Dolby Technology Details

Dolby Technologies
2010
Table of Contents
BROADCAST
Dolby Digital ............................................................................................................ 5 Dolby Digital Plus ................................................................................................... 6 Dolby E ...................................................................................................................... 7 Dolby Pro Logic II ................................................................................................... 9 Dolby Pulse ............................................................................................................ 10 Dolby Volume ........................................................................................................ 11
CINEMA
Dolby 3D Digital Cinema .................................................................................... 13 Dolby Digital .......................................................................................................... 14 Dolby Digital Cinema ........................................................................................... 15 Dolby Digital Surround EX ................................................................................ 16
GAMES
Dolby Axon ............................................................................................................. 18 Dolby Digital .......................................................................................................... 20 Dolby Digital Live ................................................................................................. 21 Dolby Headphone ................................................................................................ 22 Dolby Pro Logic II ................................................................................................. 23 Dolby Pro Logic IIz ............................................................................................... 24
HOME THEATER
Dolby Contrast ...................................................................................................... 26 Dolby Digital .......................................................................................................... 27 Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator ................................................................................... 28 Dolby Digital Plus ................................................................................................ 29 Dolby Digital Surround EX ................................................................................ 30 Dolby Headphone ............................................................................................... 31 Dolby Pro Logic II ................................................................................................ 32 Dolby Pro Logic IIx .............................................................................................. 33 Dolby Pro Logic IIz .............................................................................................. 34 Dolby TrueHD ....................................................................................................... 36 Dolby TrueHD Digital Out .................................................................................. 37 Dolby Vision .......................................................................................................... 38 Dolby Volume ....................................................................................................... 40
MOBILE
Dolby Mobile ......................................................................................................... 42
PC
Dolby Digital ......................................................................................................... 44 Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator ................................................................................... 45 Dolby Digital EX ................................................................................................... 46 Dolby Digital Live ................................................................................................ 47 Dolby Digital Plus ................................................................................................ 48 Dolby Digital Stereo Creator ............................................................................ 49 Dolby Headphone ............................................................................................... 50 Dolby Pro Logic II ................................................................................................ 51 Dolby Pro Logic IIx .............................................................................................. 52 Dolby TrueHD ....................................................................................................... 53 Dolby Virtual Speaker ........................................................................................ 54
BRO A DC A S T
DOLBY TECHNOLOGIES2010
The broadcast chain is filled with incompatible systems that can make it difficult to assure your broadcast is the best it can be. Dolby technologies provide you with an end-to-end solution so you can be sure that whatever goes in at Point A comes out at Point B exactly as it was intended. Thats why professionals worldwide rely on Dolby technologies to create, mix, distribute, and transmit surround sound and produce high-quality audio content.
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital, also referred to as AC-3, is an advanced audio encoding/ decoding technology that efficiently delivers up to 5.1 discrete channels of vibrant surround sound for broadcasting, home theater, cinema, PC, online streaming, and video game programming. Enables the efficient storage and transmission of high-quality 5.1 digital surround sound Immerses audiences in the on-screen action Provides compatibility with millions of existing playback units Dolby Digital technology ensures that your audience experiences a rich, enveloping surround sound experience by delivering up to 5.1 discrete audio channels. Three front channels (Left, Center, and Right) provide crisp, clean dialogue and accurate placement of on-screen sounds, while two surround channels (Left Surround and Right Surround) immerse the audience in the action. The Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) channel delivers deep, powerful bass effects that can be felt as well as heard. As it needs only about one-tenth the bandwidth of the other channels, the LFE channel is referred to as a .1 channel. Already found in thousands of cinemas and millions of homes worldwide, Dolby Digital is the reigning standard in surround sound today.
Why Dolby
Dolby Digital is a versatile digital audio encoding technology that lets broadcasters deliver up to 5.1 discrete channels of vibrant, engaging surround sound. Applied to the final broadcast transmission signal just prior to multiplexing with the digital video, Dolby Digital is used extensively today in digital satellite (DBS and DVB-S, -S2, -C, and -T), cable, digital TV (DTV), and terrestrial high-definition TV (HDTV), as well as IPTV broadcasting services. With Dolby Digital, broadcasters have the flexibility to deliver any number of audio channels, from rich 5.1 surround sound down to mono audio, plus multiple-language programs and other specialized services. Dolby Digitals adaptability is the result of metadata (data about the data) that is created during programming production and carried in the Dolby Digital bitstream. Metadata parameters ensure that the program producers original vision for the audio is faithfully delivered within a single audio bitstream. This provides audiences with a high-quality, highly engaging audio experience, whether they are listening to a mono, stereo, or 5.1-channel system.
For more information or licensing opportunities contact Dolby Sales.
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Dolby Digital Plus

Dolby Digital Plus extends the capabilities of Dolby Digital, optimizing sound quality and efficiency for a richer, more compelling audio experience. Delivers scalable sound, optimizing quality and efficiency for available bandwidth Supports a wide range of existing and emerging home theater, broadcast, streamed content, and mobile applications Provides up to 7.1 channels of surround sound for a more involving experience and dramatic special effects Includes compatibility with millions of existing playback systems Dolby Digital Plus is a versatile digital audio coding technology that extends the capabilities of Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital Plus delivers up to 7.1 channels of surround sound, with scalable sound delivery and a wide range of bit rates ensuring optimized sound quality and efficiency for the available bandwidth. These advances are just a few reasons why Dolby Digital Plus delivers a more enveloping audio experience for existing and emerging applications, including new digital broadcast TV formats, Internet-delivered audio, and high-definition video discs.
Dolby Digital Plus for Broadcast

By delivering increased efficiency that enables lower bit rates, support for up to 7.1 channels, and advanced services like bitstream mixing, Dolby Digital Plus gives broadcasters the flexibility they need to create a high-quality audio experience for existing and next-generation applications.
Why Dolby
Dolby Digital Plus is the audio complement to todays video compression technologies, such as H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC). Because Dolby Digital Plus offers up to 7.1 channels for existing and next-generation applications, broadcasters can now deliver more channels of surround sound over less bandwidth, providing a richer and more enveloping audio experience whether via HDTV, IPTV, cable, satellite, or terrestrial broadcast television. Maintains high quality at more efficient bit rates Enables interactive stream mixing of multichannel secondary audio, such as a directors commentary, with the main theatrical soundtrack Allows broadcasters to offer advanced services such as enhanced viewing options for the visually impaired Integrates scalability that allows the bit rate to be configured for a specific broadcast system Includes complete Dolby metadata support and backward compatibility with existing home theaters equipped with Dolby Digital audio
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Dolby E
Dolby E is a professional audio coding system that makes multichannel audio distribution easy. Helps broadcasters distribute surround and multichannel audio throughout the broadcast chain prior to transmission Enables distribution of up to eight channels of audio, plus metadata and timecode, via existing two-channel broadcast infrastructures Ensures effortless switching, editing, encoding, and decoding, and simplified audio/video synchronization Includes access to the Dolby E Partner Program to help you plan your product purchase and system design decisions as well as create a clear path in your facility for realizing the benefits of Dolby E technology Dolby E is a professional digital audio coding technology that is optimized for the distribution of surround and multichannel audio through digital two-channel postproduction and broadcasting infrastructures. Dolby E enables the distribution of up to eight channels of audio via any stereo (AES/EBU) channel or via a recording onto two audio tracks of conventional digital videotapes, video servers, communication links, switchers, and routers. The Dolby E signal doesnt reach viewers at home; it is decoded back to baseband audio just prior to the final DTV transmission, and then re-encoded into the final audio format specified by the various DTV emission systems. By matching the frame rate of the video it accompanies, Dolby E ensures effortless switching, editing, and successful encoding and decoding throughout the stages of the broadcast chain. Dolby E also gives content providers unprecedented control of program reproduction over time by including both consumer and professional metadata. Finally, the Dolby E Partner Program provides you with a wealth of critical information about Dolby E compatibility with professional broadcast products, helping you clear a path in your facility for maximizing the benefits of Dolby E technology.
Why Dolby
With Dolby E, broadcasters can carry up to eight channels of audio using existing stereo equipment. A single AES/EBU pair on digital videotapes, video servers, communication links, switchers, and routers also can carry the Dolby E signal. Dolby E can be repeatedly encoded and decoded throughout the broadcast chain without any discernable loss of audio quality. Dolby E also ensures that audio frames are synchronous with video frames, enabling programs to be switched and edited without having to decode the audio beforehand. Regardless of the broadcast systems complexity, Dolby E makes it easy to keep audio and video in sync by offering the easily quantifiable latency of exactly one frame per encode or decode. With metadata embedded within its bitstream, Dolby E is designed to carry up to a 5.1 surround mix prior to transmission in Dolby Digital or Dolby Digital Plus. By supporting up to eight audio channels, a single Dolby E stream can carry a complete 5.1 surround soundtrack, as well as an alternative two-track version, all in the space previously used by a conventional stereo signal. Those additional tracks can be used for a stereo or Dolby Surround mix, a foreign language version, or specialized tracks such as those for the hearing impaired.
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We also include access to the Dolby E Partner Program to help you plan your product purchase and system design decisions. This program provides broadcasters and system designers with a clear path to realizing the benefits of Dolby E in your facility. Program highlights for equipment manufacturers include: Technical assistance in the development of new products or the modification of existing products Access to recognized and respected Dolby logos Promotion of member companies and products No-cost membership Marketing opportunities Equipment manufacturers: If you are interested in participating in this program or would like to add Dolby E encoding/decoding to your broadcast product, please contact us.
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Dolby Pro Logic II

