Patent ID: 7203142

Claim:
A multi-source surround audio apparatus for, in accordance with an instruction from a user, performing selective surround sound reproduction of audio signals which are inputted from a plurality of sound sources including a DVD, said apparatus comprising: sound source detection means for detecting a sound source of an inputted audio signal based on the instruction from the user; DVD audio signal reproduction means for, if the detected sound source is a DVD, reproducing the DVD to generate a DVD reproduced audio signal; audio signal reproduction means for, if the detected sound source is not a DVD, extracting an audio signal from the sound source of the inputted audio signal, and generating a reproduced audio signal therefrom; reproduced signal determination means for determining whether the DVD reproduced audio signal is a 5.1-channel digital surround audio signal or a 2-channel digital audio signal, and generating a determination signal indicating a result of the determination; and a digital surround effector for, if the determination signal generated by said reproduced signal determination means indicates that the DVD reproduced audio signal is a 5.1-channel digital surround audio signal, converting the DVD reproduced audio signal to a 2-channel digital surround audio signal; an analog surround effector for converting an audio signal to a 2-channel surround audio signal; first effector driving means for, if the determination signal generated by said reproduced signal determination means indicates that the DVD reproduced audio signal is a 2-channel digital audio signal, activating said analog surround effector to convert the DVD reproduced audio signal to a 2-channel surround audio signal; and sound effector driving means for activating said analog surround effector to convert the reproduced audio signal to a 2-channel surround audio signal, wherein said first effector driving means is further for activating said analog surround effector to convert the 2-channel digital surround audio signal converted by said digital surround effector to a 2-channel surround audio signal.