New digital audio projectors spawning new chip opportunity

1 June 2005 Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT

The introduction of a digital audio projector by Yamaha made quite a splash this year, winning G4TECHTV's Best of Show, CES 2005. This new consumer device is the harbinger of a new opportunity for semiconductor and consumer electronic manufacturers, reports In-Stat.

The high-tech market research firm forecasts digital audio projection to become a $939m worldwide market by 2010. The revenue in semiconductor content for the products is estimated to reach $335m by 2010.

Digital audio projection is consumer electronics' version of ventriloquism. Accomplished ventriloquists can 'throw their voice' in addition to just speaking without opening their mouth. Digital sound projection performs for the audience in the same way. Replacing the talented ventriloquist, the speakers in front of the listener radiate sound energy, but here the similarity to ventriloquism ends: through digital-signal processing (DSP), an array of speakers is used to provide a number of virtual sound sources surrounding the listener. Concentrated sound beams are formed within a digital audio projector and then emitted through an amplifier/speaker array. The narrowness of the beam allows the beam to be bounced off of walls without disruption. Programming accounts for phase delays and the directional quality of the beam steering and the listener receives the auditory effect of 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound configuration.

"Digital audio projectors start initially as standalone units, but they will eventually be integrated into the form factor of video display units," says Chris Kissel, an In-Stat analyst. "This opportunity is good for semiconductor manufacturers. Digital audio projectors utilise a combination of DSP and one sophisticated ASIC to handle sound beam-steering and the phase delay calculations, making digital audio projectors an especially appealing market for manufacturers of those critical components."

In-Stat estimates that digital audio projection will consume over 1 million DSPs per year by 2007 and 100 million array transducers per year by 2009.

For more information contact Tina Sheltra, 094 80 609 4531, tina.sheltra@reedbusiness.com

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