So I've been curious about Atmos but I have no interest in getting a dedicated AVR. So far the options I've seen are:
But my question is, does this ADSP-SC573-EZ-KIT board provide the required firmware to decode atmos? Is a license of some sort required? The manual for the board makes no metion of Atmos or Dolby at all. Also, the other thing that I'm confused about is the extra channels and the HDCP license. Won't Netflix on PC, or a BD player refuse to play if the device isn't HDCP compliant?
- PC software decoding with the Dolby Reference player. This can be combined with several options, such as combining USB sound cards with ASIO4ALL (apparently), or for example, outputting DANTE (virtual soundcard) to processors like A&H AHM-16 (or DANTE-enabled amplifiers, whatever). This will work, but only for files that have been ripped from BD. Streaming won't work with this solution.
- Hardware decoding through a dedicated DSP board. Analog Devices seems to sell a board based on ADSP-21573, the ADSP-SC573-EZ-KIT, which has 12 line-level analag output and HDMI input (which apparently can be extended with a daughter board to 24 channels, but "need an HDCP license for this").
But my question is, does this ADSP-SC573-EZ-KIT board provide the required firmware to decode atmos? Is a license of some sort required? The manual for the board makes no metion of Atmos or Dolby at all. Also, the other thing that I'm confused about is the extra channels and the HDCP license. Won't Netflix on PC, or a BD player refuse to play if the device isn't HDCP compliant?
Without purchasing any licences, you could possibly do some legacy decoding like AC3 / DTS and probably some HD on software, but nothing that uses HDMI, as it is a proprietary protocol.
And, I strongly believe that the ADI board you mention exists solely for the purpose of making people buy some licences or alternatively settle for an AVR.
And, I strongly believe that the ADI board you mention exists solely for the purpose of making people buy some licences or alternatively settle for an AVR.
The ADSP-SC573 does not have ROM with ATMOS decoders supplied, as this kit is targeted towards different audio multi-channel applications. It is also a first-generation development kit. I know this because I own one and was a beta tester for them when they were testing the fifth-generation processors. The ADSP-SC573-EZ-KIT is no longer supported. My guess is that they now have application-specific kits that are cheaper to manufacture, as the part count for the ADSP-SC573-EZ-KIT is quite high.
To answer your question, look at the "Melody" series SHARC kits if you want ATMOS decoding capability. The codec is preloaded into the ROM, and these kits are purely focused on high throughput using HDMI with its associated decoders.
The EVAL-MELODY-7 is a comprehensive, integrated DSP and HDMI™ based development platform to facilitate the design and development of AV Receiver products. The hardware incorporates latest DSP and HDMI products and is supported by CrossCore® Eclipse-based tools. The development board is an optimized hardware design that utilizes one ADSP-21573 Dual-core SHARC+ DSP which is able (with the appropriate software) to decode a wide variety of audio codecs.
These boards contain an integrated circuit that requires the recipient to be a licensee of HDCP technology. Please contact your local sales office for more information.
To answer your question, look at the "Melody" series SHARC kits if you want ATMOS decoding capability. The codec is preloaded into the ROM, and these kits are purely focused on high throughput using HDMI with its associated decoders.
- EVAL-MELODY-5
- EVAL-MELODY-6
- EVAL-MELODY-7
- EVAL-MELODY-8
- EVAL-MELODY-9A
The EVAL-MELODY-7 is a comprehensive, integrated DSP and HDMI™ based development platform to facilitate the design and development of AV Receiver products. The hardware incorporates latest DSP and HDMI products and is supported by CrossCore® Eclipse-based tools. The development board is an optimized hardware design that utilizes one ADSP-21573 Dual-core SHARC+ DSP which is able (with the appropriate software) to decode a wide variety of audio codecs.
These boards contain an integrated circuit that requires the recipient to be a licensee of HDCP technology. Please contact your local sales office for more information.
It doesn't really matter if we like it or not but licences are always going to be part of the parcel and that's the result of tie-ups between licensing firms and semiconductor manufacturers.
- Dolby licence for Atmos etc.
