OTT broadcasters now have the ability to monitor Dolby Atmos encoded audio. TAG Video Systems’ MCM-9000 Monitoring and Multiviewer platform now supports Dolby Atmos, which means broadcasters can verify, validate and ensure error-free video and audio content delivery for MPEG-TS and OTT sources. TAG’s MCM-9000 is now certified by Dolby to support Dolby Atmos, while also supporting Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus formats.

Dolby Atmos, a 3D surround sound system developed and adapted for home cinema use by Dolby Laboratories, expands on existing systems by adding multiple height channels, allowing the sound to be interpreted as three-dimensional. Individual sounds can be precisely placed in the room, including overhead and down low, immersing the listener in an intense experience. The added support, certified by Dolby, enables TAG’s MCM-9000 to decode the Dolby Atmos stream for both MPEG-TS and OTT broadcasted content, allowing full monitoring and audio bars visualisation of the audio on all Dolby Surround and Atmos channels.

“The growth in streaming services has motivated many OTT broadcasters to add Dolby Atmos to their content delivery in order to enhance the listening experience for their clients, but until now they had no way of monitoring the protocol,” said Tomer Schechter, CEO. “When one of the major media and entertainment companies came to us to request this capability be added to our MCM-9000 Multiviewer, we were able to meet the request and this capability is now  successfully in use.”

The MCM-9000 monitors the Dolby Atmos stream in parallel with the video and regular audio allowing the broadcaster to ensure all structural aspects are correct and to detect any abnormalities. All channels can be decoded down to baseband audio with the Atmos information displayed on the Multiviewer.   www.tagvs.com