MPEG Surround is an ideal standard for bandwidth efficient surround Internet radio services, allowing the cost-efficient delivery of surround audio at stereo bitrates as low as 64 kbit/s for 5.1-channels. With the integration of MPEG Surround and HE-AAC Multi-Channel into Orban’s products, Internet broadcasters and pure play music services will be able to clearly distinguish themselves from competitors by providing an immersive surround audio experience to consumers. Thanks to the stereo-compatible nature of the MPEG Surround codec, listeners can enjoy music streams in the highest quality on both surround-enabled and stereo devices. “As consumer demand increases for high quality content delivered online, Fraunhofer’s audio codecs in Orban’s professional streaming encoders provide broadcasters with the best tools to fulfill this desire,” said Harald Popp, head of the Multimedia Realtime Systems department at Fraunhofer IIS. “This enables the delivery of true surround sound experiences to listeners at affordable bitrates.”

“Selecting Fraunhofer for our streaming encoders was a clear choice for Orban due to the company’s reputation in the industry for delivering the highest quality audio and multimedia solutions,” said Greg Ogonowski, VP Product Development, Orban. “Fraunhofer’s expertise and dedication to innovation, as well as its flexible and efficient technology, will enable us to provide broadcasters with the technology they need to meet their listener’s expectations,” said Robert Orban, Orban’s VP/Chief Engineer.

Featuring Fraunhofer’s MPEG Surround and HE-AAC multichannel compression schemes, Orban Opticodec-PC Encoders will be promoted during NAB 2011 at the Orban (C3059) and Fraunhofer (SU5520) booths at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). MPEG Surround is an ISO standard codeveloped by Fraunhofer IIS. Software implementations for device and software player manufacturers are available for various operating systems and embedded platforms.