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AuSIM FAQ
Engineering Issues |
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What client-server connections does AuSIM3D® support? |
Initially, AuSIM3D® supported a standard serial (RS-232)
cable connection to match the ATRON protocol developed for Crystal River Engineering servers.
Today, AuSIM supports USB, Windows-RPC over TCP/IP, and cross-platform TCP/IP.
AuSIM's proprietary USB connection
yields a big increase in parameter control bandwidth and ease of use.
Other
upcoming developments will focus on the transfer of audio from clients or
other peripheral devices to servers, and will implement FireWire and Network
(VOIP) based implementations.
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Why can't I install AuSIM3Dtm as software on my computer?
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At this time, AuSIM3D® is hardware/software audio processing
technology, and not available for installation on generic PCs. This is
due to very specific hardware and software requirements, components and
configurations that are currently required.
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When AuSIM says the system supports “n” inputs, do you mean "sound
sources","analog inputs", or "digital inputs"? |
“Sound sources” must be differentiated from “Inputs”.
- A sound source is any event or data stream that is to be placed in aural 3D space.
This event or data stream may come from physical source (microphone, radio, tape,
- VOIP, etc.), a wave file, or may be locally synthesized.
- An input is the physical source, comprised of signals originating from pre-recorded
wavefiles, generated from signal generators, converted from analog inputs, streamed
from IP sockets, or streamed from digital PCM inputs.
- Analog inputs are live balanced (pro audio) or unbalanced (consumer audio) signals
that can originate from any traditional sound generating device, including
microphone, radio, or CD player.
- Digital inputs are live pulse-code modulated (PCM) full-bandwidth digital audio
streams at 44.1 or 48.0 kHz and at word sizes of 8, 16, 20, and 24-bits. This
includes the digital SP-DIF output of most modern CD-players.
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When the data sheets talk about multiple outputs, what do you mean? |
Three output configurations are possible:
- Multiple listeners sharing the same virtual environment from unique
perspectives
- Multiple listeners sharing the same virtual environment from one
perspective
- Multiple listeners with independent virtual environments.
AuSIM systems currently support (b) and (c). Support for (a) is not available in the
current version of the system, but is a planned addition.
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Are headphones required to experience
AuSIM’s 3D audio? |
Yes, at this time, and for the near future, headphones are required. Our system
prepares an audio signal for each ear, and assumes each ear is in a fixed position
with respect to the speaker. We have plans to develop a tracking system that will
keep track of where each ear is with respect to each loudspeaker, but that will be
at least a year or two away. Also, our first headphone-free system may be for
automobiles, where head position with respect to loudspeakers is relatively fixed.
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Can I use different headphones? |
You can use any stereo headphones but the quality of the headphones directly affects
the quality of the 3D sound you hear. Better headphones have better frequency
responses that more effectively deliver the high frequencies that contain many of
the perceptual spatial cues inherent to 3D sound. Additionally, ear buds and
closed/open circumaural headphones all allow a different level of outside
sound/noise into the ears.
... LEARN MORE |
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What are closed headphones? |
Closed headphones are typically also circumaural and have some kind of hard shell or
outer cover that aids in blocking typical ambient room noise out of the ears. You
can think of these as a combination of normal headphones and a lighter version of
the typical earmuffs that the guy shooting a gun should be wearing.
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What are circumaural headphones? |
Circumaural simply means that it completely encloses your ear (lobe, pinnae, all).
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Can I use AuSIM3D® with MIDI? |
Digital MIDI interface boxes enable users to pipe MIDI sounds directly into the
AuSIM3D® audio server. AuSIM has completed alpha development of
a system that records a sequence similar MIDI for the play back of live sound
movement processing – allowing real-time overwrite/manipulation and other
pro-audio recording studio type functionality.
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Are AuSIM's products compatible with other audio systems? |
AuSIM's products work with live analog audio signals, .wav files, and selected
headphones and head trackers. As this list is constantly being updated, please
check with our
technical staff
for the latest list.
Our API also
maintains compatibility with the Crystal River Engineering (CRE)
Acoustetrontm product line.
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What is the range of a tracker? |
Depending on what tracker you buy, their ranges can vary from inches to miles, or
in some cases it isn’t an issue.
- Typical electro-magnetic trackers work in a sphere around the transmitter that
can range from 3 to 9 feet.
- Ultrasonic trackers typically work within a 5 foot conical range from the
transmitter
- Inertial trackers do not currently calculate x, y, z – instead they measure
only orientation; so they have zero relative dimensional range but you can
walk anywhere with them, unlimited in range, and they will track your orientation.
- Optical technology is the most accurate and has the greatest range of all trackers,
exceeding the range required in typical 10-foot caves. All trackers have their
limitations, however, that should be noted as they affect their ranges.
NOTE:
- Electro-magnetic trackers can suffer from warping caused by surrounding
metal or magnetic objects
- Ultrasonic and optical technology require a line-of-sight from transmitter to
receiver that effectively limits motion and thus range.
- Inertial trackers are effected/skewed by the movement (“Gs”) of moving vehicles,
ships, aircraft, etc. in which you may wish to operate with these trackers
relative to the interior instead of the outside world.
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