The MPEG-H Audio system excels through its unique personalization features. They enable the creation of fully adjustable dialogue levels, customizable audio description, multiple languages, and even interactive object positioning. As a result, users can tailor the media consumption experience to their individual preferences and requirements. MPEG-H delivers these unprecedented customization options, as well as enveloping immersive sound, on every kind of playback device – from home theaters to 3D soundbars to mobile devices.

The MPEG-H Authoring Suite (MAS) is a toolset which makes the production of MPEG-H Masters easier, faster, and open to everybody. These tools have now been updated to an MPEG-H Authoring Suite version 4.0 that will speed up and smooth out production workflows even more!

The new version supports the authoring of 96kHz high-res audio material to provide the maximum amount of workable audio data. This feature is particularly useful for music production, where higher sample rates are often used during production. MPEG-H Authoring and Monitoring can now take place directly in such projects and sessions can be exported in native 96kHz (for archiving purposes) and downsampled to 48kHz (for encoding and distribution).

The improvements and changes include:

Export of first preset as a stereo render for intermediate workflow
Text input in hh:mm:ss samples into "Export/Loudness Measurement" dialog
Broad range of GUI themes
GUI scaling for MPEG-H Authoring Tool (MHAT)
New setting "Default Label Language"
BWF/ADM export of up to 32 channels (max. 16 active simultaneously)

MHAT

Now with a convenient info tool to access relevant information contained in an MPEG-H Audio Master.

Automated adjustment of imported scenes to preferred language settings
Display of "Expert Loudness" after import (if used in file)

MPEG-H Production Format Player (MPF Player)

Accepts BWF/ADM
Accepts MPF and video from different files
Accepts 96kHz BWF/ADM

MPEG-H Authoring Tool: capabilities and highlights

The MPEG-H Authoring Tool (MHAT) is a software tool for macOS and Windows that makes it possible to create MPEG-H metadata for existing audio material. The MPEG-H Authoring Tool enables easy MPEG-H authoring without the need for a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). You can define specific MPEG-H parameters, instantly listen to your configurations, and export your authored mixes as MPEG-H Production Format (MPF), MPEG-H BWF/ADM, or as a template XML file.

Now supports monitoring layouts up to 22.2
MPEG-H metadata authoring with previously produced wave-files
Combination of channel-based components and dynamic audio objects
Interactive user experience through interactivity features for component gain and position
Create labels in multiple languages for global audiences
Binaural monitoring for immersive audio reproduction over headphones
Options for binaural authoring include the option to bypass binauralization on a per-component-basis (mono/stereo)
Import and export of MPF and MPEG-H BWF/ADM
Export session templates for use in broadcast devices
Streamlined export and loudness measurement process for even faster results

MPEG-H Conversion Tool: capabilities and highlights

The MPEG-H Conversion Tool (MCO) is a software tool for macOS and Windows that converts MPEG-H compliant content masters between different file formats. The MCO serves as an interface to the MPEG-H Audio ecosystem and supports the import and export of MPEG-H Master files. Thanks to the option to import BWF/ADM files that were created by other tools, it is now possible for users to use their preferred toolkit for production. After conversion in the MCO, the resulting files can even be edited and enhanced using the other MAS tools’ advanced feature set. That way, MPEG-H authoring integrates easily into most existing workflows.

Selected highlights of the MPEG-H Conversion Tool 1.4.0:

Now supports import of IMF/MXF/IAB and DCP/MXF/IAB
Allows direct conversion of object-only content for music productions
Improved 3daa 360RA level 3 support (including LFE handling)
Support for MPEG-H Masters with up to 32 channels
Improved user experience

MPEG-H Production Format Player: capabilities and highlights

The MPEG-H Production Format Player (MPF Player) is a software player which enables quality control for files that contain video and associated MPF audio as well as of BWF/ADM files. The MPF Player supports a variety of video formats, such as ProRes422 in a MOV or H264/H265 in an MP4 container. With the MPF Player, there is now an easy way to play back your master files, which include MPEG-H Audio, before encoding. It also enables you to check for A/V sync, review the scene authoring, preview interactivity, and monitor files in a variety of different render layouts – from mono up to immersive loudspeaker setups or binaural rendering.

Technical details and requirements

Supported operating systems
- macOS 10.14 or later
- Windows 10 and 11
Intel-compatible CPU (minimum 2GHz recommended)
Memory: 2GB RAM
Supported sample rates: 48kHz and 96kHz

MPEG-H Authoring Plug-in:

Supported audio plugin interfaces: AAX, VST3
Supported operating systems: any AAX Pro Tools- or VST-compatible host

Terms and Conditions

1. Description

The MPEG-H Authoring Suite is freely available software created by Fraunhofer IIS for authoring of MPEG-H audio scenes. It is intended for professional use. It creates MPEG-H audio metadata which can be used as input for a MPEG-H audio encoder and allows monitoring of the authored scenes on standard computer hardware. It is available for Windows and Mac operating systems.

2. User qualification

Fraunhofer reserves the right to deliver the software at its sole discretion to qualifying users only and to deny access to the software without further explication to users that are not deemed to be qualified. Qualification is dependent on professional use of the user and shall be in conformity with German, EU, US or other applicable export control laws and regulations. In order to be approved, users must submit the information requested below.

3. Software license type

The software license is for permanent use as described in §3 Art. 2 of the general terms and conditions.
The license is a multi-user license for 2-5 workplaces.
Modifications, changes and reengineering of the software are forbidden.

4. Third-Party Software

The MPEG-H Authoring Suite includes Third-Party Software toolkits to enable compatible interfaces to audio production tools. These toolkits will be licensed by the respective copyright owners which define the rights of use. The Fraunhofer general terms and conditions do not apply for these software parts.

The MPEG-H Authoring Plug-in (MHAPi) is compatible to VST^®. VST is a trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, registered in Europe and other countries.

The MPEG-H Authoring Plug-in (MHAPi) is compatible to AAX by using the Avid AAX-SDK 2.3.0 for connection the plugin to the AAX-Interface.

ASIO Driver Technology by Steinberg Media Technologies.

5. Open Source Software

The MPEG-H Authoring Suite includes Open Source Software (OSS). These OSS will be licensed by the respective copyright owners which define the rights of use. The Fraunhofer general terms and conditions do not apply for these OSS. Details about the used OSS and its licensing conditions and copyright terms can be found here:

MPEGH AUTHORING SUITE Licensing conditions and copyright terms for Open Source Software used in MAS [ PDF 1.11 MB ]

Registration

The following information is necessary to check if one qualifies for an MPEG-H Authoring Suite (MAS) software download.
All fields marked with * are mandatory.