Digital Nirvana to Spotlight Loudness Monitoring for Monitor IQ(TM) at Broadcast Asia 2012
Broadcast Monitoring System Incorporates Loudness Monitoring and Logging from Minnetonka Audio Software
Newark, CA - Digital Nirvana's flagship broadcast monitoring system (BMS), Monitor IQ, will be showcased at Broadcast Asia 2012, from June 19-22 at the Suntec International Convention Center in Singapore (Booth 4N4-08). At the show, one of the key Monitor IQ features that will be demonstrated is its powerful loudness monitoring and audio logging capability, including OEM software licensed from Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc.
As the global leader in professional audio OEM licensing for Dolby Laboratories and DTS, Minnetonka Audio Software has been developing highly specialized audio processing software for over 20 years. Broad adoption of Minnetonka Audio's algorithms for loudness measurement by European state broadcasters and major private European broadcasters attests to the reference implementation of the EBU and ITU recommended practices. The company's retail, enterprise and OEM product lines are focused exclusively on audio, including encoding, QC, measurement and correction products for broadcast and content creation.
Minnetonka Audio's AudioTools Loudness Measurement module enables Monitor IQ users to measure audio levels, perform quality control monitoring, record and log broadcast signals. "Digital Nirvana's Monitor IQ solution greatly benefits from Minnetonka Audio's well regarded audio expertise. Like many aspects of digital audio processing, loudness monitoring is extremely complex," said Ned Chini, vice president of sales and marketing for Digital Nirvana. "Our customers can rely implicitly upon Minnetonka Audio's software within Monitor IQ to evaluate all common audio formats in their plant, and alert them whenever audio loudness exceeds acceptable limits."
There are several international standards for loudness that require strict monitoring and compliance. These include: the international ITU BS.1770 standards; ATSC A/85; EBU R 128; AGCOM (Italy); and others. Monitor IQ incorporates Minnetonka Audio's proprietary software within a broader feature set for loudness monitoring and logging of virtually all audio standards. With Monitor IQ being a 64-bit Linux-based system, and because Minnetonka Audio can upgrade its software to comply with any changes to loudness or other audio quality control standards, both products are relatively future-proof.
In the United States, the issue of loudness monitoring has become much-discussed. Broadcasters must get loudness monitoring under control because the U.S. federal mandate, The CALM Act (Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act) imposes hefty fines for any broadcasters whose on-air signals are not in compliance with the new law. The CALM Act is designed to put an end to the annoying problem of commercials that are much louder than the programs causing viewers to lower the volume. Broadcast customers are turning to Monitor IQ for monitoring and logging of many quality control issues-to ensure compliance with FCC and government mandates-of which loudness is paramount.
Digital Nirvana has licensed several Minnetonka technologies, including the AudioTools family of measurement products, for its powerful Monitor IQ BMS. Minnetonka Audio's SurCode software licensed by Digital Nirvana include technologies to decode and monitor Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby E. These industry-standard digital audio formats are widely used in ATSC/DTV and surround sound broadcasting.
"We're extremely pleased that Digital Nirvana has chosen to license our AudioTools and SurCode families of products for use within its flagship broadcast monitoring system, Monitor IQ," said John Schur, president of Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc. "Our products define the state-of-the-art in encoding, measurement and corrections. At a time when effective loudness monitoring has become mission-critical for broadcasters, our OEM audio contributions have proven themselves to be an excellent complement to Digital Nirvana's full-featured Monitor IQ solution."
About Monitor IQ
Monitor IQ is a monitoring, logging, compliance, and content republishing system for TV networks and stations. It combines the functionality of content recording (HD and SD in full resolution), content searching, retrieve and repurposing, Web publishing, signal monitoring, air-check logging, archiving, ad verification and tracking, and competitive analysis in a scalable networked appliance. The system has been divided into four packages-Starter, Essentials, Plus, and Premier-giving users a wide range of options and price-points to fit their needs.
Monitor IQ is the only broadcast monitoring system that provides centralized management, automatic ad detection, a director's audio track, as well as an advanced metadata harvester(TM). Because our platform is based on open web services (REST) API's, our software can be easily integrated with third party products and can scale from one to multiple servers and from one to hundreds of channels. All Digital Nirvana solutions are web enabled, so users can access the software through any standard web browser without ActiveX component."
About Digital Nirvana
Since 1996, Digital Nirvana has been empowering customers with innovative knowledge management technologies. By combining media and digital technology expertise, Digital Nirvana makes it possible for organizations to streamline operations and gain competitive advantage with advanced product and service offerings. The industry-leading MonitorIQ Broadcast Monitoring System from Digital Nirvana is a full-featured monitoring platform incorporating the most advanced capabilities available in an affordable, networked appliance. Digital Nirvana is headquartered in Newark, California and has operations in multiple locations globally.
About Minnetonka Audio Software
An award winning solutions provider for motion picture, video, broadcast, game, and optical disc production, Minnetonka Audio Software creates essential technology for top media professionals around the world. Their SurCode, discWelder, AWE and revolutionary AudioTools Server product lines broadly support the CD, DVD, BD and DTV standards, and represent the definitive leader in OEM codec licensing, as well as file-based QC and loudness control. Spanning over two decades of operation and based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc. has a subsidiary in Germany in addition to an international network of distributors and channel partners who share their commitment to quality and service. SurCode for Dolby Digital, SurCode for Dolby Digital Plus, SurCode for Dolby E and AudioTools are trademarks of Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc.
Further information is available at www.digital-nirvana.com.
For more information, contact: Broadcast Monitoring System Incorporates Loudness Monitoring and Logging from Minnetonka Audio Software
Further information is available at www.digital-nirvana.com.
For more information, contact:
Ned Chini
Digital Nirvana
39899 Balentine Drive, Suite 200
Newark, CA 94560
510-226-9000 x707
nedchini@digital-nirvana.com
www.digital-nirvana.com
Robin Hoffman
Pipeline Communications
Office: (973) 746-6970
Cell: (917) 763-8069
robinhoffman@pipecomm.com
