At Surround 2002 in Los Angeles, Universal Audio, a manufacturer of high-quality vintage audio hardware and DSP software plug-ins for digital audio workstations, announced the release of three new versions of their Smartcode Pro® TDM plug-ins, all of which are now compatible with Digidesign’s Pro Tools HD format. The Surround Encoders for DTS and Dolby DVD have been upgraded along with the DTS CD version. All existing users of these plug-ins will be able to upgrade for a $99 charge.

Software-based encoders offer an efficient and cost-effective alternative to hardware encoders. SmartCode Pro will allow Pro Tools users to create DVDs or reference CDs directly from their 5.1 mixes created with the new Pro Tools HD system.

“Universal Audio recognized the growing Surround market early on and was the first company to offer software encoders for Surround Production. We see Surround 2002 as the premiere venue to introduce our series of TDM Plug Ins for Pro Tools HD.” Comments Matt Ward, President of Universal Audio. “Digidesign is the undisputed leader in the professional digital audio workstation market. We are certain that the professionals who use Pro Tools HD will appreciate the sonic quality and character of our Plug-Ins,”

SmartCode Pro DTS-DVD, US MSRP of $1,495, SmartCode Pro, DTS-CD US MSRP of $495 and SmartCode Dolby, US MSRP of $795, are now available from Universal Audio authorized dealers and distributors. Registered owners of the existing Kind of Loud SmartCode TDM encoders, will be able to upgrade to the new HD-compatible Universal Audio version for $99

About Universal Audio

Based in Santa Cruz, California, Universal Audio is well known for its vintage analog reproductions. With the recent acquisition of Kind of Loud Technologies, the company is focused on merging the best of analog and digital technology. The company is devoted to this endeavor, following its motto, Analog Ears, Digital Minds.

Universal Audio Web Site

Take the best synthesizer around and multiply that by three. The result of this experiment is called D’cota – by Steinberg. This fantastic VST instrument has the power of three different synthesis forms. The unique aliasing-free D’cota sound engine allows the exploration of new sonic worlds.

Steinberg’s latest VST synthesizer breaks new ground. Equipped with an extremely powerful and aliasing-free audio engine, D’cota comes into its own to produce very, very special sounds.

D’cota provides four ADSR envelopes and two freely synchronizable LFOs for each of the three synthesis forms. Eight different types of filter and two waveform generators feed two independent spectrum stages with user-definable curves. The integrated Morph function allows easy fading between the two spectra in real-time. With its delays, distortion units, modulators and three oscillators featuring more than 60 waveforms for frequency, pulse width and ring modulation, the breathtaking power of the D’cota effect section opens up new, previously unexplored soundscapes.

D’cota is a fascinating new synthesizer that makes it possible to create the most complex, unusual sounds while offering an effortlessly intuitive handling.

D’cota Features:

• 3 synthesis forms: Advanced analog/spectrum/wave impulse
• 8-way multitimbral with up to 128 voices, 4 stereo outputs
• Outstanding sound quality (aliasing-free oscillators)
• Multi-effect unit with distortion, modulation and delay
• Advanced random mode
• Huge range of presets included

D’cota will be available from mid-December for EUR 249.00 at specialist dealers. For more information about D’cota and other Steinberg products, please visit www.steinberg.net.

System Requirements Mac

G4 400 MHz (500 MHz or better recommended), 20 MB RAM in excess of the requirements of the host application, Mac OS 9, Mac OS X Version 10.2, Cubase VST 5.0 or higher, Cubase SX/SL, Nuendo or other VST 2.0, compatible host application.

System Requirements PC

Pentium III, Athlon 600 MHz (800 MHz or higher recommended), Windows® 2000, Windows® XP, 20 MB RAM in excess of the requirements of the host application, Cubase VST 5.0 or higher, Cubase SX/SL, Nuendo or other VST 2.0, compatible host application, PC equipped according to the requirements of the host application.

132dB DAC Complies With Next-Generation CD Formats, SACD and DVD-Audio

Texas Instruments announced today a new Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) that offers the industry’s highest dynamic range for high-end audio equipment. The PCM1792 utilizes TI’s proprietary Advanced Segment technology to achieve a maximum dynamic range of 132 decibels (dB) (mono mode), surpassing the standard 120-123dB performance provided by conventional Delta-Sigma DACs. This level of dynamic range enables audio manufacturers to reproduce sound much closer to the original recording source.

Audio equipment manufacturers can now rely on the 132 dB (mono mode) performance of the PCM1792 in a wide range of high-fidelity audio applications such as A/V amplifiers, universal players (which play both DVD-Audio and SACD) and professional mixing consoles. The PCM1792 supports audio sources that comply with next-generation music CD formats, DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD). TI will also offer the DSD1792, a companion device equipped with a dedicated SACD signal input terminal.

Dynamic range is a parameter that expresses numerically how accurately sounds of small amplitude can be reproduced without distortion. The higher the dynamic range, the higher the quality of the sound. The PCM1792 has a dynamic range that significantly exceeds SACD’s specification, making it possible to more accurately reproduce recorded program material. Prior to this device, there was no integrated circuit DAC available with a dynamic range exceeding 130dB.

TI’s proprietary Advanced Segment DAC architecture is characterized by a constant current, multi-level configuration that enables the DAC to achieve the industry’s highest dynamic range and offer increased tolerance to clock jitter. This architecture also provides an analog Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter, which the industry recommends as the filtering process to best utilize SACD’s superior performance.

Key Features of the PCM1792 D/A Converter

• Dynamic range

– 132 dB (9.0Vrms, Mono)
– 129 dB (4.5Vrms, Stereo)
– 127 dB (2.0Vrms, Stereo)

• Sampling rate: Up to 192kHz
• THD+N: 0.0004%
• Resolution: 24 bit (PCM)
• Compliance with DSD and PCM formats

Pricing, Availability, and Packaging

Samples of the PCM1792 and the DSD1792 are available today, with volume production scheduled to begin in March 2003. Both products are available in a 28-pin SSOP package. Each product is priced from $13.00 in 1,000 piece quantities (suggested resale price).

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers’ real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company’s businesses include Sensors & Controls, and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.