Dolby Pro Logic II is an advanced matrixing technology that allows broadcasters to deliver convincing, realistic surround sound on stereoonly services. Brings compelling surround sound to your listeners simply and economically via stereo broadcasts Delivers surround-encoded audio, compatible with mono, stereo, and all generations of Dolby Pro Logic surround playback Makes minimal impact on stereo broadcast infrastructure Complements discrete 5.1 audio on your other services Offers encoding tools to create matrix-encoded stereo from discrete 5.1-channel content for broadcast program preparation Dolby Pro Logic II encoding can transform ordinary two-channel audio into realistic and engrossing surround sound for your listeners with multichannel audio systems and televisions including this technology, while your other listeners experience entirely normal mono or stereo. During program production, a Dolby Pro Logic II encoder combines as many as five input signals Left, Center, Right, Left Surround, and Right Surroundinto a matrix-encoded, two-channel Left total/Right total (Lt/Rt) signal. The encoded signal is thereafter treated as conventional twochannel stereo audio throughout the broadcast distribution chain. Stereo audio encoded with Dolby Pro Logic II can be decoded by any form of Dolby Pro Logic. Listeners with Pro Logic II decoding in particular (now standard on the vast majority of home surround systems) will benefit from three front channels, full-bandwidth stereo surrounds, advanced steering technology, and an exceptionally stable soundfield. With conventional stereo and mono playback, listeners experience no loss of critical soundtrack content.
Why Dolby
Dolby offers broadcast solutions that include the DP563 Dolby Surround and Pro Logic II Encoder and the DP564 Multichannel Audio Decoder. With the DP563 encoder, you can create either a Dolby Pro Logic II (Lt, Rt) or a Dolby Surround (Lt, Rt) stereo mix directly from any discrete 5.1 mix for broadcast on stereo services. With Dolby E 5.1 content, metadata authored during production can enable the DP563 to create an Lt/Rt stereo mix automatically, with parameters exactly as specified by the program producers. With the DP564 decoder, you can decode and monitor Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Surround EX, Dolby Pro Logic, and Dolby Pro Logic II programs, as well as regular two-channel PCM soundtracks. We also license Dolby Pro Logic II encoding technology to professional audio manufacturers for use in products and systems that incorporate such other functions as video encoding and transport stream multiplexing.
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Dolby Pulse
The Ideal HE AAC Codec for Broadcast
Assures content creators that consumers receive consistent content precisely as intended Delivers high-quality stereo and 5.1-channel audio at the lowest data rates Provides full compatibility through the complete broadcast chain Supports industry-standardized Dolby metadata to ensure consistent audio delivery Meets Dolbys high testing standards Dolby Pulse is an ideal broadcast codec, combining the audio coding efficiency of High-Efficiency AAC (HE AAC) with Dolbys proven quality and broadcast expertise. And with Dolby Pulse set for implementation in professional hardware, OEM products, and licensed encoder and decoder products, youre assured of compatibility throughout your next-generation broadcast chain. The Dolby Pulse system adds Dolby metadata capability to the optimum-efficiency HE AAC v.2 core. With metadata parameters that match those in Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus, broadcasters and content creators can be assured that their content will deliver a reliable, consistent experience on every consumer device. And upstream Dolby products and technologies will fully support Dolby Pulse. Dolby Pulse lets broadcasters deliver stereo and 5.1-channel audio at the lowest bandwidth rates while maintaining high audio quality. That makes Dolby Pulse perfect for applications where there are significant bandwidth constraints. Because it includes Dolby metadata, Dolby Pulse is also the one HE AAC solution that eliminates the need for a stereo simulcast within a 5.1 broadcast, further reducing bandwidth. Finally, Dolby Pulse helps manufacturers meet the requirements for HE AAC in HD receivers, as specified by major European standards bodies including EICTA; the French, Spanish, and UK HD forums; and NorDig.
Why Dolby
As broadcast content evolves over the next five to ten years, it will be transmitted via a mix of legacy MPEG and Dolby Digital codecs, together with next-generation HE AAC and Dolby Digital Plus audio coding. Dolby Pulse joins Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus technologies to provide a complete end-to-end broadcast solution for today and into the future, ensuring maximum efficiency, consistency, and compatibility. Provides optimum bandwidth savings Enables one audio bitstream for any broadcast device (TV or set-top box) Ensures programs can be accurately delivered throughout the broadcast chain, so consumers receive content as it was intended Delivers higher quality stereo and 5.1-channel audio at the lowest data rates, with a 5.1-channel audio signal as low as 160 kbps
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Dolby Volume
Dolby Volume is a solution for digital television, home theater equipment, and set-top box (STB) manufacturers that offers their customers a more consistent and satisfying listening experience. Provides viewers with consistent volume across all content and input sources when incorporated in televisions, STBs, and A/V receivers Introduces no artifacts or audible side effects Reduces most common cause of viewer complaints Dolby Volume is a signal process that provides home viewers with a consistent playback volume level across all sources and content, and also ensures a reference-quality listening experience at any volume level. The technologies behind Dolby Volume, such as auditory scene analysis and loudness-domain signal processing, are based on advanced models of human hearing. This makes it possible to correct source and content level differences without the artifacts, such as pumping and breathing, introduced by previous leveling and compression solutions. Dolby Volume also actively balances low, middle, and high frequencies in each channel to compensate for the ears changing sensitivity as the playback level is raised or lowered. As a result, the nuances and impact of the original mix are maintained even at low playback levels. Products such as TV sets, home theater systems, and STBs that incorporate Dolby Volume deliver a uniquely consistent and satisfying entertainment experience to the consumer.
Why Dolby
Loudness variations from channel to channel and program to program are cited by many terrestrial, cable, IPTV, and satellite operators as a primary source of subscriber complaints. Viewers are annoyed by constantly having to reach for the volume control to maintain their preferred playback volume. While operators transmitting in Dolby Digital can achieve effective loudness consistency by the proper use of dialogue normalization metadata, that functionality is not always available. Built into STBs, televisions, and A/V receivers, Dolby Volume technology can mitigate on the receiving end those volume inconsistencies the operator may not be able to control prior to transmission. Viewers can therefore set and forget their volume controls while Dolby Volume maintains their preferred playback level on all channels and content. By providing a more consistent viewer experience and alleviating a primary cause of subscriber complaints, Dolby Volume can give the terrestrial, cable, IPTV, or satellite operator a useful edge in todays increasingly cost-conscious and competitive entertainment marketplace. Note: In devices such as STBs that do not have user playback volume controls, the function of Dolby Volumes automatic loudness compensation is limited. Volume leveling, however, is fully functional as described.
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C INEM A
Dolby continues to innovate and deliver a wide range of comprehensive and reliable technologies that ensure the directors sound will be reproduced in the theatre precisely as it was intended. As digital cinema continues to expand, Dolby is proud to deliver premium technologies in digital audio and digital cinema that simplify and ease the digital cinema transition for exhibitors.
Dolby 3D Digital Cinema

Dolby 3D Digital Cinema gives every member of your audience a memorable, mesmerizing 3D experience. Delivers realistic color and a sharper, clearer image from every seat in the house Extends the capabilities of Dolby Digital Cinemas established, proven technology Ensures compatibility with your existing equipment by using a simple digital projector filter accessory, easily switching between 2D and 3D Maximizes flexibility by using a standard white screen rather than a costly silver screen Reduces costs with a one-time investment and no annual licensing fee Dolby 3D Digital Cinema ensures that your audiences enjoy a richer, more compelling 3D experience, with realistic color and a sharper, clearer image from every seat in the house. Its the kind of experience that drives dramatic box office performance and produces a new level of audience excitement. Dolby 3D Digital Cinema retains compatibility with 2D presentations, so theres no need for a dedicated 3D auditorium. In fact, alternating between 3D and 2D presentations is easy. Better yet, Dolby 3D Digital Cinema uses a standard white screen and a standard digital cinema projector (with a simple accessory), minimizing your investment while eliminating technical issues and compromises. And Dolbys reusable 3D glasses are lightweight, comfortable, and environmentally friendly. For content creators, Dolby 3D Digital Cinema simplifies creating and distributing mind-blowing 3D movies, because theres no need for additional color correction or other compensation processes in postproduction. That means distributors can master and distribute a single digital file that can be played in both 3D and 2D auditoriums.
Why Dolby
An extension of Dolby Digital Cinemas proven technology, Dolby 3D Digital Cinema drives box office sales by giving your customers an incredible 3D experience. Designed for maximum compatibility and flexibility, Dolby 3D Digital Cinema delivers an excellent rate of return, requiring only a one-time investment, and no annual license fees. Uses a standard white screen, rather than a costly silver screen Requires a minimal investment in a simple digital projector accessory; the projector switches easily between 2D and 3D presentations Limits costs by including lightweight, comfortable, and reusable 3D glasses as a one-time initial expense Includes comprehensive support, with a training video, trailer, and box office signage, as well as equipment cleaning recommendations
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Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital, also referred to as AC-3, is an advanced audio encoding/ decoding technology that efficiently delivers up to 5.1 discrete channels of vibrant surround sound for broadcasting, home theater, cinema, PC, online streaming, and video game programming. Enables the efficient storage and transmission of high-quality 5.1 digital surround sound Immerses audiences in the on-screen action Provides compatibility with millions of existing playback units Dolby Digital technology ensures that your audience enjoys a rich, enveloping surround sound experience by delivering up to 5.1 discrete audio channels. Three front channels (Left, Center, and Right) provide crisp, clean dialogue and accurate placement of on-screen sounds, while two surround channels (Left Surround and Right Surround) immerse the audience in the action. The Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) channel delivers deep, powerful bass effects that can be felt as well as heard. As it needs only about one-tenth the bandwidth of the other channels, the LFE channel is referred to as a .1 channel. Already found in thousands of cinemas and millions of homes worldwide, Dolby Digital is the reigning standard in surround sound today.
Why Dolby
Dolby Digital audio technology puts a six-channel digital optical soundtrack on 35 mm prints. The digital information is on the space between the film sprocket holes, next to the analog soundtrack. The Dolby Digital soundtrack is encoded onto the filmstrip in addition to the analog track, so all films will play back satisfactorily in nearly every cinema. Dolby Digital provides extraordinary dynamic capability, wide frequency range, low distortion, and relative immunity to wear. Its combination of high quality, reliability, and practicality has been proven in cinemas around the world, and today it is the most popular digital format, with the most cinemas equipped worldwide and the most releases. Each and every movie carrying the Dolby logo benefits from Dolbys unique mastering support services, ensuring that sound will be reproduced in the cinema just as the director intended.
Dolby Digital Products for Exhibitors

