(29 December 2005 5:00 pm)

MUMBAI: XM Satellite Radio, the satellite radio company, will broadcast select XM music channels in '5.1 surround sound.' This will be the first time that a radio company will be broadcasting round-the clock in '5.1 surround sound.'

The audio breakthrough was announced by XM and Neural Audio Corporation, a provider of digital signal processing and surround sound technology for the broadcast industry, ahead of the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Beginning in March 2006, XM will broadcast the free-form music channel Fine Tuning (XM channel 76) and the classical pops music channel XM Pops (XM Channel 113) in XM HD surround. XM will also broadcast a variety of special shows and live music performances at the XM studios in XM HD surround.

"XM is the first radio company -- satellite or terrestrial -- to broadcast 5.1 surround sound on the radio 24 hours a day," said XM president and CEO Hugh Panero.

"Terrestrial radio stations are just starting to convert from analog to digital. XM HD surround is the latest example of the technological edge that has made XM the number- one satellite radio company," said Panero.

"XM was the first company to offer satellite radio, the first to introduce satellite radios for the car and home, and the first to offer portable, live satellite radios. Now we're the first to offer radio channels in 5.1 surround every minute of every day. We have an outstanding partnership with Neural Audio, which shares the same passion for high-quality sound that we have at XM," Panero added.

"XM HD surround is setting the bar at a new level with surround sound that enriches the listener's experience with full envelopment and image detail never before available in traditional broadcast," said Geir R. Skaaden, Neural Audio CEO.

The new offering of '5.1 surround' on XM is called XM HD surround, which provides content with six discrete channels of digital full fidelity audio powered by Neural Audio technology.

XM manufacturing partners such as Denon, Onkyo, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., and Yamaha will introduce home audio systems capable of playing XM HD surround powered by Neural Audio in 2006.

XM will demonstrate XM HD surround broadcasts at the 2006 CES January 5-8 in the XM booth #4606 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Home audio systems enabled with neural surround will deliver the full surround experience of XM HD surround. These broadcasts can also be heard on any existing mono, stereo, or matrix style receiver.

XM Satellite Radio is America's satellite radio service with more than five million subscribers broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City and Nashville at the Country Music Hall of Fame, XM offers 160 digital channels of choice from coast to coast.