The object of audio’s big adventure

Among the different technologies now frequently bracketed together under the label of Next Generation Audio, it is perhaps object-based audio (OBA) that is generating the most excitement in broadcasting.

OBA has the potential to reinvent the traditional audio picture for home viewers – giving them the freedom to emphasise their preferred audio elements, such as dialogue, commentary or crowd. This potential has been seized upon with particular vigour by sports and entertainment producers.

The general opinion is that, within a few years, it will be relatively commonplace for viewers to enjoy a degree of personalization, using an interface that lets them adjust the prominence of various audio objects and elements.

But it does require a paradigm shift on the part of content creators, with BBC R&D neatly summarising the principles behind OBA as follows: “By breaking down a piece of media into separate objects…