Samsung & Google Launch New Eclipsa Audio Immersive Surround Format?!?

[gene]

Eclipsa Audio, a new immersive format developed by Samsung and Google, will be supported by Samsung’s 2025 TVs and Soundbars. Unlike Dolby Atmos, Eclipsa Audio is open-source and royalty-free. YouTube creators will be able to upload videos with Eclipsa Audio soundtracks starting in 2025.

Eclipsa Audio dynamically adjusts audio levels for different scenes, ensuring optimal sound quality. Additionally, it offers customization features that allow listeners to tweak the sound to their preferences, helping to ensure that every listening experience is personalized and unique. An Eclipsa Audio bitstream can contain up to 28 input channels, which are rendered to a set of output speakers or headphones. These input channels can be fixed, like a microphone in an orchestra, or dynamic, like a helicopter moving through a sound field in an action movie. Eclipsa Audio also features binaural rendering, which is essential for mobile applications when delivering immersive audio through headphones. Finally, the new audio technology supports content creation across consumer devices, enabling users to create their own immersive audio experiences.
— Arm Newsroom

We are proud to lead the industry with the integration of Eclipsa Audio into our 2025 TV and soundbar lineup. This innovation opens new possibilities for immersive audio experiences and reinforces our commitment to shaping the future of home entertainment.
— Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President and Head of the R&D Team, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics

It remains to be seen whether Samsung and Google can get enough momentum behind Eclipsa Audio for it to make an impact on the AV industry. There’s no denying that Dolby has more than a decade-long head start with Dolby Atmos. Not only is the technology widely embraced by filmmakers and device manufacturers, it also enjoys significant brand recognition among end-users. Will Eclipsa Audio’s royalty-free appeal be enough to make the tech world take notice, or will 3D audio continue to be dominated by Dolby in 2025 and beyond? Please share your thoughts in the thread below.

Read: Eclipsa Audio Immersive Audio Format by Samsung & Google

 

[MigMeisterGeneral]

I think the introduction of Eclipsa into the audio presentation space is an exciting event - Samsung is bold to move it forward into their product line. The company makes a shrewd move to partner with Google as the strength of name both companies' brands and name recognition can help to draw attention to IAMF. The use of AI to convert existing material will certainly boost the speed of adoption if it is done carefully!

I have high hopes for Eclipsa's integration with YouTube as it will elevate the quality of sound and invite many creators imaginative opportunities to introduce immersive content. (I'm sure a lot of junk will be created along the way but the standouts will rise to the top). This - along with the recent news on the new HDMI standard feels like the beginning of an exciting chapter in AV development!

 

[-Jim-]

I've historically been an early adopter of TV and Audio technologies (going way back to VHS, Dolby Surround Sound, 3-D TV, Atmos, etc., ) but I'm becoming more of a skeptic as time goes by. The industry does need something to grab the attention of the younger generation and get their engagement. Atmos seems far too complicated for them in general, and expensive with all of the speakers, amplifiers, etc. Is bouncing sound off the ceiling - like described in the photo above - really the answer? Maybe it'll be a baby step for some to enter into the hobby, which can't be a bad thing for the industry.

 

[j_garcia]

I like the idea, but will it catch on, I guess is the question?