Applications

mp3D is resource optimized and can be implemented in practically any mobile device (for example, personal music players, mobile handsets etc.):

mp3D is built as a toolbox offering manufacturers of hard- and software a set of useful "music enhancement functions" to achieve the best sound experience within workload and memory restrictions.

mp3D is highly resource-optimized and can be implemented in practically any mobile device (for example, personal music players, mobile handsets etc.) to enhance stereo music for playback over headphones

mp3D also allows users to enjoy realistic surround sound on stereo headphones. This leads to numerous applications where 5.1 sound is available and headphone playback is desired:

Automotive

More and more cars are equipped with rear seat entertainment systems. With mp3D, passengers can be “surrounded by sound” without fear of disturbing or distracting the driver.

Airplane

In-flight entertainment systems are an essential part of today’s airline services. mp3D sound is a perfect complement to film and game offerings.

Gaming

mp3D offers uncompromised acoustical immersion for games.

Living Room

A home theatre system equipped with mp3D gets you perfect sound without disturbing others.

Internet Radio

Many Internet radio stations now broadcast in mp3 Surround. Listeners using headphones enjoy the surround image with mp3D.

Availability

mp3D is easy and flexible to implement for manufacturers and easy to use for customers. Evaluation software for different platforms is available on request.
At www.mp3surround.com Fraunhofer IIS offers an mp3 Surround/mp3D demo player for download.
mp3D object and source code is available for:

• PC (Win/MacOS X/Linux)
• Power PC processors
• TI C64, OMAP, DaVinci (4 weeks after order)
• TI C67 (4 weeks after order)
• ARM MIPS (4 weeks after order)
• ADI Blackfin (12 weeks after order)
• Starcore, TI C55 and Freescale Coldfire (only source code, 12 weeks after order)

• Availability chart audio and video products Fraunhofer IIS (PDF, 2 pages)

Technology

Maximum Music with Minimum Processing

mp3D significantly reduces discomfort when listening to stereo music over headphones by creating a wide sound image outside the listener’s head. Special care has been taken to optimize the algorithm for low-cost equipment and normal consumer headphones.

mp3D ensures stunning audio quality for stereo music through:

• dynamics processing
• out-of-head processing
• headphone equalization with 3 different modes for playback on different types of headphones (ear-buds, medium, large)

As shown in listening tests, the majority of users preferred mp3D enhancement to conventional stereo playback when listening to music on a mobile device.

Surround music is processed by mp3D to convey a spatial impression of the multi-channel sound even on stereo headphones. The direction of each loudspeaker is simulated together with reflections of a virtual listening room (see picture). In this way, sounds can not only be perceived from left and right but also from front and rear.

For surround music mp3D enables superb audio quality through:

• binaural processing with front-back discrimination of sound(different head/ear modelling modes)
• virtual listening room (different room modelling modes)
• headphone equalization (customizable)