SRS Launches Comprehensive Suite of Loudness Management Solutions for Broadcast Industry

 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:00:00 GMT
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SRS Labs' HELM(R) or Head-End Loudness Management Family of Solutions provide Broadcasters the Ability to Effortlessly Comply to the CALM Act Standard

SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 29, 2011-- 

SRS Labs (NASDAQ:SRSL), the world's leading supplier of advanced volume leveling solutions, announced today the availability of SRS HELM(R) (Head-End Loudness Management), a new line of professional broadcast solutions for MVPDs and broadcast operators around the world. SRS' HELM family of volume leveling solutions includes HELM-RT (for live feeds, or Real-Time processing applications), and HELM-FB (for offline, File-Based workflows). HELM introduces a new integrated solution for loudness management.

HELM-RT was designed specifically for real-time processing of live content. Unlike other broadcast products on the market, HELM-RT not only analyzes linear broadcast feeds for compliance, but also automatically and precisely corrects any feeds detected to be out of the set house reference level (-24 LKFS for CALM compliance). HELM-RT has been designed using innovative techniques to minimize alteration of the program stream except when non-compliance is detected. While the intelligence in the HELM correction engine is proprietary, the loudness measurement algorithms are based on international ITU-T: BS.1770-1, and BS.1770-2 standards.

To complement HELM-RT, SRS has also designed HELM-FB for offline content processing. Without the requirement to function in a linear real-time environment, HELM-FB has the ability to analyze an entire short or long form program many times faster than real-time to accurately determine its loudness prior to making corrections. Ideal for VOD content ingest, HELM-FB was created with content creators and programmers in mind. It seamlessly levels volume fluctuations without altering the program's dynamic range in any way unless instructed to by the user. Both HELM solutions have detailed logging features to provide audit trails for proof of compliance.

HELM-RT and HELM-FB were designed from the ground up based on SRS' active participation and experience as a member of ATSC 6-3, the committee charged with amending the A/85 specification referenced in the CALM Act, as well as our close work with tier one pay TV operators and their leading professional broadcast solution partners.

"Volume inconsistencies from program to program and program to commercial have plagued broadcast television since the dawn of the TV age and have only become more severe with the introduction of digital broadcasting," said Alan Kraemer, Chief Technology Officer for SRS Labs. "In the US, Congress took the initiative in 2010 to lay the foundation for putting an end to this common annoyance once and for all. The need for broadcasters across the US to fully comply with the CALM Act starting at the end of next year provided us with a unique opportunity to innovate a targeted comprehensive solution. We are excited about the results and are now engaged with operators in the rollout of our solutions in their suppliers' products."

SRS' experience in tackling the volume fluctuation problem dates back to 2008 when the award-winning SRS TruVolume(R) solution first became available within Samsung and Vizio flat panel televisions. Today, TruVolume is the most popular and successful volume leveling solution available in the market with more than 125 million consumer electronics devices featuring the solution.

For more information about this announcement, SRS or our technologies, please contact us at pr@srslabs.com or visit us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

SRS Labs' company description and important cautions regarding forward-looking statements made in this release is available at http://www.srslabs.com/boilerplate</ elink>.