- HDMI licences
There is nothing to be liked or not liked. The license in this case is for the protection of the content. Content creators expect to yield a return on said content. An unfortunate side effect of the internet is that people now have access to things that are simply not meant for them. The boards in question are to aid those who manufacture the AVRs that the vast majority, in your words, settle for. Evaluation and development boards are not what keeps the lights on at AD. It is the vast quantities of chip that they sell and the boards exist to serve that process as opposed to playing a role in some crackpot conspiracy.
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Dear rfbrw, the 'licence' part in #2 was meant for companies and the 'settle' part for DIYers.
ADI might want to sell these boards to demonstrate the capabilities of their SHARC DSPs, but the fact that they chose to cite HDMI / HDCP as the target application (as opposed to any other generic audio) indicates significant commission coming in from the licence sale. I don't know if you've noticed but the DSPs mentioned seem to be general purpose ones.
For DIYers looking to decode non-HD legacy formats (AC3, DTS), there are chips that have been confirmed to not require any separate licences. However, my warning to fellow DIYers was just that the said board(s) aren't necessarily similar. I also appreciate Reactance mentioning this to be the case for the newer boards in the following post.
ADI might want to sell these boards to demonstrate the capabilities of their SHARC DSPs, but the fact that they chose to cite HDMI / HDCP as the target application (as opposed to any other generic audio) indicates significant commission coming in from the licence sale. I don't know if you've noticed but the DSPs mentioned seem to be general purpose ones.
For DIYers looking to decode non-HD legacy formats (AC3, DTS), there are chips that have been confirmed to not require any separate licences. However, my warning to fellow DIYers was just that the said board(s) aren't necessarily similar. I also appreciate Reactance mentioning this to be the case for the newer boards in the following post.
Dolby certifies processors capable of running their algorithms, creating a monopoly where Analog Devices (AD) provides the hardware ecosystem and Dolby supplies the essential technology everyone relies on. certified processors SHARC, TMS320, Cypress
Example
However, I believe this dominance is nearing its end. More advanced codecs are emerging, which will leverage neural networks and generative capabilities from encoded metadata. It's only a matter of time before these new systems take over.
Example
However, I believe this dominance is nearing its end. More advanced codecs are emerging, which will leverage neural networks and generative capabilities from encoded metadata. It's only a matter of time before these new systems take over.
but not to ADI. ADI does not license the IP, Dolby and Digital Content Protection LLC do. You are not required to buy a license from ADI or any other chip manufacturer. You are simply required to be a license holder to purchase a board containing the proprietary IP. More to the point, nobody is obliged to purchase a board or chip containing the proprietary IP. That you fail to see the myriad of other applications cited for the ADI and other DSP processors speaks more to a limited insight on your part than to any questionable practices on the part of others.
We've gone from tablets of stone to VR projection but content is still King and the owners will want to protect their interests. You don't buy a 65" TV to marvel at colour bars.
echoing @newvirus2008 when I'd inquired about these a few years ago, I was told I needed to be an HDCP licensee. And I needed to acquire licenses from Dolby to decode these. I tried to apply to Dolby via their portal and was never responded too.
Momentum solutions makes hdmi and dolby decoding boards using ADI and TI chipsets, and were used in the earlier generation trinnov processors (prior to hdmi 2.0). I tried asking them to purchase their products and was also ignored.
Likely they don't care for a small consumer like me or assume worst intentions instead of wanting to DIY something more capable than modern AVRs.
Currently, for streaming applications, Arvus in NZ is manufacturing a product that is essentially HDMI -> Dante out. Clocking and lip sync for live video is untested but this might come close to what OP was asking for. I myself was considering it, but decided to essentially take the line outs from a receiver and ADC them for processing.
@Reactance , how did you get access to the boards, and did they come with any decoders for truehd/atmos?
Momentum solutions makes hdmi and dolby decoding boards using ADI and TI chipsets, and were used in the earlier generation trinnov processors (prior to hdmi 2.0). I tried asking them to purchase their products and was also ignored.
Likely they don't care for a small consumer like me or assume worst intentions instead of wanting to DIY something more capable than modern AVRs.
Currently, for streaming applications, Arvus in NZ is manufacturing a product that is essentially HDMI -> Dante out. Clocking and lip sync for live video is untested but this might come close to what OP was asking for. I myself was considering it, but decided to essentially take the line outs from a receiver and ADC them for processing.