Dolby Laboratories manufactures a complete line of products to facilitate optimum playback of Dolby soundtracks in any cinema, from the largest multiplex to small specialty theatres. We offer processors, adapters, and accessories, all designed for top performance and utmost reliability.
Dolby Digital Mastering for Studios

Dolbys film sound formats are used on all major 35 mm releases. Dolby has established standardized sound replay conditions for cinemas and mixing studios to ensure that these films are consistently replayed as envisioned by the director. Through our Motion Picture Service Agreements, we provide direct mastering support services to every film using our technologies. A team of more than 100 consultants and engineers in the Dolby Production Services group works in hundreds of approved dubbing studios worldwide.
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Dolby Digital Cinema

Designed by Dolby specifically for the cinema, Dolby Digital Cinema is a complete, reliable, and flexible solution that combines ease of operation with an unmatched customer experience. Offers superb picture and sound quality Integrates easily with existing automation and sound systems Ensures flexibility to meet your changing needs and protect your investment for years to come Includes everything you need to efficiently manage and present your features Meets key Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) specifications Engineered from the ground up for real-world projection booths, Dolby Digital Cinema is a comprehensive, powerful, and reliable digital cinema solution. At its core is Dolby Screen Server, which provides everything you need to load, store, decode, and deliver pristine digital movies to your digital cinema projector. Our easy-to-use Dolby Theatre Management System software gives you complete operational control, and lets you perform advanced scheduling either locally or remotely. Dolby Digital Cinema integrates easily with your existing automation and sound systems, delivering superb picture quality and stunning sound. And Dolby Digital Cinema meets key Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) specifications while providing simplified operation, outstanding reliability, and the highest level of security in the business. The system is the first digital server to achieve Federal Information Protection Standard (FIPS) Level 3 certification, ensuring the highest level of antipiracy protection as specified by DCI.
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Dolby Digital Surround EX

By introducing an additional rear surround audio channel, Dolby Digital Surround EX takes the Dolby Digital 5.1-channel setup one step further, clarifying audio effects that pan from front to back, and creating a more enveloping surround sound experience. Adds a center rear channel to the Dolby Digital 5.1 system for increased cinema realism Supports 6.1-channel home audio playback Enables Dolby Digital Surround EX soundtracks on DVDs to automatically activate EX decoding in a compatibly equipped EX receiver or preamp/processor via a digital flag contained in the bitstream Includes backward compatibility with any Dolby Digital 5.1 cinema installation and millions of existing home playback units Dolby Digital Surround EX adds a third surround channel to the Dolby Digital cinema audio format, enabling more precise sound placement, exciting special effects, and a more realistic audio experience. In the cinema, rear-wall surround speakers reproduce the additional channel, while the Left and Right Surround channels are reproduced by speakers on the side walls. Home theater setups use one or two back surround speakers for the additional channel. Dolby Digital Surround EX is backward-compatible with the thousands of cinemas and millions of homes worldwide that are equipped with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital decoding.
Why Dolby
Dolby Digital Surround EX adds a third surround channel to the Dolby Digital audio format, improving the positioning of the surround effects (such as front-to-back panning of sounds) and allowing ambient sound reproduction to be more uniform throughout the cinema. Dolby Digital Surround EX uses the same digital data blocks positioned between the sprocket holes as Dolby Digital, and remains fully compatible with the Dolby Digital 5.1-channel system. Because optical transfer and laboratory printing processes remain identical, using this format doesnt add any extra costs. Best of all, cinemas with Dolby Digital Surround EX decoding equipment installed add a new level of audio excitement and realism, bringing their audiences back again and again.
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G A ME S
Dolby technologies for games offer developers a powerful voice platform for an incredible experience. The most innovative and creative game developers in the world know they can make game play even more realistic with Dolby technology powering every audio detail of their virtual world.
Dolby Axon
Enables a realistic 3D voice experience that matches the game environment Delivers a clear signal, free of unwanted noise, echo, and clipping Expands creative game-play options for developers Scales seamlessly across servers to support large virtual worlds Dolby Axon represents the future of voice communication for online games and virtual worlds. Crafted from the ground up specifically for game developers, Dolby Axon enables a realistic 3D voice experience that matches the game environment and greatly expands game-play possibilities. A host of innovative features makes Dolby Axon unique and flexible, including 3D voice capabilities. Distance attenuation makes voices become louder as players approach one another within the game, or softer as the distance between players increases. Surround panning helps players locate competitors spatially within the game environment. Dolby Axon also features an occlusion engine that further enhances the realism of voice communication. Because the Dolby Axon server dynamically responds to game geometry, players are able to hear around corners, for example, but not through walls. Likewise, the voice of a player who steps behind a solid barrier becomes harder to hear, just as it would in real life. Voice fonts are another Dolby Axon feature. These allow players to alter their voices to better match their in-game personas. Someone with a naturally high voice, for example, can adopt the deep, menacing voice of a mercenary. With or without the use of voice fonts, Dolby Axons innovative voice processing technologies combine to deliver a clear voice experience free of unwanted noise, echo, clipping, and leveling problems. And its flexible API presents new game-play options for developers, allowing them to introduce spy microphones and other specialized voice items into their games.
Why Dolby
As online games become more sophisticated and popular, the voice experience of these virtual worlds remains primitive. In-game communication is subject to unwanted noise, clipping, and other audio problems, and voices bear no spatial relationship to the game environment. Dolby Axon raises the voice component of online gaming to a new level through a number of innovative features: Realistic 3D voice communication complete with surround panning and distance attenuation Advanced occlusion engine that maps voices to the game environment Enabled voice fonts for improved role-playing Proprietary audio technologies to deliver a clear voice experience Flexible API for creative integration and game-play options
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In addition, Dolby Axon is a model of scalability and efficiency. Advanced server mixing and networking technology, in combination with a proprietary Dolby codec, make it possible for Dolby Axon to support thousands of users per server and scale seamlessly across servers to support extremely large virtual worlds. Even better, Dolby Axon achieves these results at very low bandwidthsas low as 16 kbps per player for complex surround scenes. Dolby Axon also offers game operators server and abuse monitoring tools to make operating voice servers easy, and its flexible hosting options mean that operators are free to select the setup that works best for their needs.
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Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital, also referred to as AC-3, is an advanced audio encoding/ decoding technology that efficiently delivers up to 5.1 discrete channels of vibrant surround sound for broadcasting, home theater, cinema, PC, online streaming, and video game programming. Enables the efficient storage and transmission of high-quality 5.1 digital surround sound Immerses audiences in the on-screen action Provides compatibility with millions of existing playback units Dolby Digital technology ensures that your audience enjoys a rich, enveloping surround sound experience by delivering up to 5.1 discrete audio channels. Three front channels (Left, Center, and Right) provide crisp, clean dialogue and accurate placement of on-screen sounds, while twin surround channels (Left Surround and Right Surround) immerse the audience in the action. The Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) channel delivers deep, powerful bass effects that can be felt as well as heard. As it needs only about one-tenth the bandwidth of each of the other channels, the LFE channel is referred to as a .1 channel. Already found in thousands of cinemas and millions of homes worldwide, Dolby Digital is the preferred standard in home theater surround sound today.
Why Dolby
Dolby Digital technology helps you produce and deliver stunning sound on a wide range of platforms, including Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox. The worldwide audio standard for the DVD format, Dolby Digital brings realistic digital audio to gaming via 5.1 discrete channels that immerse gamers in the action. Three front channels provide accurate placement of on-screen sound, and an LFE channel delivers real impact for explosions and other effects that can be felt as well as heard. Dolbys Game Developer Support Program is ready to supply you with everything you need to create stunning audio with Dolby Digital. And for game publishers, we offer a wide range of marketing support options to help you promote your game titles. With Dolby Digital, gaming is more exciting, and more engaging, than ever before.
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Dolby Digital Live

