools Workflow Control employs modular processing, including complex and conditional decisions along with a flexible XML specification, to delineate parameters.

The latest AudioTools Server also includes three new options for automated quality control (QC) of linear PCM essence: AudioTools Audio Quality Analysis, AudioTools Channel Assignment Detection and AudioTools Program Correlation. All three QC modules leverage ATS' time saving ability to ReWrap , modifying essence without unwrapping and rewrapping QuickTime and MFX files.

The new AudioTools Audio Quality Analysis module gauges subjective quality, using a series of algorithms to analyze incoming PCM essence and detect anomalies such as clicks, crackle and silence. Each algorithm is fully adjustable, and may be enabled or disabled separately. An output log lists all anomalies found, along with their type and time code location. The new AudioTools Channel Assignment Detection module heuristically determines channel locations within multichannel programs. By evaluating relative loudness levels, channel correlation, and frequency range on a representative section of the audio, the module identifies the likely center channel, LFE (Low Frequency Effects), and left/right and front/rear channel pairs.

The third new addition to the AudioTools Server kit is the AudioTools Program Correlation module, which performs a correlation check between two audio programs, from mono to multichannel. After an initial alignment step is performed to account for variations in the start of each clip, the module determines whether both programs represent the same content. As with all the ATS modules, the outcome is logged and the result can be passed back to AudioTools Workflow Control or other modules for further action.

Also showing first at IBC 2011, version 2.0 of the SurCode for Dolby E Suite brings new speed and versatility to the entire SurCode for Dolby E package. The 2.0 SurCode for Dolby E Encoder is now up to 5 times faster, with its enhanced multi-threaded, distributed processing. For decoding, the 2.0 SurCode for Dolby E Decoder has a new faster-than-realtime AudioSuite decoder for Pro Tools platforms, while Apple fans will appreciate handling both encoding and decoding completely within Final Cut Pro using an all new file export decoder plug-in. The SurCode for Dolby E Suite will be demonstrated at the show, and ships in September of this year. Competitive cross-grades are available, and updates are free of charge for current users.

The third product premiering at IBC is the AudioTools Loudness Control for Harmonic's ProMedia Carbon plug-in, which adds flexible and convenient loudness control to Harmonic's file-based ProMedia Carbon transcoding software. The plug-in offers loudness measurement and optional loudness adjustment in a single package, and adheres to the fundamental new ITU and EBU loudness standards, ITU-R BS.1770-2 and EBU R 128 (2011), as well as the ATSC's most recent Recommended Practice A/85:2011.

This year represents a new strategic milestone for Minnetonka, said John Schur, President of Minnetonka Audio Software. We're showcasing solutions, for enterprise-level to single room facilities, that address loudness control and Dolby E workflows plus, we're also announcing significant partnerships with key industry players.

These products and more will be showcased at IBC Amsterdam from September 9th through the 13th. For in-depth information on how Minnetonka Audio's family of products can increase efficiency and improve the quality and consistency of your deliverables, visit stand 7.J01 during the show, or contact Minnetonka Audio directly at 49-2162-1062622 or 952-449-6481.

About Minnetonka Audio Software

An award winning solutions provider for motion picture, video, broadcast, game, and optical disc production, Minnetonka Audio Software creates essential technology for top media professionals around the world. Their SurCode, AudioTools, AWE and discWelder product lines broadly support the CD, DVD, BD and DTV standards, and represent the definitive leader in OEM codec licensing. Spanning over two decades of operation and based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc. has a subsidiary in Germany in addition to an international network of distributors and channel partners who share our commitment to quality and service.

AudioTools Server and the Minnetonka Audio Software logo are trademarks of Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. 110720v1r3

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