Software Ensures Music Quality In Echo ICs

Enhancing the OCT6100 series echo-cancellation chips, the Music Protection software ensures that background music heard while on hold, and live music heard in the background are not clipped or incorrectly processed. According to the company, standard echo cancellers do not distinguish between music and generic background noise when processing residual echo. The typical echo-cancellation algorithm replaces the entire signal with white, or similar, noise while trying to remove the echo. This results in music sounding unrecognizable or as though the connection itself is bad. Employing the software, the OCT6100 voice processors are able to recognize that music is on the line and process it accordingly to render a natural-sounding connection while still removing the echo. The software is available as an upgrade for current OCT6100 users. Octasic Inc., Montreal, Canada. (514) 282-8858.