Dolby Digital Live is a real-time audio encoding technology that delivers interactive 5.1-channel Dolby Digital audio from games played on PlayStation3, Xbox, and Xbox 360 consoles. Encodes 5.1-channel audio within the console from the games audio engine into a Dolby Digital output bitstream compatible with all Dolby Digital 5.1 playback systems, including audio/video receivers (AVRs), home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems, and integrated 5.1 speaker systems Enables unparalleled creativity for game developers, including effects placement and movement responsive to game play in real time Delivers an immersing, involving gaming experience faithful to the developers sound design Assigns channels the same as movies and all other 5.1-channel content (Left, Center, Right, Left Surround, Right Surround, and Low-Frequency Effects) Requires no special equipment or technology for developers Needs only one output connector on the console (S/PDIF) Dolby Digital is an advanced audio coding technology that efficiently delivers up to 5.1 discrete channels of surround sound. Widely used throughout the world for cinema, home theater, and broadcasting, it also enables game developers to deliver a vibrant, totally immersing surround sound gaming experience to players with PlayStation 3, Xbox, and Xbox 360 consoles. The key to gaming with interactive, discrete 5.1-channel surround sound is the presence in these consoles of Dolby Digital Live technology. It encodes 5.1-channel audio within the console from the games audio engine into a compact Dolby Digital bitstream in real time. Output from the console via a single S/PDIF connector, the bitstream can be decoded for 5.1-channel surround playback by any device equipped with Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding, including virtually all home theater systems and components, and integrated 5.1 speaker systems. Dolby Digital Live as a standard feature in advanced game consoles makes it both possible and practical for game developers to deliver gaming experiences with unprecedented gamer involvement. Sonic perspectives and effects locations can follow the game action, such as when the player looks in a new direction or another player creeps up from behind. Whatever happens in the 5.1 mix from the games audio engine will be faithfully delivered to the gamer via the same proven Dolby Digital technology that powers cinemas and home theaters worldwide. A further advantage is that game developers need no special equipment or licenses to create games that are compatible with Dolby Digital Live playback. Dolby, however, will upon request provide developers with assistance in assuring the delivery of the gaming experience they intend.
Why Dolby
Dolby Digital Live provides a practical, cost-effective solution for delivering discrete multichannel audio to gamers. For console makers, the need for only one connection to deliver multichannel audio eliminates the cost and real estate that multiple analog connectors would require. For gamers, the use of Dolby Digital 5.1 encoding ensures playback compatibility with virtually all multichannel playback systems, from elaborate home theaters to compact integrated 5.1-channel speaker systems. Together, these and the other benefits of Dolby Digital Live make it practical for game developers to create game audio with 5.1-channel immersion and directionality that can be experienced by the largest number of game players possible worldwide.

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Dolby Headphone
With Dolby Headphone technology, your customers will experience rich, dramatic surround sound over conventional headphones. Delivers realistic 5.1-channel sound from any set of headphones Provides a more comfortable listening experience, reducing listener fatigue Enables superb surround sound from stereo music and movies when combined with Dolby Pro Logic II Dolby Headphone technology, also known as Mobile Surround for mobile devices, accurately creates the sensation of up to five loudspeakers in a room using powerful digital signal processing (DSP) technology. The result is a richer and more natural listening experience over conventional stereo headphones. Dolby Headphone is compatible with native 5.1-channel content. When combined with Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Headphone can transform content from a two-channel source into a surround sound listening experience. When reproducing a source that incorporates Dolby Pro Logic IIz preprocessing, Dolby Headphone provides a 7.1-channel surround sound experience. Dolby Headphone electronically imparts the sonic signature of a corresponding speaker properly placed in a carefully defined acoustic environment to each audio channel (two on stereo programs, and up to five on surround programs). The subwoofer signal (the .1 Low-Frequency Effects [LFE] channel) is mixed into the Left and Right channels in equal proportion. All of this information is combined by the Dolby Headphone processor into two encoded channels that deliver the spatial properties of the original audio, with more natural sounds that actually seem to be out-of-head.
Why Dolby
Dolby Headphones ability to deliver natural, realistic 5.1 surround sound adds a new level of intensity, immersion, and realism to the gaming experience that will make your product a standout. Better yet, with listener fatigue eliminated, gamers can keep playing comfortably for hours and hours. Dolby Headphone technology delivers 5.1-channel surround sound through any pair of headphones. It can be included in almost any device that can process stereo or multichannel audio and has a headphone output. The Dolby Headphone process can be embedded into DSP chips or implemented in software for use in home theater systems, digital TVs, personal computers, and portable devices. Dolby Headphone also offers application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design for higher performance at less cost than a typical DSP solution. From the outset Dolby Headphone technology was designed to encompass all possible audio formats. Conventional stereo, Dolby Surround, and 5.1-channel digital content can all be enhanced for headphone reproduction by the Dolby Headphone process. The result is a far more natural sound over any conventional wired or wireless stereo headset on all programs, from 5.1-channel DVDs to stereo MP3s.
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Dolby Pro Logic II

Dolby Pro Logic II is an advanced matrixing technology that enables thrilling surround sound with games on consoles such as Sonys PlayStation 2 and Nintendos Wii. Allows placement of spot effects anywhere around the players in response to game play Provides compelling five-channel surround sound from music and cut scenes Enables surround playback via the Dolby Pro Logic II decoders in virtually all audio/video receivers (AVRs), home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems, and powered surround speaker systems for PCs and games Assures compatibility with TV sets and other stereo-only playback systems Has very low console MIPS demands Dolby Pro Logic II is a matrix-based technology originally developed to derive five-channel surround sound from spatial cues that occur naturally in stereo content. It soon became a standard feature on AVRs, HTIBs, and powered multichannel PC speaker systems as a flexible, low-cost complement to Dolby Digital 5.1-channel discrete surround technology. Stereo soundtracks, while maintaining compatibility with standard stereo playback, can also be encoded to deliver specific surround and localization effects when played through a Dolby Pro Logic II decoder. As a result, Pro Logic II can be used to deliver effective, involving surround sound via any stereo format including video games. Game developers can take advantage of Dolby Pro Logic II to deliver thrilling surround sound with games for the Sony PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii. Cut scenes and music can be mixed specifically for surround playback, while spot effects can be encoded with coordinates that the game console can use to place the effects anywhere around the player in real time. By connecting the game console via its standard analog stereo output to a surround playback system with Dolby Pro Logic II decoding, gamers can enjoy all the benefits of the developers intended surround effects. When connecting the console to a TV set or other two-channel playback system, gamers enjoy uncompromised stereo sound.
Why Dolby
When DVDs with Dolby Digital 5.1-channel soundtracks were introduced, consumers experienced the thrill of discrete multichannel surround in their homes for the first time. The conventional stereo sound from their other sources paled by comparison, leading to the development of Dolby Pro Logic II to help close the gap. Interactive discrete Dolby Digital 5.1 audio for gaming also became available, but requires considerable console processing power, restricting its use to more elaborate systems such as the PlayStation 3 from Sony and Microsofts Xbox 360. Dolby Pro Logic II, on the other hand, makes few such demands on the game system and is both easy and inexpensive to implement by game developers and console manufactures alike. As a result, it has become popular for delivering interactive surround via systems such as PlayStation 2 and the Wii.
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Dolby Pro Logic IIz