@Reactance , how did you get access to the boards, and did they come with any decoders for truehd/atmos?
- If the code is not on the board, the customer would have to purchase it separately, spending more money.
- If the code is already on the board, it is already paid for, but the HDMI licence would still be pending, again more money.
- If someone is unable to obtain the said licence(s), he/she would be left with a board that cannot be used for the intended purpose, which was ATMOS.
Whichever way we look at it, ADI just doesn't provide a 'complete' solution for the said price but only part of it, which is a pain to the DIYer. Further, as mentioned above by @tehas, these Dolby people only respond to companies that produce high volumes of equipment, nothing for the DIYer.
There's no licence issue with S/PDIF but ATMOS requires HDMI doesn't it ?
A board is provided with T's and C's that allow you to do whatever you want with it. The same board is also provided but with the addition of someone else's proprietary IP on it and T's and C's that reflect that addition. The problem is you do not want to put in the effort required to create the additional IP for the board without it and you do not wish meet the T's and C's required for the board that includes it.
As mentioned earlier, I don't own any of the Dolby Melody boards or ATMOS codes. However, I do own an ADSP-SC573-EZ-KIT, which is now obsolete (the kit). This chip is starting to be used in replacement products of the 4th SHARC generation, and the codes are preloaded into the ROM at the factory. I also have access to older MP3, MPEG-4 AAC, MPEG-4 AAC BSAC, Ogg Vorbis, and WMA Multi-channel audio codecs. For the SHARC ADSP-214XX processor, I have trial codes for Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, but these codes beep every 10 minutes. Unfortunately, AD removed all of these codes years ago.
Small people at home forget AD SHARC, HDMI and Dolby ATMOS.
Soultion.
1) A poor mans Atmos. 5.1 / 7.1 dts dolby atmos decoder with dolby prologic
2) Hardcore Reverse Engineering a Denon AVRS950H .
- Find a CS49844A DSP, again not for sale to small people but..
https://www.ebay.com/itm/373119019318,
https://www.cirrus.com/products/cs49834-44/
- Extract the codes out the flash memory (see service manual you will need a working AV reciver) I have seen dumps on some asian forums.
- Study the DSP RX/TX commands from the MCU to enable ATMOS and other DSP parameters.
- Develop a PCB.
As you can probably tell, I was initially very interested in the above but eventually lost interest. Now, I'm more focused on developing my own algorithms on an ADSP-SC573-EZ-KIT. There are plenty of other interesting things to explore as well and have no intrest in Dolby and their capitalistic monopoly on the industry.
When I asked about access to the older ADI kits, I meant the HDCP licenses - since I was told I'd have to get those too
An alternate solutions that I'd found at the time:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/.../adding-post-dsp-spdif-outputs-to-avrs.19468/
or, what I decided to do now, which is skip the soldering and just use the preamp outs and an audio interface to get the decoded signals to digital land again.
DD+ atmos can also be done in software: https://cavern.sbence.hu/cavern/
summary of my research too 🙂
An alternate solutions that I'd found at the time:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/.../adding-post-dsp-spdif-outputs-to-avrs.19468/
or, what I decided to do now, which is skip the soldering and just use the preamp outs and an audio interface to get the decoded signals to digital land again.
DD+ atmos can also be done in software: https://cavern.sbence.hu/cavern/
I was under the impression that no AVR was part of this so this changes alot.
However, based on the information you provided, it seems like the best option for now. Personally, tapping directly into the SHARC I2S decoded lines would brilliantly work. This would effectively convert the unit from an AVR to an AV Processor. In this case, you would need to focus on a high-quality outboard DAC, POST DSP, and MCU unit. I believe this is a great option for those looking for a more cost-effective solution.
Another capability to consider is adding an additional DSP processor inline with the I2C lines. This could enhance the system by providing a dedicated processing layers for all speaker lines, including features like X-OVER and Dynamics (AD Sigma Studio enabled chip). Additionally, a software controller could be used to manage the entire system via an Android app.
This is something on my personal to-do list. One could easily find or buy a secondhand or new ATMOS receiver and implement these modifications.