SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter – Eight-channel audio from TV via radio
WiSA, this is a radio standard specially designed for loss-free audio signal transmission, developed and marketed by WiSA LLC. Now Summit Wireless Technology Inc. presents a hardware solution, the new SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter, which is designed to transmit audio from any Smart TV to WiSA-certified active speaker systems.
WiSA, which stands for Wireless Speaker and Audio, is an industry standard developed and marketed by the consortium of the same name, WiSA LLC. Said Wireless Speaker and Audio Association is, by its own definition, a consumer electronics consortium consisting of a number of prominent companies. Among its members are illustrious names such as the Klipsch Group Inc. with Klipsch and Jamo, Dynaudio, Electrocompaniet, THX, Primare, Sound United LLC. with the brands Denon, Marantz, Definitive Technology and Polk Audio, the Samsung Group with Harman International and brands such as JBL and Harman Kardon, as well as Infinity, LG Electronics, Pioneer, Onkyo, Teac, Bang & Olufsen, System Audio and Buchardt Audio. Also represented here are leading IT companies such as Infineon, Microsoft and Foxconn.
WiSA’s goal is to establish an industry standard for loss-free audio signal transmission with the lowest latency, across manufacturers, and thus for a wide range of applications. WiSA can claim to be the first technology of its kind to have been developed solely for this purpose, in contrast to streaming systems that rely on Bluetooth or even WiFi. The aim is to provide a platform that not only transmits audio data at up to 24 bits and 96 kHz, but in its currently available form even allows this resolution up to eight-channel systems, and with minimal latency, so that not only stereo but also multi-channel solutions for home cinema can be realised.
Various manufacturers already have corresponding products on offer, including WiSA, but this technology has not yet really caught on, or at least it is not yet really present in the perception of many users. WiSA LLC. naturally wants to change this as quickly as possible and promote corresponding solutions even more strongly together with the respective partners.
A very important element in this process could be the latest solution from Summit Wireless Technology Inc., namely the SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter.
Many TV sets already have WiSA support ex works and the associated ability to transmit audio data via radio in 24 bit and 96 kHz directly to compatible active loudspeaker systems, but so far there are only a few models on the market. The new SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter is designed to upgrade any current Smart TV with WiSA, so that you can rely on radio alone for the right audio solutions. In this case, the SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter will not only allow stereo but also a complete multi-channel surround system.
The SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter is a very, very compact solution that looks almost unimpressive. You could almost compare it to an ice hockey puck. This solution fits seamlessly around any TV, especially since no visual contact is required anyway and the setup can be done with just one button. The SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter is connected via HDMI, and the power is also supplied via this interface. Connection to WiSA-certified speakers is, of course, via radio, as described above, at 24-bit, 96 kHz, and with up to eight channels. The system can even decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos. The system is controlled via HDMI CEC, so that only the remote control of the TV set is sufficient.
To emphasise again, this solution does not rely on WiFi or Bluetooth, it is a completely independent wireless network that can be used alongside an existing wireless network.
The only thing you need is a suitable app for the optimal configuration, in the form of the SoundSend Mobile app. This app allows you to configure each speaker individually, such as assigning tasks and setting the distance to the listening position, as well as fine-tuning the sound and more. Even a preset management for different content – Movie, TV, Sports Gaming – can be selected here.
For the US market, the manufacturer of the SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter has quoted a price of US$ 179.00 for the US market, with the transmitter expected to be available in November 2020. Information on whether, when and at what price the SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter will also find its way to Europe is unfortunately not yet available. In any case, it would be desirable, because the WiSA technology platform is indeed extremely exciting and has received far too little attention so far. Such a flexible solution as the new SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter could be just the right product to enable a breakthrough on a broad front…
Getting to the point
Various manufacturers already have corresponding products on offer, including WiSA, but this technology has not yet really caught on, or at least it is not yet really present in the perception of many users. WiSA LLC. naturally wants to change this as quickly as possible and promote corresponding solutions even more strongly together with the respective partners. A very important element in this process could be the latest solution from Summit Wireless Technology Inc., namely the SoundSend Home Cinema Audio Transmitter.