Neural® Surround MultiMerge™ - The perfect blend of Stereo and Surround sound for your broadcast facility.
Neural Surround MultiMerge provides surround sound for DTV viewers whether the original content is stereo or discrete 5.1 surround. MultiMerge's stereo to surround UpMix has outperformed all other methods when evaluated for channel discreteness, envelopment, and original spatial location.
Positioned just ahead of the final audio output of a television facility, MultiMerge provides seamless transitions between stereo (LoRo), stereo matrix (LtRt), and discrete 5.1 audio mixes. Original 5.1 content passes untouched as other content is rendered to a 5.1 surround sound image using the Neural Surround UpMix process.
With MultiMerge placed ahead of a Dolby Digital (AC-3) encoder, a broadcaster can stay in the surround (3/2) mode. This eliminates the clicks, pops and dropouts that occur when transitioning back and forth between stereo (2/0) and surround (3/2). MultiMerge also includes a full-time DownMix (LtRt) output that can be used to feed tape or standard definition broadcast feeds.
Key features of the Neural Surround MultiMerge include:
- Outperforms all existing upmixing methods for channel discreteness, envelopment, and original spatial location
- Auto upmix of stereo content to reduce chances of operator error (can also be triggered by GPI)
- Mute-less 5.1 pass-through to guarantee critical audio is never lost, such as center channel dialog
- Full-time 5.1 surround outputs for HD feeds
- Full-time stereo (LtRt) outputs for SD feeds
- User-selectable input logic can automate unusual audio routing needs for voiceovers, EAS, and split transmission paths
MultiMerge + NLC
Neural Surround MultiMerge is most often used with Neural Loudness Control as a complete 2.0/5.1 rendering and loudness control solution. Refer to the MultiMerge+NLC page for more information.
Applications
Television Stations, Network Head-ends, Ingest points, Production studios. Commonly used in front of STL paths, Dolby-E or AC-3 encoders.
Specifications
| Size | 1 RU |
| Sample Rate | 32kHz-48kHz (AES/EBU, Worldclock-Slave) |
| Number of Available Channels |
- 4 AES-3 Inputs (Stereo and/or 5.1 Surround)+ (2 Channels = Stereo) - 4 AES-3 Outputs (6 Channels = 5.1 Surround) + (2 Channels = Stereo) |
| Latency | 64ms @ 48kHz sampling rate |
| Digital Inputs & Outputs (Choose One I/O Configuration) |
- AES/EBU, 75ohm, Unbalanced BNC, with DARS in - AES/EBU, 110ohm, Balanced XLR, in and out via D-SUB breakout cable with Worldclock in, out and through |
| Communication |
- TCP/IP control via Neural Client Software - TCP/IP CCS Protocol (Coming) |
| Power Supply |
- Voltage: 100-240V - 4-2A at 50-60Hz - Connector EMI Suppressed Male |
Block Diagram
Ordering Information
| Part # | Description |
| MULTIMERGE | Neural Surround 5.1 and rendered stereo content transitioning, unbalanced 75 ohms AES (BNC) interface |
| MULTIMERGE-B | Neural Surround 5.1 and rendered stereo content transitioning, balanced 110 ohms AES (XLR) interface |
With an event of this magnitude (Superbowl), it was important for the NFL to implement a technology that could deliver a seamless surround sound solution to our international broadcast partners while providing 100 percent compatibility with all consumer systems worldwide."