TC Electronic Launches Loudness Radar Meter Plug-ins for ProTools|HD

Jan 18, 2008

TC Electronic announces LM5 and LM5D Loudness Radar Meter plug-ins for ProTools|HD. The plug-ins derive statistical information from the ITU-R BS.1770 standard to visualize instant loudness and loudness history, thereby helping engineers to realize the dynamic range at disposal during production, and to predict the dynamic range restriction needed during distribution to various platforms. LM5 and LM5D are highly suitable for use in broadcast, post production, film and music alike. LM5 will be available in January 2008 at a suggested retail price of EUR 999 and LM5D will be available in Spring 2008 at EUR 1299.

LM5 Loudness and True-Peak Level Meter - In a multi-platform world it is important that delivery criteria can be easily specified and met even by people not primarily concerned with audio. Some of the currently used principles lead to ambiguous level management and consequently, extra time spent on audio production and quality control. Compliant with ITU-R BS.1770, LM5 offers a standardized step forward. It can be used for precise real-time balancing and tight specification of any type of audio signal, and covers mono, stereo and 5.1 formats.

In the radar view, LM5 displays real-time loudness (LU or LFS) and true-peak level along with loudness history. The angular, color-coded display makes it easy for an editor to balance audio visually, and to see when level falls below or exceeds the end-listener's dynamic range tolerance. The true-peak level display even warns the operator when excessive peaks are at the risk of creating distortion in downstream equipment such as data reduction codecs or DA converters. LM5 enables easy and predictable level management across distribution and broadcast platforms with or without the use of metadata. In either case, the meter can help improve speech intelligibility and reduce level jumps on all platforms from MobileTV to HDTV using AAC or Dolby AC3.

LM5D Loudness and True-Peak Level Meter with Universal Descriptors - LM5D is an extended version of LM5. Complying with ITU-R BS.1770, LM5D includes two long-term universal descriptors: center of gravity and consistency. Any sports, news, music, commercial or film program may be characterized precisely and standardized. LM5D co-exists well with e.g. PPM or Dialnorm measurements, and is intended for use in areas where tight delivery specifications, precision leveling or logging is required. If dialog level is considered important, LM5D may be used to measure regular dialog like, for instance, Dolby LM100, while adding running status and ProTools integration.

Years of research into loudness relating to any type of audio programming has brought TC Electronic to the forefront of performing real-time loudness measurement and control. TC Electronic has taken active part in loudness standardization efforts in Japan, the US, Europe and other areas, and several TC papers are available on the subject. Please refer to www.tcelectronic.com/TechLibrary for more details.

For more information, visit their web site at www.tcelectronic.com.