Audio DSP IP core now supports Dolby Atmos for PCs

10th January 2018

Alice Matthews

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Datasheet

Supposedly becoming the first DSP IP core to provide this capability, Cadence Design Systems has announced that its Tensilica HiFi DSP core now supports Dolby Atmos for PCs. Cadence has optimised Dolby Atmos to run on the HiFi DSP, enabling consumers to experience Dolby Atmos over headphones or through PC speakers while reducing power consumption and improving battery life. A number of PCs featuring Dolby Atmos are currently available, including Huawei’s Matebook X and the Lenovo Yoga 920 2-in-1 convertible laptop.

Dolby Atmos delivers moving audio that flows around you, making you feel like you’re inside the action as sound comes alive with richness, depth, and precision. While cinema and home theatre systems have multiple channels to facilitate this experience, headphones and built-in PC speakers are two-channel stereo.

Reproducing the same audio experience over a device’s built-in speakers requires additional processing, which can impact battery life. Offloading Dolby Atmos to the HiFi DSP improves battery life without affecting the audio experience due to the DSP’s low-energy, high-performance processing.

“Our partnership with Cadence has helped bring Dolby Atmos not just to your living room, but now to your PC,” stated Mahesh Balakrishnan, Vice President, Enhanced Audio Experiences, Dolby Laboratories. “Cadence’s HiFi DSP maintains lower power consumption so that consumers can spend more time enjoying their favorite Dolby Atmos content on their PC.”

“Consumers expect a premium entertainment experience and long battery life with their PCs,” stated Larry Przywara, group director of marketing, audio/voice IP, Cadence. “Dolby Atmos running on the energy-efficient HiFi DSP delivers immersive audio with improved battery performance.”

Cadence claims that its Tensilica HiFi DSPs are the most widely licensed audio/voice/speech processors, with support for over 250 proven software packages and more than 105 software partners in the Tensilica Xtensions partner programme.