The new Xbox One preview update has options for virtual surround sound with headphones using either Dolby Atmos for headphones or Microsoft HRTF. Under the audio options you select the one you want and then there is an option to force the setting for all games and apps. Right now, it doesn't have anything behind it. If you turn it on, it doesn't work, but the settings are there and the feature will be added some time before the creator's update.
Is it something that can be forced through the OS for games? Sony have just released a surround sound audio headset but only Uncharted supports it, with each game having to support it directly. Surround sound audio through headphones was something we were talking about as a possibility for this gen. Would be very nice if it happens!
That's really cool. I wonder if they are using SHAPE for that now that they don't need it for Kinect.
The Xbox will do the processing, so stereo headphones are all that's needed. You wouldn't put the UI on the Xbox if the headset was doing the work.
this is a pretty big deal if it works. Like, *swear word*, i've been waiting for this type of audio to come forever.
It works. Hololens already uses it and their VR platform for PC will use it, too and not having to recalculate the positions of sounds based on head tracking makes this easier than that is.
It's in the audio output settings for the OS. There's a headphone output category. You can pick stereo, dolby atmos for headphones or microsoft hrtf. Then there are two additional options, one of which is "force for all games and apps". I can't remember what the other setting is. My guess is the effectiveness will vary based on the surround mix that's the source. So, for instance, a channel-based 5.1 mix like some regular dolby digital wouldn't virtualize as well as an object-based 7.1.2 mix like Dolby Atmos. I'm very curious to see how well it works in practice. When they said Dolby Atmos was coming for Xbox and Windows 10, I assumed it would have to be something that you'd support for a specific title, not something you could force through the OS.
The old PS Gold headset does HRTF spacialisation of 5.1/7.1 audio and it's okay, but not proper 3D audio. Surely it needs object based audio to work properly? What's Dolby Atmos support like in XB1 games? Are there many that could benefit?
The fact it can be applied at the OS level is pretty exciting though. As long as supporting 3D audio is no great effort for devs, they'll hopefully support it now it's an option for all users.
The fact it can be applied at the OS level is pretty exciting though. As long as supporting 3D audio is no great effort for devs, they'll hopefully support it now it's an option for all users.
They fake it*. the DF review of the Sony headphones said it worked very well in providing audio verticality.
* You've two audio sensors so it's not really faking it per se. More a case of repackaging the audio information into a more efficient format that perfectly suits the audio recreation system of one speaker per ear.
* You've two audio sensors so it's not really faking it per se. More a case of repackaging the audio information into a more efficient format that perfectly suits the audio recreation system of one speaker per ear.
If you play Overwatch you can actually correctly identify Pharah above you with dolby atmos for headphones turned on.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head-related_transfer_function
Btw sony should already able to do this surround audio thingy for any headphones right?
They did that in Psvr games.
They did that in Psvr games.
It's just software, so sure.
Careful, by that same notion then Nintendo Switch should be able to do all this too.
It depends where the processing is happening. If there's a processor in the Platinum's doing the final processing, it's not something you can replace on a PlayStation with any other headset. This is where the XB1/Windows option is looking very promising because it's performed at the system level. And if PS can do it to at the system level, perhaps it'll be added as a feature eventually?
Well, I'm not going to pretend to know how processing intensive it is. Sony could at least include it as part of their sdk and allow companies to implement it in their games. At the OS level, I don't know how much power they have available to provide it as a service. But it's not unimaginable that they could do it.
So does anyone know ? is it in the headphones ?
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