Can you explain why you believe/believed the market needed it?
Its a bit difficult to not switch into sales mode here but I will attempt to do so!
Despite all the sales talk in the media stereo is still in 2020 the number 1 most dominant format and by far the most understood from kids to old folk, its in records, cassettes (love them), MP3, Youtube, radio, TV , Foxtel, you name it its everywhere, When it comes to surround basically it adds complication right down to the spaghetti city of additional wires in the back of the "receiver" (hate them) and the "solution" the wretched and completely crap HDMI. Then once you got all that hardware in place and connected you then need to set up your DVD and "receiver" for your desired surround format.
This is all starting to sound like history repeating of the late 1970's where there were a number of competing non compatible formats adding complication, confusing the market - and now ATMOS with its myriad of speakers etc. Much of the market is returning back to stereo.
In my biased opinion we really need to go back to the future and adopt a completely universal stereo surround system that everyone can just grab the media and press play. I say the way to go (plug time) is our INVOLVE Stereo record format. All tests we have conducted indicate it smells, tastes, looks and sounds exactly like stereo with no image compression as with the old QS/ RM but decodes into surround that is not perceived by the listener to be inferior to discrete formats. Witness the Suzanne Cianni recent quad release that was recorded in INVOLVE format.
We say there are no losers -perfect stereo- "perfect" surround- simple connections
Oh we use an external HDMI adapter - to avoid upgrade changes and the $20,000 fee per year!
Stereo in - surround out (we do not need center channel- separate discussion)
Ok I know its not discrete, well actually read the attached study we conducted in house on 11 test monkeys when we arranged the same discrete recording on an instant A/B with no clues given vs INVOLVE encode/ decode. I also include the reasons the test monkeys chose their preferred format.
In short:
Subjects were asked if they had a preference for either system. The results were as follows:
Involve: 5
No Preference: 4
Discreet: 2
So at the worst case its very close, there is a reason more preferred INVOLVE (will tell later if asked!).
I give you my word as a rouge and a scoundrel that the tests were extremely unbiased and "dead pan" with no hints given. Just the words A/ B were used in random order.
Just sayin
Chucky