Dolby’s technological innovations powered Dream11 IPL 2020

Dolby Laboratories, a company with decades of expertise in delivering breakthrough audio & visual experiences to billions of people worldwide, worked closely with Star India, to deliver enhanced audio experiences for its broadcast and digital platform during Dream11 IPL 2020.

The ongoing pandemic has brought about many changes to the world of live broadcast. Live sport events around the world, like Dream11 IPL 2020, have been held without audiences and the lack of attendees has required many innovative approaches across the industry. The sports production team at Star India, used the Dolby On app extensively through Dream11 IPL to remotely record voice-overs and reactions from commentators and fans to replicate a stadium-like experience for viewers at home.

In parallel, Dolby has been working with Star India for over a decade to help create & deliver spectacular broadcast experiences that leverage Dolby’s end-to-end production and delivery workflow powered by Dolby Audio. This long-etched relationship has grown further with the implementation of enhanced audio technologies across the chain, starting with on-ground and studio production workflows that delivered superior viewer experiences during the recently concluded Dream11 IPL 2020. Through Dolby On and Dolby Audio, Star India was able to create an engaging fan experience that brought the thrill of a live stadium to the comfort of viewers’ homes.

Commenting on this deep relationship, Pankaj Kedia, managing director, Emerging Markets, Dolby Laboratories, said, “We have been working closely with Star India for over a decade. It has been a fantastic experience to first usher in the HD revolution in 2011 with Dolby Audio, followed by delivering a live cricket broadcast in Dolby Audio and many others. We are excited to be working with the very talented team to explore & deliver enhanced audio experiences to Star India’s viewers”.

For Dream11 IPL 2020, Dolby also carried out a complete assessment of the Stadiums, Pre-production, Post-Production, Audio Production, and transmission chain for live and post-produced content. The assessment involved studying the entire audio workflow from its origin at the ground, through the Audio Mixing tables to transmission and editing stations, playout, and final delivery. Some of the audio processes and workflows were redesigned to better synergize audio from various sources like live matches, on-air promos, and advertising content was optimized for native as well as enhanced 5.1 viewing experience, to ensure that the final audio delivered to the consumer was consistent and maintained a uniform loudness level & clarity regardless of its origin. Extensive audio training modules were designed and delivered to production and technical staff to ensure that they were fully equipped with the knowledge to handle the complexities of live sports broadcasting especially during the Dream11 IPL 2020.

(We got this information in a press release).