Abstract: Described herein is an audio decoder for decoding a bitstream of encoded audio data, wherein the bitstream of encoded audio data represents a sequence of audio sample values and comprises a plurality of frames, wherein each frame comprises associated encoded audio sample values, the audio decoder comprising: a determiner configured to determine whether a frame of the bitstream of encoded audio data is an immediate playout frame comprising encoded audio sample values associated with a current frame and additional information; and an initializer configured to initialize the decoder if the determiner determines that the frame is an immediate playout frame, wherein initializing the decoder comprises decoding the encoded audio sample values comprised by the additional information before decoding the encoded audio sample values associated with the current frame.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for channel-based audio (CBA) (e.g., 22.2-ch audio) to object-based audio (OBA) conversion. The conversion includes converting CBA metadata to object audio metadata (OAMD) and reordering the CBA channels based on channel shuffle information derived in accordance with channel ordering constraints of the OAMD. The OBA with reordered channels is rendered in a playback device using the OAMD or in a source device, such as a set-top box or audio/video recorder. In an embodiment, the CBA metadata includes signaling that indicates a specific OAMD representation to be used in the conversion of the metadata. In an embodiment, pre-computed OAMD is transmitted in a native audio bitstream (e.g., AAC) for transmission (e.g., over HDMI) or for rendering in a source device. In an embodiment, pre-computed OAMD is transmitted in a transport layer bitstream (e.g., ISO BMFF, MPEG4 audio bitstream) to a playback device or source device.

Abstract: A method (700) for rendering an audio signal of an audio source (211, 212, 213) in a virtual reality rendering environment (180) is described. The method (700) comprises determining (701) whether or not a directivity pattern (232) of the audio source (211, 212, 213) is to be taken into account for a listening situation of a listener (181) within the virtual reality rendering environment (180). Furthermore, the method (700) comprises rendering (702) an audio signal of the audio source (211, 212, 213) without taking into account the directivity pattern (232) of the audio source (211, 212, 213), if it is determined that the directivity pattern (232) of the audio source (211, 212, 213) is not to be taken into account for the listening situation of the listener (181).

Abstract: A method (900) for rendering audio in a virtual reality rendering environment (180) is described. The method (900) comprises rendering (901) an origin audio signal of an origin audio source (113) of an origin audio scene (111) from an origin source position on a sphere (114) around a listening position (201) of a listener (181). Furthermore, the method (900) comprises determining (902) that the listener (181) moves from the listening position (201) within the origin audio scene (111) to a listening position (202) within a different destination audio scene (112). In addition, the method (900) comprises applying (903) a fade-out gain to the origin audio signal to determine a modified origin audio signal, and rendering (903) the modified origin audio signal of the origin audio source (113) from the origin source position on the sphere (114) around the listening position (201, 202).

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for channel-based audio (CBA) (e.g., 22.2-ch audio) to object-based audio (OBA) conversion. The conversion includes converting CBA metadata to object audio metadata (OAMD) and reordering the CBA channels based on channel shuffle information derived in accordance with channel ordering constraints of the OAMD. The OBA with reordered channels is rendered in a playback device using the OAMD or in a source device, such as a set-top box or audio/video recorder. In an embodiment, the CBA metadata includes signaling that indicates a specific OAMD representation to be used in the conversion of the metadata. In an embodiment, pre-computed OAMD is transmitted in a native audio bitstream (e.g., AAC) for transmission (e.g., over HDMI) or for rendering in a source device. In an embodiment, pre-computed OAMD is transmitted in a transport layer bitstream (e.g., ISO BMFF, MPEG4 audio bitstream) to a playback device or source device.