Imagine Communications has introduced DTS Neural Loudness Control, a new audio processing solution designed to manage perceived loudness levels for broadcasters and network operators. This system uses perceptual modeling to ensure consistent viewer experience across stereo and multichannel audio, addressing ITU-BS 1770 compliance. The solution is available as a feature for Imagine Communications' Selenio MCP, Selenio 6800+, X100, and X50 processing platforms.
Broadcasters face increasing pressure to eliminate jarring volume shifts between programming and advertising. By moving from traditional intensity-based measurement to perceptual modeling, Imagine Communications addresses a persistent viewer pain point that simple peak-limiting cannot solve. This launch reflects a broader trend toward software-defined features in established hardware stacks, allowing operators to upgrade existing Selenio chassis to meet global standards like ITU-BS 1770. As streaming platforms adopt similar regulations, such as California's SB 576, maintaining consistent audio across fragmented supply chains is becoming a core operational requirement. Watch for whether this technology expands into cloud-native processing as workflows continue migrating away from on-premises hardware.
Imagine Communications has positioned its Selenio platform as a modular broadcast processing hub that can be upgraded via software keys rather than hardware swaps. The DTS Neural Loudness Control option requires between one and three software key licenses depending on whether the operator needs stereo-only or 5.1 multichannel processing, a pricing model that Imagine Communications detailed in its Selenio X100 product documentation alongside Dolby Digital Plus encoding options for the same chassis. This software-keyed approach allows broadcasters to activate loudness compliance on existing frames without replacing line cards, reducing capital expenditure for facilities that already own Selenio hardware.
The regulatory backdrop driving adoption of perceptual loudness control continues to expand. ITU-R BS.1770, the measurement standard that DTS Neural Loudness Control implements in real time, has been adopted by regulatory bodies across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific as the basis for loudness legislation. In the United States, the CALM Act (Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act) has required broadcast loudness compliance since 2012, while the European Broadcasting Union's R128 recommendation mandates similar controls across EU member states. Imagine Communications' APM6803+RLYT module documentation confirms that the hardware supports both DTS Neural Loudness Control and dual Dolby encoder/decoder functions under a credit-based licensing system, giving operators a single module for both loudness compliance and codec interoperability.
Within the broadcast audio processing category, Imagine Communications competes with dedicated loudness solution providers such as TC Electronic (now part of Music Tribe) and Linear Acoustic (part of Telestream). The DTS Neural Loudness Control integration differentiates Imagine's offering by embedding perceptual modeling directly into the signal chain of a multichannel processing frame rather than requiring a standalone loudness processor. Imagine Communications' DTS Neural Loudness Control datasheet specifies correction capability exceeding ±12dB without audible artifacts, a specification that positions the solution for both live broadcast environments and file-based workflows where content arrives with inconsistent loudness metadata.
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