Multi-channel media applications support with channel-to-connector mapping
An information handling system includes a signal processor such as an audio accelerator based sub-system with the capabilities to define output connectors such that the same set of connectors which provide, for example, home theatre AC3 (Dolby Digital) decoded signals (front, rear, cent/LFE) can provide, for example, 3 discrete stereo channels meant to be routed to different zones in, for example, a living or business space. The information handling system can provide a home theatre experience with one application, taking advantage of audio accelerator capabilities for AC3 signal decode, and provide multi-zone audio distribution, taking advantage of audio accelerator capabilities for decoding multiple streams of compressed digital audio. Home computing architectures that utilize a consumer personal computer (PC) are, thus, now suitable as the audio storage and manipulation center. In one embodiment, the PC provides DSP/decode pre-amplification functions and routes audio output to a generic 6-channel amplifier. In one embodiment, the system also includes a simple to use user interface (UI) to (i) select and initiate processing of multiple streams of audio for playback and (ii) map routing of the audio signals to stereo signal compatible jacks. Each pair of stereo output signals can be associated with a zone. Each zone can be represented in the UI such that the user can direct the desired audio stream to the desired zone. In another embodiment such as a broadcast situation, one stream can be sent to multiple zones, accomplishing distributed coverage with one audio stream.
1. An apparatus for supporting multiple multi-channel media applications, the apparatus comprising:
a display;
a processor, coupled to the display;
a memory coupled to the processor and having code executable by the processor to display a user interface on the display, wherein the user interface displays representations of at least two multi-channel media applications to allow a user to select one of the multi-channel media applications and make channel-to-connector mapping selections, wherein at least one channel can be mapped by the user to any of at least two channel connectors and each channel is mapped to a separate output channel connector;
output channel connectors; and
a signal processing system, coupled to the output channel connectors, the signal processing system comprising:
one or more signal input connectors to receive one or more input signals, wherein each input signal comprises at least one of the media input channels generated by the one or more multi-channel media applications and at least one of the input signals comprises two or more media input channels generated by the one or more multi-channel media applications;
an input to receive first user selections, wherein each of the first user selections selects one of the multi-channel media applications, and to receive second user selections separate from the first user selections, wherein each of the second user selections selects channel-to-connector mapping for the multi-channel media application selected by one of the first user selections to map the media input channels to output channel connectors;
a signal processor to process the media input channels; and
a connector mapping system to map the media channels processed by the signal processor to the output channel connectors pursuant to the second user selections.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signal processing system comprises an information handling system audio accelerator card.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a personal computer motherboard that includes the signal processing system.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signal processing system is configured as part of a personal computer system.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the media input channels include audio signals.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the output channel connectors are analog audio jacks.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the media channels are associated with one or more applications and the applications include home theatre surround sound applications and multi-zone audio applications.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
an audio source coupled to the signal processing system to provide the one or more media input channels.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the code executable by the processor to display the user interface on the display further comprises code executable by the processor to include representations of specific zones in the user interface that allow the user to select and assign multi-media channels to one or more of the specific zones.
10. An information handling system comprising:
a display;
multiple sets of speakers located within respective zones, wherein each set of speakers includes at least two speakers and each set of speakers is unique;
a processor coupled to the display;
memory coupled to the processor and including instructions to generate a user interface to display representations of at least two multi-channel media applications to allow a user to select one of the multi-channel media applications and, separate from selection of the multi-channel media application, allow the user to select the zone to receive audio channels of the selected multi-channel media application;
output channel connectors coupled to the speakers; and
a signal processing system, coupled to the output channel connectors and the processor, for supporting a plurality of the multi-channel media applications, the signal processing system comprising:
one or more signal input connectors to receive one or more input signals, wherein each input signal comprises media input channels from the one or more media applications;
an input to receive user multi-channel media application selections and to receive, separate from the user multi-channel media application selections, a user selected zone;
a signal processor to process the input signals to obtain the one or more media input channels; and
a connector mapping system to map the media channels obtained by the signal processor to the output channel connectors coupled to the speakers located in the user selected zone, wherein at least one channel can be mapped by the user to any of at least two channel connectors and each channel is mapped to a separate output channel connector.
11. The information handling system of claim 10 wherein the signal processing system comprises an audio accelerator.
12. The information handling system of claim 10 wherein the zones comprise physically distinct regions within a physical structure.
