Editing MP3 Surround (section)

{{Distinguish|MPEG Surround|MPEG Multichannel}}

[[File:5 1 channels (surround sound) label.svg|thumb|Illustration of 5.1-channels]]

'''MP3 Surround''' is an extension of [[MP3]] for multi-channel audio support including [[Surround sound|5.1 surround sound]]. It was developed by [[Fraunhofer Society|Fraunhofer IIS]] in collaboration with [[Thomson SA|Thomson]] and [[Agere Systems]], and released in December 2004.<ref name="press">[http://mp3licensing.com/press/20041202_1.html mp3 SURROUND Set for Launch - Fraunhofer IIS, Thomson, and Agere Systems Unveil - Free mp3 SURROUND Evaluation Download]</ref><ref name="eetimes">[http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-products/other/4072549/Hear-all-about-it-MP3-goes-surround-sound Hear all about it: MP3 goes surround-sound]</ref><ref name="bbc">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3550833.stm|title=MP3 surround sound system debuts|publisher=BBC | date=22 March 2004}}</ref>

MP3 Surround is [[backward compatible]] with standard MP3.<ref name="press"/><ref name="fraunhofer">[http://www.mp3surround.com/ mp3 Surround] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060113043237/http://www.mp3surround.com/ |date=2006-01-13 }}</ref> The data overhead is 16&nbsp;kbit/s, which allows for file sizes similar to standard stereo MP3 files. The file size is approximately 10% larger than that of a typical MP3 file. The current evaluation encoder is licensed for personal and non-commercial uses. An MP3 Surround file can be created from 5 or 6 channels of [[WAV]] audio.

Several companies, such as [[DivX, Inc.]] and [[Magix]], have announced support for the new codec.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://labs.divx.com/node/44 |title=Updated: Player 6.3.1 with mp3 Surround support now available! |access-date=2011-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710134652/http://labs.divx.com/node/44 |archive-date=2011-07-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/en/pr/presse/2005/apr/magix.jsp MAGIX announces support of MP3 Surround into music and video editing tools] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719022456/http://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/en/pr/presse/2005/apr/magix.jsp |date=2011-07-19 }}</ref> [[DivX, Inc.]] released their first player with MP3 Surround support on September 6, 2006.

In January 2006, [[Thomson SA|Thomson]] and [[Fraunhofer Society|Fraunhofer IIS]] also released two new companion technologies: [[Ensonido]], which allows playback of MP3 Surround 5.1 channel sound through stereo headphones, and [[MP3 SX]], which upgrades standard stereo mp3 file to mp3 surround files.

On its 5.5 release, Nullsoft [[Winamp]] has included the MP3 Surround format as a part of its integrated MPEG audio decoder (released October 10, 2007).

As of 2 July 2008, with [[PlayStation 3 system software|system software]] v2.40, [[PlayStation 3]] supports MP3 Surround playback.<ref>{{ cite web |url=http://www.ps3sacd.com/news.html#_20080701 |title=Firmware v2.40 due |publisher=ps3sacd.com |accessdate=2009-08-09}}</ref>