Dolby Pro Logic IIz adds front height channels to surround sound, creating a 7.1 or 9.1 playback system for video games, home music, and movies; this brings enhanced spatial effects and an enveloping, overall airiness to the listening experience. Introduces a new dimension in surround sound listening Includes the proven quality of Dolby Pro Logic IIx, with an added dimension Delivers a compelling new listening experience with a more lifelike soundstage Enables increased flexibility for expanding a 5.1 playback system to a 7.1, or a 7.1 system to a 9.1 Provides a significant competitive differentiator for home entertainment and gaming products By adding front height channels, Dolby Pro Logic IIz creates a 7.1 or 9.1 playback system that enhances the spaciousness of music, movies, and video games, bringing a new dimension to surround sound listening. An additional pair of speakers located above the front left and right speakers enables Dolby Pro Logic IIz to introduce a vertical component to the horizontal soundfield of a conventional 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system. Because it processes only nondirectional sounds for the height channels, Dolby Pro Logic IIz maintains the integrity of the source mix, so the effects are always appropriate to the material. This added dimension complements the sound from the rear surround speakers, increasing spaciousness while staying true to the original intent of the content creator. As is the case in existing Pro Logic IIx technology, the height extensions dont require new kinds of program content to drive the height channel outputs. Instead, the extensions are designed to effectively add depth and dimension to existing program material. Dolby Pro Logic IIz also incorporates an encoding aspect that enables content providers and game developers to maximize the added dimension by creating entertainment with height elements of near-discrete quality. Dolby Pro Logic IIz has an added sound dimension that will blow gamers away and set your products apart by bringing a new level of intensity, immersion, and realism to the gaming experience.
Why Dolby
Dolby Pro Logic IIz gives game developers a powerful new tool for adding true three-dimensional audio effects. Basic effects require no special encoding or separate mixing by the content producer. Includes the capability to encode specific height information in the z-axis for increased realism Identifies and decodes spatial cues that occur naturally in all content Processes low-level, uncorrelated information, such as ambient sound and some amorphous effects, and directs it to the height speakers, creating a more enveloping experience Extensive sound and listening research established that adding a height dimension to a surround sound system brought a greater sense of realism than the addition of surround speakers in the horizontal plane. People are also far more sensitive to directional cues from sounds that occur in front than from those that occur from behind. The conclusion is that front speaker placement is ideal.
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HOME T HE AT ER
Dolby brings the standard for cinema sound and video into any home. Your customers can experience movies, television, and music in high-quality and discrete multichannel surround sound.
Dolby Contrast
Dolby Contrast, a Dolby high-dynamic-range (HDR) technology, makes the HDTV visual experience more compelling than ever before. Dolby Contrast: Enables LCD panels with true blacks, brilliant brights, and more vivid, natural colors Provides significant power savings Includes expert Dolby engineering support Offers access to Dolbys network of partners, accelerating design, development, and manufacturing Dolby Contrast takes picture contrast and quality to new levels of depth and detail. Blacks are deeper. Whites are brighter. And every color and shade in between is more vivid. With Dolby Contrast, the viewer experience is stunningly superior to that of a conventional display. Dolby Contrast overcomes the limitations of LCD panels by employing locally modulated LED backlighting rather than current conventional cold-cathode fluorescent (CCFL) tubes. By locally controlling each portion of the image (also known as local dimming), Dolby Contrast enables strikingly high contrast and produces details otherwise not seen on a conventional display. In addition, Dolby helps you leverage intellectual property (IP) throughout the HDR value chain, from guiding your choice of the best manufacturing partners to utilizing the expertise of Dolby engineers for image optimization and implementation. Dolbys expert video engineering team has more than 100 years of television development and manufacturing experience combined. That matters, because we include engineering support with every Dolby Contrast license. Thus, you can count on us to help you manage the engineering demands that come with developing innovative products, from design through manufacturing.
Why Dolby
LCD TVs deliver a sharp, high-resolution picture. However, they have a limited dynamic range and cannot display true blacks. Dolby Contrast overcomes both limitations. The combination of LED backlighting and proprietary local dimming technology dramatically increases the dynamic range and enables true blacks and far more detail on all other colors. This higher contrast ratio also helps TV sets stand out on the retail floor, which is important when so many displays look so very much alike. Further, when you choose Dolby Contrast you get a complete, end-to-end HDR solution. Dolby works with your team to speed innovative products to market, leveraging our extensive network including a portfolio of HDR intellectual property that includes seven local dimming patents, with more than 100 patents pending worldwide. Dolby also provides comprehensive engineering technical support. While LEDs are quickly surpassing the efficiencies of CCFLs, widespread adoption continues to drive lower LED prices. As a result, Dolby Contrast offers superior image quality at a competitive cost, with the added plus of at least a 20 percent power savings (on average) compared to CCFLs when viewing typical movie content.

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Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital, also referred to as AC-3, is an advanced audio encoding/ decoding technology that efficiently delivers up to 5.1 discrete channels of vibrant surround sound for broadcasting, home theater, cinema, PC, online streaming, and video game programming. Enables the efficient storage and transmission of high-quality 5.1 digital surround sound Immerses audiences in the on-screen action Provides compatibility with millions of existing playback units Dolby Digital ensures that your audience experiences a rich, enveloping surround sound experience by delivering up to 5.1 discrete audio channels. Three front channels (Left, Center, and Right) provide crisp, clean dialogue and accurate placement of on-screen sounds, while twin surround channels (Left Surround and Right Surround) immerse the audience in the action. The Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) channel delivers deep, powerful bass effects that can be felt as well as heard. As it needs only about one-tenth the bandwidth of each of the other channels, the LFE channel is referred to as a .1 channel. Already found in thousands of cinemas and millions of homes worldwide, Dolby Digital is the preferred standard in home theater surround sound today.
Why Dolby
Dolby Digital technology, also known as AC-3, is a sophisticated digital audio encoding technology that provides up to 5.1 channels of enveloping, engaging home theater surround sound. Dolby Digitals coding efficiency lets you deliver high-quality multichannel surround sound without compromising video quality. Thats why Dolby Digital is a designated global audio standard for DVD: virtually every DVD-Video player includes Dolby Digital decoding, with a digital output for 5.1-channel surround sound and stereo outputs for two-channel mixdowns of the Dolby Digital movie soundtrack. Nearly 60 million digital cable and satellite set-top boxes are currently in use worldwide, supported by over 30 million audio/video receivers equipped with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital decoding. Dolby Digital is also a standard audio codec for Blu-ray Disc. Whether high-definition (HD) or standard-definition (SD), all digital television (DTV) broadcasts use Dolby Digital audio in the US, Canada, and other countries that have adopted the ATSC television standard. Dolby Digital audio is also used in some countries, such as Australia, in conjunction with other transmission standards, and is an optional multichannel audio delivery format in DVB and direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasts in Great Britain and Europe. That makes Dolby Digital the preferred multichannel audio standard worldwide for direct broadcast, DTH satellite, and digital cable systems, further expanding the market for home theater systems.
Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator

Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator is an efficient audio coding technology that lets consumers record high-quality Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio on camcorders, digital still cameras, optical disc or hard disk recorders, personal video recorders (PVRs), and DVD-Videos and Blu-ray Discs authored on PCs. Saves substantial space on recording media compared to PCM while maintaining high multichannel audio quality Creates content that can be played through any home theater or other playback system with Dolby Digital decoding Is an audio standard for recording video on DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and AVCHD based camcorders, and digital still cameras Based on the same proven Dolby Digital technology used for movie soundtracks, DVDs, digital cable, digital TV, and more Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator is a version of Dolby Digital perceptual audio coding optimized for consumer applications, making it possible to store high-quality digital sound far more efficiently than it is to store conventional PCM recording. Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator can be built into disc-based camcorders (DVD, AVCHD, Blu-ray Disc, or flash memory), digital still cameras, optical disc recorders, and PVRs. It can also be incorporated into PC software that converts the users final audio mix to Dolby Digital for burning onto a recordable DVD-Video or Blu-ray Disc. Soundtracks with 5.1 channels encoded with Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator can take up less than onefourth the space on recording media required for stereo PCM audio, while audio quality is what consumers have come to expect from Dolby Digital media such as DVD-Videos and DTV broadcasts. A two-channel version, Dolby Digital Stereo Creator, is also available when only stereo audio is required.
Why Dolby
As digital video recording media for consumer use such as camcorders, digital still cameras, and PVRs have grown in popularity, so has the need for more efficient ways to record digital audio. That needto maximize the media space available to record or transmit bit-hungry videois exactly the same faced by developers of commercial media from DVD-Videos to digital TV broadcasting. As a result of its high efficiency and high quality, Dolby Digital has become the preferred audio solution for applications that today include DVD-Video and Blu-ray Disc; digital cable, DBS, and terrestrial digital TV transmission; game consoles; personal computers; home theater and automotive entertainment systems; and digital TV sets. Those same benefits also make Dolby Digital technology an ideal solution for recordable consumer media, particularly since its widespread adoption has led to tens of millions of Dolby Digital compatible playback systems worldwide.
Dolby Digital Plus

Dolby Digital Plus extends the capabilities of Dolby Digital, optimizing sound quality and efficiency for a richer, more compelling audio experience. Delivers scalable sound, optimizing quality and efficiency for available bandwidth Supports a wide range of existing and emerging home theater, broadcast, streamed content, and mobile applications Provides up to 7.1 channels of surround sound for a more involving experience and dramatic special effects Includes compatibility with millions of existing playback systems Dolby Digital Plus is a versatile digital audio coding technology that extends the capabilities of Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital Plus delivers up to 7.1 channels of surround sound, with scalable sound delivery and a wide range of bit rates ensuring optimized sound quality and efficiency for the available bandwidth. These advances are just a few reasons why Dolby Digital Plus delivers a more enveloping audio experience for existing and emerging applications, including new digital broadcast TV formats, Internet-delivered audio, and high-definition video discs.
Dolby Digital Plus for Home Theater

Dolby Digital Plus takes the home theater surround sound experience to the next level by enabling Bluray Disc and other digital formats to deliver more channels, less compression, and higher data rates. Dolby Digital Plus also supports secondary audio applications for interactive BonusView content on Blu-ray Disc.
Why Dolby
With more channels, less compression, and higher bit rates, Dolby Digital Plus helps equipment manufacturers and content producers differentiate their products by delivering a sound experience that some reviewers have described as being virtually transparent to the original source. Delivers up to 7.1 channels of surround sound from Blu-ray Disc players Enables up to 13.1 channels of dynamic sound to support new and emerging content delivery formats Supports interactive Blu-ray Disc features: BonusView, an embedded picture-in-picture option that mixes multichannel secondary audio and video content, and BD-Live, which displays content streamed from the Internet Allows single-cable connection and full application of the A/V receivers digital signal processor (DSP) postprocessing and bass management via HDMI 1.3 data transport Includes complete metadata support and backward compatibility with existing home theaters
Dolby Digital Surround EX

