A 10.2-channel audio technology developed by engineers at the National Radio Research Agency (RRA) has been chosen as an international standard by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN agency responsible for information and communication technology. On February 7, the RRA’s technology was selected as one of eight standards to be used for next generation broadcasting.

The new 10.2-channel audio technology defines the requirements for audio signals related to ultra high definition television (UHDTV) content and speaker layout. The 10.2-channel tech consists of ten regular speakers and two subwoofers. The speaker layout is designed to exceed the existing 5.1-channel standard and provide surround sounds at three different levels: above the head, at the height of the ears and on the floor.

The RRA said that its technology is intended to make people feel as if they are inside an auditorium, for example, by just listening to the sound. The technology uses both audio data and metadata, and records audio signal information so that they can be transmitted for broadcast and for other media purposes. The technology can also be applied to next generation TVs, large displays and audio systems.

As one of the UHDTV-standard development projects supported by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP), the 10.2-channel technology was jointly developed by Samsung Electronics and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI).

The new audio technology is included in the HDMI 2.0 standards established in September 2013. It also became a standard for UHDTV broadcasting at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) in October 2013.




By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
jun2@korea.kr