Many flat screen television manufacturers have been using advanced audio technology such as that supplied by SRS Labs to provide a richer immersive audio experience with only two speakers. Rather then go this route Philips through Philips

Applied Technologies has invested in their own “SonoWave” technology for creating the illusion of a surround sound system with only two speakers.SonoWave has been developed as the new HTS6510 DVD Home Theatre System for delivering 5.1 channel audio through two speakers. It has also been licensed to OEM partner equipment manufacturer, Yamaha and is being marketed as “Air Technology”.

How SonoWave Works

Like a 5.1 audio system a SonoWave Home Theater System has five amplifiers. However, it uses only two front speakers – each with three drivers. For those not able to carry out a neater permanent installation and not wanting speakers and trailing wires scattered around the room, this may be an attractive option.

As with a conventional 5.1 home theater system, center channels and front channels are fed to drivers pointing directly at the listener, providing direct sound. Surround channels are fed to the outer drivers which are at an angle pointing them away from the listener aiming for the perception of only indirect and diffused sound.

To avoid mixing of front and surround sound beams the SonoWave system uses array processing techniques to control the sound coming from the speakers and cut “notches” in the speakers sound beams. A notch is an area where the level of direct sound from the speaker is very low.

Using only the three drivers, a notch is created in the surround sound channel beams projected towards the listener, who then only hears the diffused sound field induced in the room. As a direct result, the surround channels embrace the listener. In the front channel, a notch is created in the beams projected towards the side of the room, whilst the listener hears the direct sound from the loudspeaker array. This arrangement avoids mixing of front and surround sound channels creating a sound field like that provided by a 5.1 surround sound system.

A third element used for creating a surround sound system with two speakers is a proprietary mix of psycho-acoustic phenomena. Sounds coming from different directions reach the ear differently. SonoWave takes these differences into account, using digital signal processing to change the characteristics of surround channels so that they carry the same key characteristics as sounds coming from the rear.

Specification

Picture / Display

D/A converter : 12bit, 108MHz Picture enhancement : High Def (720p, 1080i), Video upscaling, Progressive scan

Sound

D/A converter : 24bit, 192kHz Frequency response : 30 – 20 000 Hz Signal to noise ratio : > 65dB Sound system : Dolby Digital, Dolby Prologic II, DTS, Stereo Sound enhancement : Dynamic bass enhancement Output power (RMS) : 2x200W + 1x100W Total sound power (RMS) : 500 W

Loudspeakers

Satellite speaker : Magnetically shielded front Satellite speaker drivers : 3 x 2.5″ full range woofers Satellite speaker freq range : 120-20000 Hz Satellite speaker impedance : 8 ohm Subwoofer driver : 8″ high efficiency woofer Subwoofer freq range : 30-120 Hz Subwoofer impedance : 4 ohm Subwoofer type : Passive

Video playback

Compression formats : DivX 3.11, DivX 4.x, DivX 5.x, DivX 6.0, DivX Ultra, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4 Playback Media : DVD-Video, DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW, Video CD/SVCD, CD-R/CD-RW Video disc playback system : PAL, NTSC

Audio Playback

Compression format : MP3, Windows Media™ Audio, Dolby Digital, DTS, PCM Playback Media : CD, CD-R/RW MP3 bit rates : 32-256 kbps and VBR

Still picture playback

Picture compression format : JPEG Playback Media : DVD+R/+RW, CD-R/RW Picture enhancement : High Definition Resolution, Slideshow with MP3 playback, Rotate, Zoom, Flip photos

Tuner / Reception / Transmission

Number of preset channels : 40 Tuner bands : FM, MW

Connectivity

Front / Side connections : MP3 Direct input, USB Rear Connections : HDMI output, Component video out progressive, S-Video out, Composite video (CVBS) output, SCART1 (CVBS, S-video/RGB out), FM Antenna in, AM/MW Antenna, Easy fit speaker connectors, Digital coaxial in, AUX in

Accessories

Included accessories : Remote control, Batteries for remote control, Scart cable, FM/MW antenna, Mains cord, Quick start guide, User manual, World-Wide Warranty leaflet

Visit Amazon to purchase your own Philips HTS6500/37 DVD Home Theater System with SonoWave

Further Reading

5.1 Surround Sound: Up and Running

Instant Surround Sound Audio

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