By introducing an additional rear surround audio channel, Dolby Digital Surround EX takes the Dolby Digital 5.1-channel setup one step further, clarifying audio effects that pan from front to back, and creating a more enveloping surround sound experience. Adds a center rear channel to the Dolby Digital 5.1 system for increased cinema realism Supports 6.1-channel home audio playback Enables Dolby Digital Surround EX soundtracks on DVDs to automatically activate EX decoding in a compatibly equipped EX receiver or preamp/processor via a digital flag contained in the bitstream Includes backward compatibility with any Dolby Digital 5.1 cinema installation and millions of existing home playback units Dolby Digital Surround EX adds a third surround channel to the Dolby Digital 5.1 cinema audio format, enabling more precise sound placement, exciting special effects, and a more realistic audio experience. In the cinema, rear-wall surround speakers located directly behind the audience reproduce the additional Surround EX channel, while the Left and Right Surround channels are reproduced by speakers located on the side walls. Home theater setups employ one or two back surround speakers for the additional EX channel. Even if a cinema or home theater system is not equipped with the extra Surround EX rear speakers, the traditional Left and Right Surround channels fill in. This enables content encoded in Dolby Digital Surround EX to be backward-compatible with the thousands of cinemas and millions of homes worldwide that are equipped with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital decoding.
Why Dolby
The cinema versions of feature films originally released in Dolby Digital Surround EX carry the matrix-encoded extra surround audio channel in subsequent DVD releases as well as in 5.1-channel digital satellite and TV broadcasts. For home theater systems with a receiver or preamp/processor with Dolby Digital EX decoding and speakers to support 6.1-channel audio playback, Surround EX soundtracks are heard as they were intended, with increased realism created by the extra surround channel. As the extra channel is matrix-encoded into the Left and Right Surround channels and derived during production from natural cues in the soundtrack, no sonic information is lost in regular 5.1-channel Dolby Digital playback. Current Dolby Digital Surround EX soundtracks contain a digital flag that can automatically activate the EX decoding in a receiver or preamp/processor. For titles released prior to late 2001, EX decoding must be turned on manually.
Dolby Headphone
With Dolby Headphone technology, your customers will experience rich, dramatic surround sound over conventional headphones. Delivers realistic 5.1-channel sound from any set of headphones Provides a more comfortable listening experience, reducing listener fatigue Enables superb surround sound from stereo music and movies when combined with Dolby Pro Logic II Dolby Headphone technology, also known as Mobile Surround for mobile devices, accurately creates the sensation of up to five loudspeakers in a room using powerful digital signal processing (DSP) technology. The result is a richer and more natural listening experience over conventional stereo headphones. Dolby Headphone is compatible with native 5.1-channel content. When combined with Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Headphone can transform content from a two-channel source into a surround sound listening experience. When reproducing a source that incorporates Dolby Pro Logic IIz preprocessing, Dolby Headphone provides a 7.1-channel surround sound experience. Dolby Headphone electronically imparts the sonic signature of a corresponding speaker properly placed in a carefully defined acoustic environment to each audio channel (two on stereo programs, and up to five on surround programs). The subwoofer signal (the .1 Low-Frequency Effects [LFE] channel) is mixed into the Left and Right channels in equal proportion. All of this information is combined by the Dolby Headphone processor into two encoded channels that deliver the spatial properties of the original audio, with more natural sounds that actually seem to be out-of-head.
Why Dolby
With Dolby Headphone technology, your customers will be able to enjoy a private listening experience over conventional headphones that delivers all of the excitement of realistic 5.1 surround sound. Dolby Headphone is compatible with discrete 5.1-channel sources. When used together with Dolby Pro Logic II, it provides a surround sound listening experience from two-channel sources. In addition, in conjunction with content preprocessed with Dolby Pro Logic IIz, Dolby Headphone can deliver a convincing 7.1-channel surround experience. Dolby Headphone technology delivers surround sound through any pair of headphones. It can be included in almost any device that can process stereo or multichannel audio and has a headphone output. The Dolby Headphone process can be embedded into DSP chips or implemented in software for use in home theater A/V receivers and preamp/processors, in digital TVs, and in PCs. Dolby Headphone also offers application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design for higher performance at less cost than a typical DSP solution. From the outset Dolby Headphone technology was designed to encompass all possible audio formats. Conventional stereo, Dolby Surround, and 5.1-channel digital content can all be enhanced for headphone reproduction by the Dolby Headphone process. The result is a far more natural sound over any conventional wired or wireless stereo headset on all programs, from 5.1-channel DVDs to stereo MP3s.
Dolby Pro Logic II

Dolby Pro Logic II is an advanced matrixing technology that delivers convincing, realistic surround sound from stereo content. Provides compelling five-channel surround sound from any stereo program source, including TV broadcasts, movies, video games, and music Delivers natural, realistic surround derived from spatial cues naturally occurring in stereo content; no artificial added effects Complements Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding to ensure a surround experience on all content Dolby Pro Logic II was developed to allow a surround listening experience from stereo content. It delivers five full-range channels (including two surround channels) derived from spatial cues that occur naturally in stereo recordings, soundtracks, and broadcasts. The result is a compelling yet entirely natural and realistic surround effect that is incorporated in virtually all home theater products, including audio/video receivers (AVRs) and home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems. Dolby Pro Logic II technology is also used by broadcasters to encode their stereo signals specifically for Pro Logic II playback. This makes it possible for them to deliver specific surround and localization effects over stereo services that are more like discrete 5.1 transmissions, without compromising regular stereo and mono playback. Later variations of Pro Logic II derive even more (up to 9.1) channels from stereo content. Pro Logic IIx adds back surround channels to the standard 5.1-channel configuration for 7.1 surround, while Pro Logic IIz adds two front height channels that can be used in addition to or instead of the back surrounds in a regular 7.1 setup. In a 9.1-capable receiver or processor, Dolby Pro Logic IIz can expand channel lineup to provide a 9.1 listening environment that includes back surround and front height speakers.
Why Dolby
When DVDs with Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks were first introduced, consumers experienced the thrill of discrete multichannel surround in their homes for the first time. The conventional stereo sound from other sources paled by comparison, leading to the development of Dolby Pro Logic II to help close the gap. While consumers now enjoy discrete Dolby Digital 5.1 audio from more sources (including HDTV), stereo content remains common, sustaining the need for the enhancement provided by Dolby Pro Logic II. All versions of Dolby Pro Logic II are available under license to consumer electronics manufacturers to include in home theater products such as AVRs, HTIBs, sound bar products, and television sets. The technology is available in a wide choice of DSP and IC solutions that also typically implement a variety of surround options including Dolby Digital 5.1.
Dolby Pro Logic IIx

Dolby Pro Logic IIx is an extension of Dolby Pro Logic II matrixing technology that delivers enveloping 6.1 and 7.1 surround sound from both stereo and 5.1 content. Enables 6.1 and 7.1 playback from all stereo and 5.1 content and sources Enriches surround envelopment Enhances spatial depth Improves directionality Provides larger listening area sweet spot Incorporates soundfield tailoring for movies, music, and games Dolby Pro Logic IIx extends the original Dolby Digital Pro Logic II technology, which derives 5.1 surround from stereo programming, to derive 6.1- or 7.1-channel surround from both stereo and 5.1-channel content. Incorporated in an A/V receiver (AVR) or processor, Pro Logic IIx allows the listener to add more surround channels with a convenient and easy-to-use upgrade. Three listening modes tailor the audio to meet the different needs of movie, music, or game sources. The Music mode features additional user controls to adjust the spread of vocals across the front (particularly useful on stereo content) to create a seamless, wraparound surround effect and to set a deeper or shallower surround soundfield.
Why Dolby
When DVDs with Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks were introduced, consumers experienced the thrill of discrete multichannel surround in their homes for the first time. The conventional stereo sound from their other sources paled by comparison, leading to the development of Dolby Pro Logic II to help close the gap. Dolby Pro Logic IIx builds on Pro Logic II technology to enhance not only stereo content, but Dolby Digital 5.1 content as well, from DVDs to HDTV transmissions. The result is a consistent and more compelling surround experience no matter what source and content the listener selects, and an upgrade path for consumers eager to experience a state-of-the-art surround experience. All versions of Dolby Pro Logic II are available under license to consumer electronics manufacturers to include in home theater products such as AVRs, home-theater-in-a-box systems (HTIBs), and television sets. The technology is available in a wide choice of DSP and IC solutions that also typically implement a variety of surround options including Dolby Digital 5.1.
Dolby Pro Logic IIz