13. The information handling system of claim 10 wherein each set of speakers contains a set of speakers completely different from any other of the sets of speakers.
14. The information handling system of claim 10 wherein the output channel connectors are analog audio jacks.
15. The information handling system of claim 10 wherein media channels are associated with one or more applications and the applications include home theatre applications and multi-zone audio applications.
16. The information handling system of claim 10 further comprising:
an audio source coupled to the signal processing system to provide the one or more media input channels.
17. The information handling system of clam 16 wherein the audio source is selected from the group comprising: a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a computer sound card, and audio files stored in a memory.
18. The information handling system of claim 10 further comprising:
a user interface to receive the multi-channel media application and zone selections from the user and to provide the selections to the signal processing system.
19. The information handling system of claim 10 further comprising:
a channel router to route selected media channels to an audio amplifier.
20. A method for supporting a plurality of the multi-channel media applications using a system having input/output channel quantity constraints, the method comprising:
displaying a user interface on a display, wherein the user interface displays representations of at least two multi-channel media applications to allow a user to designate one of the multi-channel media applications and separately select channel-to-output channel connector assignments;
receiving first user selections via the user interface designating at least one of the multi-channel media applications and second user selections, separate from the first user selections, designating channel-to-output channel connector assignments for each of the multi-channel media applications selected by the first user selections, wherein at least one channel can be mapped by the user to any of at least two channel connectors and each channel is mapped to a separate output channel connector;
mapping the channel-to-output connector assignments of each designated multi-channel media application to output channel connectors in accordance with the second user selections designating the channel-to-output connector assignments;
receiving input signals, wherein each input signal comprises at least one of the media input channels and at least one of the input signals comprises two or more of the media input channels;
processing the received input signals for distribution of the one or media input channels to respective output devices coupled to the output channel connectors; and
distributing the one or media input channels to the output channel connectors in accordance with each of the second user selections designating the channel assignments.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:
providing a graphical user interface to a user to allow the user to make the selection designating at least one of the multi-channel media applications and channel assignments.
22. The method of claim 20 wherein each channel comprises one or more audio input signals.
23. The method of claim 20 wherein processing the received input signals further comprises:
processing the received input signals using an audio accelerator.
24. The method of claim 20 wherein the multi-channel media applications include home theatre applications and multi-zone audio applications.
25. A system for supporting a plurality of the multi-channel media applications using a system having input/output channel quantity constraints, the system comprising:
a display for displaying a user interface on a display, wherein the user interface displays representations of at least two multi-channel media applications to allow a user to select one of the multi-channel media applications and separately make channel-mapping selections;
means for receiving first user selections via the user interface designating at least one of the multi-channel media applications and second user selections, separate from the first user selections, designating channel-mapping selections, wherein at least one channel can be mapped by the user to any of at least two channel connectors and each channel is mapped to a separate output channel connector;
means for mapping the channel-mapping selections of each of the designated multi-channel media applications to output channel connectors in accordance with the second user selections designating the channel-mapping selections;
means for receiving input signals, wherein each input signal comprises at least one of the media input channels and at least one of the input signals comprises two or more of the media input channels;
means for processing the received input signals for distribution of the one or media input channels to respective output devices coupled to the output channel connectors; and
means for distributing the one or media input channels to the output channel connectors in accordance with each of the second user selections designating the channel-mapping selections.
26. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the code executable by the processor to display the user interface includes code to display the representations of specific zones as a first physical location, a second physical location, a personal computer sound system, and an audio processing device.
27. The information handling system of claim 10 wherein the instructions to generate the user interface further include instructions to display representations of specific zones in the user interface that allow the user to select and assign multi-media channels to one or more of the specific zones.
28. The information handling system of claim 27 wherein the instructions to generate the user interface further include instructions to display the representations of specific zones as a first physical location, a second physical location, a personal computer sound system, and an audio processing device.
29. The method of claim 20 wherein displaying the user interface further comprises:
displaying representations of specific zones in the user interface that allow the user to select and assign multi-media channels to one or more of the specific zones.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein displaying representations of specific zones in the user interface comprises:
displaying the representations of specific zones as a first physical location, a second physical location, a personal computer sound system, and an audio processing device.