Quick Summary
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Unlike just about every other major TV manufacturer, Samsung does not support Dolby Vision – it has bet the house on HDR10+ instead, the HDR standard it co-developed. And there's a possibility it'll turn its back on Dolby Atmos eventually too.
That's because it has developed its own spatial audio codec with Google, which is available on select Samsung TVs from 2025 on and some models from other manufacturers, such as fellow Korean brand LG.
Like Dolby Atmos, Eclipsa Audio creates a "3D soundscape" by optimising the spatial positioning of sound when played through a TV or soundbar. However, unlike true Atmos, it doesn't require a full surround sound setup to work.
It can send channels to dedicated speaker systems, such as a 7.1.2 array, but it is also designed to work well through fewer speakers – creating a virtual bubble of sound for the listener.
What do you get with Eclipsa Audio?
Its biggest feature is to allow for positioning of sound within that scape, so you can pick out different cues and effects in different areas of the 3D "bubble". Effects can also move around to match visuals on the TV, for example.
Eclipsa Audio also has the benefit of being free to use by content creators and sound engineers, whereas Dolby Atmos and DTS:X require licence fees. That differentiates it and will hopefully lead to more Eclipsa Audio tracks being available in future.
Indeed, Samsung itself recently posted a chat with a couple of the senior executives behind Eclipsa Audio, Woohyun Nam and Joonhun Choi, who explained how the company's own streaming TV service, Samsung TV Plus, is adding new live music content mastered in the format.
"Our top priority was ensuring viewers could fully experience the immersion of a live performance," said Nam.
"We worked closely with the [visual display business] to verify that Eclipsa Audio could be delivered seamlessly through Samsung TV Plus and that the spatial audio of live performances was faithfully reproduced."
"We focused on securing Eclipsa Audio content and encouraging content partners to adopt the technology," added Choi.
It's been a clear hit so far: "Users said they felt as though they were sitting in the audience at a live performance," revealed Choi.
"Some even said that certain scenes were more satisfying than watching from a small theatre."
Of course, Samsung TV Plus is exclusive to Samsung televisions, and you'll need one that supports Eclipsa Audio to get the full effect. However, with Google being the main partner, the technology is also being baked in Google TV and Android TV models, and you'll likely find videos on YouTube to try the effect for yourself.
It will also eventually be used in a wider range of shows and content types.
"Beyond musicals, we plan to expand Eclipsa Audio to K-pop concerts, classical performances, movies and sports," said Choi. We wait to see (or hear) what comes next.
