Dolby Atmos: the new generation of surround sound

The new Atmos system developed by Dolby not only promises to offer a much more immersive sound experience, but will also offer greater flexibility in creating and processing audio.

Dolby Laboratories has presented at CinemaCon 2012 the new Atmos platform that aims to take a new step in surround sound, further enriching the viewer's experience in the room.

Dolby Atmos is emerging as a highly flexible solution for faithfully capturing, distributing and rendering audio, so that it is not limited by channels or fixed speaker locations. Thanks to its scalability, exhibitors will be able to design their rooms with custom speaker configurations that optimize system performance based on the size and shape of the venue.

Capable of transmitting up to 128 audio inputs (channels or objects) simultaneously and losslessly, as well as rendering from 5.1 to 64 discrete speaker streams, Atmos introduces completely new features for exhibitors.

Kevin Yeaman, president and CEO of Dolby Laboratories, said: "Dolby Atmos is our most important innovation in years, and represents the future of sound for film entertainment. We have applied our deep knowledge of the way we hear and experience sound to provide film producers, studios and exhibitors with a new technology that will transform the way we tell stories."

For the first time, Dolby Atmos introduces a hybrid approach to mixing and directs sound as dynamic objects that surround the listener, combined with channels for playback. Additionally, it will enable adaptive rendering to ensure that the playback experience is as close as possible to the creator's original vision in any given environment, regardless of the specific speaker configuration in the playback environment.

Dolby Atmos is emerging as an end-to-end solution that takes full content pipeline into account and brings together mixers, studios and distributors to create enhancements to the audio experience. Therefore, the productions will be distributed with a unique and universal package that will allow the audience to be offered the full impact of the artist's intention, regardless of the theater configuration.

The Disney/Pixar feature film, Brave, scheduled for release in a couple of months, will be the first to offer this new immersive experience.

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Dolby replaces Kodak at the Oscars

Dolby Laboratories will take over from Kodak, due to the difficult economic situation it is experiencing, as the commercial name of the popular Hollywood theater where the Oscar Awards are held annually. Dolby has closed an agreement with CIM Group, owner of the venue, to take care of the maintenance and improvements of the facility, which will be officially renamed the Dolby Theatre.

The contract will last for 20 years and will come into effect this summer. At the same time, CIM Group and the Hollywood Academy, the entity that awards the Oscars, have agreed to extend their partnership for the same period, two decades, in order to guarantee that the film statuettes will continue to be awarded in the same theater until 2033.

The Oscars have been held in this imposing auditorium since 2002, with Kodak paying, since then and until now, 3.6 million dollars for the venue to display its name.