Dolby Pro Logic IIz adds front height channels to surround sound, creating a 7.1 or 9.1 playback system for home music, movies, and video games. Dolby Pro Logic IIz brings enhanced spatial effects, added depth, and an overall airiness to the listening experience. Introduces a new dimension in surround sound listening Includes the proven quality of Dolby Pro Logic IIx, with an added dimension of height Enables increased flexibility for expanding a 5.1 playback system to a 7.1, or a 7.1 system to a 9.1 Provides a significant competitive differentiator for audio/video receivers (AVRs) as well as home entertainment and gaming products Offers an encoding aspect for a near-discrete listening experience By adding front height channels, Dolby Pro Logic IIz creates a 7.1 or 9.1 playback system that enhances the spaciousness of music, movies, and video games, bringing a new dimension to surround sound listening. An additional pair of speakers located above the front left and right speakers enables Dolby Pro Logic IIz to introduce a vertical component to the horizontal soundfield of a conventional 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system. Because it processes only nondirectional sounds for the height channels, Dolby Pro Logic IIz maintains the integrity of the source mix, so the effects are always appropriate to the material. This added dimension complements the sound from the rear surround speakers, increasing spaciousness while staying true to the original intent of the content creator. As is the case in existing Pro Logic IIx technology, the height extensions dont require new kinds of program content to drive the height channel outputs. Instead, the extensions are designed to effectively add depth and dimension to existing program material. Dolby Pro Logic IIz also incorporates an encoding aspect that enables content providers and game developers to maximize the added dimension by creating entertainment with height elements of neardiscrete quality. With Dolby Pro Logic IIz, rain in a movie sounds like its actually falling on the listeners roof, concert videos bring a more intense sense of being at the performance, and orchestral works deliver more palpable depth, power, and connection. Thats a home theater experience your customers wont soon forget.
Why Dolby
While 7.1-channel surround sound has taken the home theater experience to new levels, room layouts and space limitations wont allow every setup to accommodate the back speakers of a 7.1 Back system. Dolby Pro Logic IIz solves these problems by adding front height channels through a pair of speakers mounted above the left and right front speakers in a home theater surround sound system. Extensive listening research established that adding a height dimension to a home theater with a 7.1 system brings a greater sense of realism than the addition of surround speakers in the horizontal plane. People are also far more sensitive to directional cues from sounds that occur in front rather than behind. Front speaker placement is the ideal next dimension in home theater surround sound. These added channels also provide the flexibility for designing a surround sound system with up to 9.1 channels. With 9.1-channel AVRs there are even more options, including state-of-the-art 9.1 playback with surround and back speakers, and two front height speakers.
Because Dolby Pro Logic IIz is based on proven Dolby Pro Logic IIx technology, its just as easy to implement in AVRs, with height channels offered as another option on the speaker setup menu. Improves the spatial presentation of current 7.1 surround sound setups Provides the installation flexibility for setups where rear surround sound speakers arent practical, while delivering a dramatic alternative listening perspective Ensures realistic and enveloping sound from music or movie sources Works with original stereo or multichannel sources Requires no special encoding or separate mixing by the content producer Makes speaker positioning and wiring simple Dolby Pro Logic IIz was recognized by Popular Science magazine as one of the top 100 innovations of the year, winning the coveted Best of Whats New award in the Home Entertainment category. Each year, the editors of Popular Science review thousands of products in search of the top 100 tech innovations of the yearbreakthrough products and technologies that represent a significant leap in their categories.
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby TrueHD unleashes the ultimate high-definition audio experience. Delivers 100 percent lossless audio that is bit-for-bit identical to the original studio master Supports up to 24-bit/192 kHz audio in Blu-ray Disc Provides up to 4:1 compression efficiency, maximizing HD disc space and minimizing bandwidth requirements Supports up to 14 channels, with eight-channel playback that takes full advantage of Blu-ray Discs capabilities Developed specifically for high-definition entertainment, Dolby TrueHD is Dolbys new generation, 100 percent lossless technology. Dolby TrueHD brings stunning high-definition sound to the home theater experience, unlocking the full potential of Blu-ray Disc and future HD (streamed) media. Delivering powerful sound that is bit-for-bit identical to that created in the recording studio or mixing stage, Dolby TrueHD brings you as close as it gets to the sound captured at a live concert. High-definition entertainment has now taken a giant leap forward. Dolby TrueHD brings a spacious soundstage, highly realistic effects, and unsurpassed dynamic range to home theaters, so your customers experience studio-quality you are there surround sound.
Why Dolby
With Dolby TrueHDs 100 percent lossless coding technology, equipment manufacturers and content producers can now stand out from the competition by delivering studio-quality surround sound that is identical to the original recording. Transfers data at bit rates of up to 18 Mbps for unmatched sound quality Delivers up to 14 channels of pristine audio Supports Blu-ray Discs standard eight full-range channels of 24-bit/96 kHz audio, and up to 5.1 channels of 24-bit/192 kHz audio Enables High-Definition Media Interface (HDMI) single-cable digital connection for audio and video Expands metadata support to give content creators advanced control over audio playback Supports independent two-channel integration of artists mix content into the bitstream Maintains constant volume levels when changing between Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital programming via dialogue normalization Includes dynamic range control, enabling reduced peak volume levels without loss of overall sound quality
Dolby TrueHD Digital Out

Dolby TrueHD Digital Out unleashes the ultimate high-definition audio experience: Transports Dolby TrueHD bitstreams from Blu-ray Disc players via HDMI 1.3 or later to compatible A/V receivers for decoding Saves the cost of a Dolby TrueHD decoder within the Blu-ray Disc player while enabling 100 percent lossless audio that is bit-for-bit identical to the original studio master from releases with Dolby TrueHD soundtracks Enables single-cable HDMI connection for both HD video and lossless audio, providing easy installation and ultimate performance Dolby TrueHD Digital Out lets you offer an attractive, economical option for Blu-ray Disc players that deliver the true lossless audio performance of Dolby TrueHD to home theater enthusiasts with the latest playback equipment. It saves you and your customers the cost and complexity of a Dolby TrueHD decoder within the Blu-ray Disc player, while enabling the home theater systems that feature built-in Dolby TrueHD decoding to deliver uncompromised lossless, studio masterquality audio from Blu-ray Disc releases with Dolby TrueHD soundtracks. Note: Dolby TrueHD decoding is still needed in a Blu-ray Disc player if you wish to ensure that Dolby TrueHD soundtracks can be combined with the full benefits of advanced Blu-ray Disc features such as BonusView and BD-Live, and experienced through TV sets and legacy home theater systems.
Why Dolby
With Dolby TrueHD Digital Out technology, your products can stand out from the competition by delivering at lower cost studio-quality surround sound that is identical to the original recording. In addition, you can take advantage of the Dolby TrueHD Digital Out logo to signify its presence in your product. This signals to your customers that you have included the latest in the long line of Dolby developments. Dolby TrueHD Digital Out: Transports Dolby TrueHD bitstreams to a compatible A/V receiver via an HDMI 1.3 or later singlecable digital connection for audio and video Transfers data at bit rates of up to 18 Mbps for unmatched sound quality Delivers up to 16 channels of pristine audio Supports Blu-ray Discs standard eight full-range channels of 24-bit/96 kHz audio, and up to 5.1 channels of 24-bit/192 kHz audio
Dolby Vision
Dolby Vision, a Dolby high-dynamic-range (HDR) technology, brings the HDTV visual experience closer to real life than ever before. Dolby Vision: Enables LCDs to display previously unattainable contrast and brightness levels Provides significant power savings compared to conventional LCDs at the same brightness Includes expert Dolby engineering support Offers access to Dolbys network of partners, accelerating design, development, and manufacturing Dolby Vision delivers unmatched picture quality and contrast, with deeper blacks, brighter whites, and more vivid, natural colors. The result is a viewer experience that is stunningly superior to that of watching a conventional display. Both levels of Dolbys HDR technologies, Dolby Contrast and Dolby Vision, overcome the limitations of LCDs by employing locally modulated LED backlighting rather than current conventional coldcathode fluorescent (CCFL) tubes. By locally controlling each portion of the image (also known as local dimming), Dolby Contrast and Dolby Vision enable strikingly high contrast, producing details otherwise not seen on a conventional display. Dolby Vision goes beyond Dolby Contrast, delivering the full dynamic range that nearly matches the maximum of human visual capabilities, extended brightness, and more advanced dynamic range processing via modulation of a more fine-grained grid behind the LCD panel. Dolby also helps you leverage intellectual property throughout the HDR value chain, from guiding your choice of the best manufacturing partners, through utilizing the expertise of Dolby engineers for image optimization and implementation. Dolbys expert video engineering team has 100-plus years of combined television development and manufacturing experience. That matters, because we include engineering support with every Dolby Vision license. So you can count on us to help you manage the engineering demands that come with developing innovative products, from design through manufacturing.
Why Dolby
Conventional LCD TVs deliver a sharp, high-resolution picture. However, they have a limited dynamic range and cannot display true blacks. Dolby Vision overcomes both limitations. The combination of LED backlighting and proprietary local dimming technology dramatically increases the dynamic range and enables true blacks and far more detail in all other colors. With a higher contrast ratio your TV sets will stand out on the retail floor. And thats important when so many displays look so very much alike. Dolby Vision is a complete end-to-end HDR solution. We work with your team to speed innovative products to market, leveraging our extensive network that includes a portfolio of HDR intellectual property, core local dimming patents, and more than 100 patents pending worldwide. We also provide comprehensive engineering technical support.
While LEDs are quickly surpassing the efficiencies of CCFLs, widespread adoption continues to drive lower LED prices. As a result, Dolby Vision offers superior image quality at a competitive cost, with the added value of at least a 20 percent power savings (on average) compared to CCFLs when viewing typical movie content.
Dolby Volume
Dolby Volume is a solution for digital television, home theater equipment, and set-top box (STB) manufacturers that offers their customers a more consistent and satisfying listening experience. Provides consistent volume across all content and input sources Assures a full, rich, and consistent experience at all volume levels Introduces no artifacts or audible side effects Helps consumer electronics manufacturers differentiate their products Dolby Volume is an advanced digital signal processing technology that provides home viewers with a consistent playback volume level across all sources and content, and also ensures a referencequality listening experience at any volume level. The technologies behind Dolby Volume, such as loudness-domain signal processing and auditory scene analysis, use advanced models of human hearing based on psychoacoustics, the science of human hearing. This makes it possible to correct source and content level differences without undesirable artifacts, such as pumping and breathing, introduced by previous compression and expansion techniques. Dolby Volume also actively balances low, middle, and high frequencies in each channel to compensate for the ears changing sensitivity as the playback level is raised or lowered. As a result, the nuances and impact of the original mix are maintained even at low playback levels. When incorporated in products such as digital televisions, audio/video receivers, home-theater-in-abox systems, and STBs, Dolby Volume enhances the entertainment experience by delivering unique listening consistency and listener satisfaction.
Why Dolby
In todays increasingly cost-conscious and competitive home entertainment marketplace, consumer electronics manufacturers are more in need than ever of new technologies to distinguish their products and offer consumers genuinely useful solutions. Dolby Volume is just such a solution for TV sets, STBs, audio/video receivers, and home-theater-in-a box systems. Dolby Volume eliminates a major complaint of home viewers: the need to constantly adjust the volume as they change channels, content, and program sources. It also takes care of a more subtle problem: the loss of richness and details, such as surround effects, at normal home playback levels compared to the high levels used in studios where content is created. Based on years of research into the science of psychoacoustics, Dolby Volume lets viewers set and forget their volume controls, and enjoy full, accurate reproduction at even low playback levels. It offers a particularly user-friendly solution for TV set and home theater equipment manufacturers striving to set their products apart. It also features the Dolby brand, widely trusted and recognized as a key to the best in audio quality.
MOBIL E
From content creation to distribution to playback, Dolby improves mobile media every step of the way.
Dolby Mobile
The Sound of HD
Dolby Mobile is designed to give consumers a rich, full-impact audio experience right out of the box for movies, videos, and music. For the first time, consumers can enjoy no-compromise multichannel audio that will rival anything theyve heard before. Designed for easy, flexible implementation, Dolby Mobile allows device makers to enable a multitude of stunning audio settings, including full 5.1-channel HD audio. Dolby helps tune these settings to the mobile device and type of content, so consumers know to expect incredible audio when they press the Dolby button to activate Dolby Mobile. And because some consumers like having options for controlling their mobile entertainment even further, Dolby Mobile enables the creation of custom preset audio settings, too. Manufacturers choose the degree of customization to include in their mobile devices, as well as which presets and Dolby Mobile features to include.
Why Dolby
Dolby Mobile has the tools to elevate the audio entertainment experience, whether its movies, videos, or music. A handset equipped with Dolby Mobile can include a combination of the following features: Dolby Digital Plus decodertransforms the capabilities of the device, enabling HD 5.1-channel sound for headphone playback or HDMI play-out, and compatible with E-AC-3 and AC-3 content Dolby Pulse decoderHE AAC compatible and works perfectly with Dolby Mobile, enabling an optimal experience for over-the-air content Mobile Surroundprovides a stunning 5.1 surround sound experience over any pair of stereo headphones Sound Space Expanderdelivers a wide, spacious soundstage for a rich listening experience from speakers Sound Space for Headphonesadds spaciousness and impact to headphone listening from stereo content Natural Bassprovides clean, powerful bass extension High-Frequency Enhanceradds back high-frequency audio that may be missing from compressed content Mono-to-Stereo Creatoradds depth to the playback of mono content that users download or create Sound Level Controllermaintains a consistent audio playback level so users can set and forget the volume control Graphic EQequalizes audio with two to six user-adjustable bands
MOBILE 42
PC
Dolby technologies give customers an advanced set of audio tools that transform any personal computer into a digital entertainment center.
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital, also referred to as AC-3, is an advanced audio encoding/ decoding technology that efficiently delivers up to 5.1 discrete channels of vibrant surround sound for broadcasting, home theater, cinema, PC, online streaming, and video game programming. Enables the efficient storage and transmission of high-quality 5.1 digital surround sound Immerses audiences in the on-screen action Provides compatibility with millions of existing playback units Dolby Digital ensures that your audience experiences a rich, enveloping surround sound experience by delivering up to 5.1 discrete audio channels. Three front channels (Left, Center, and Right) provide crisp, clean dialogue and accurate placement of on-screen sounds, while twin surround channels (Left Surround and Right Surround) immerse the audience in the action. The Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) channel delivers deep, powerful bass effects that can be felt as well as heard. As it needs only about one-tenth the bandwidth of each of the other channels, the LFE channel is referred to as a .1 channel. Already found in thousands of cinemas and millions of homes worldwide, Dolby Digital is the preferred standard in home theater surround sound today.
Why Dolby
Dolby Digital technology is a sophisticated digital audio encoding technology that provides up to 5.1 channels of enveloping, engaging home theater surround sound. Dolby Digitals coding efficiency lets content creators deliver high-quality multichannel surround sound without compromising video quality. Thats why Dolby Digital is a global multichannel audio standard for DVD: virtually every DVD-Video player includes Dolby Digital decoding, with a digital output for 5.1-channel surround sound and stereo outputs for two-channel mixdowns of the Dolby Digital movie soundtrack. In PCs, Dolby Digital decoding capability can add significant user benefits. For a PC equipped to play DVD-Video discs, Dolby Digital decoding allows the user to experience the full audio capabilities of a DVD soundtrack, either through its own speakers or through an external speaker setup. Gamers will enjoy similar benefits, as many video games for the PC include Dolby Digital soundtracks. Additionally, PCs that include Dolby Digital decoding will also give users the full audio experience from streamed online content that includes Dolby Digital soundtracks. Depending on their connection options, PCs with Dolby Digital decoding can function as fullfeatured DVD players or video game centers for home theater setups. Dolby Digital is also a standard audio codec for Blu-ray Disc. For PCs with Blu-ray Disc drives, Dolby Digital enables 5.1-channel surround sound playback.
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Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator

Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator is an efficient audio coding technology that lets consumers record highquality Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio on camcorders, digital still cameras, optical disc or hard disk recorders, personal video recorders (PVRs), and DVD-Videos and Blu-ray Discs authored on PCs. Saves substantial space on recording media compared to PCM while maintaining high multichannel audio quality Creates content that can be played through any home theater or other playback system with Dolby Digital decoding Is an audio standard for recording video on DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and AVCHD based camcorders, and digital still cameras Based on the same proven Dolby Digital technology used for movie soundtracks, DVDs, digital cable, digital TV, and more Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator is a version of Dolby Digital perceptual audio coding optimized for consumer applications, making it possible to store high-quality digital sound far more efficiently than it is to store conventional PCM recording. Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator can be built into disc-based camcorders (DVD, AVCHD, Blu-ray Disc, or flash memory), digital still cameras, optical disc recorders, and PVRs. It can also be incorporated into PC software that converts the users final audio mix to Dolby Digital for burning onto a recordable DVD-Video or Blu-ray Disc. Soundtracks with 5.1 channels encoded with Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator can take up less than onefourth the space on recording media required for stereo PCM audio, while audio quality is what consumers have come to expect from Dolby Digital media such as DVD-Videos and DTV broadcasts. A two-channel version, Dolby Digital Stereo Creator, is also available when only stereo audio is required.
Why Dolby
As digital video recording grows rapidly in popularity, so does the use of the PC as a video editing and production tool. With increasingly sophisticated video editing and production software available for a wide range of PCs, users are discovering that they can create home movies with a high level of technical quality. They are also discovering the importance of the audio to the overall video quality. Incorporating Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator into a PC allows users to add Dolby Digital soundtracks with up to 5.1 channels to their home movies. PC users can burn their videos onto DVD-Video or Blu-ray Discs. Benefits of using Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator include the following: It provides playback compatibility with the many millions of home theater systems worldwide that already incorporate Dolby Digital technology It delivers high efficiency encoding so that 5.1-channel soundtracks occupy minimal disc space It enables users to add a professional touch to their videos, with up to 5.1 channels of surround sound
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Dolby Digital EX
Dolby Digital EX introduces a center rear channel to 5.1-channel home playback, expanding the surround sound experience to 6.1 channels. Adds a center rear channel to Dolby Digital 5.1 playback for increased realism Supports playback on 6.1- or 7.1-channel speaker systems Enables Dolby Digital EX soundtracks on discs to automatically activate the EX decoding via a digital flag Provides backward compatibility with millions of existing home playback systems Dolby Digital EX is the home theater implementation of Dolby Digital Surround EX technology, which was created for the cinema. Dolby Digital EX adds a third surround channel to the Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio format, enabling more precise sound placement, exciting special effects, and a more realistic listening experience. Surround sound setups can use one or two back surround speakers for the additional channel. When two back surround speakers are used (as in 7.1-channel systems), they reproduce the same mono signal but provide better coverage and improved effects. Dolby Digital EX is backward-compatible with all systems equipped with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital encoding. Soundtracks encoded in Dolby Digital EX play normally on 5.1-channel systems with no loss of sonic information.
Why Dolby
Feature films originally released in Dolby Digital EX carry the encoded extra surround channel in their subsequent DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases, as well as onto 5.1-channel digital satellite, cable, and TV broadcasts. Including Dolby Digital EX decoding in a PC allows it to serve as a source component for 6.1- or 7.1-channel playback through external (self-powered) speaker systems. Users of PCs that include Dolby Digital EX will get the added audio benefits of Surround EX soundtracks, with the heightened effects and increased realism created by the extra surround channel. Dolby Digital EX offers complete compatibility with all Dolby Digital sources for the PC. Content encoded in 5.1-channel Dolby Digital plays back normally.
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Dolby Digital Live

Dolby Digital Live is a real-time technology that converts any audio signal into Dolby Digital for easy connection to home theater systems through a single digital cable. Converts PC or game audio signals to a Dolby Digital signal in real time Maintains compatibility with the millions of consumer systems that support Dolby Digital Provides an easy single-cable connection to A/V receivers, HTIB systems, and integrated 5.1-channel speaker systems Dolby Digital is an advanced audio coding technology that efficiently delivers up to 5.1 discrete channels of surround sound. Dolby Digital is widely used throughout the world for cinema, home theater, and broadcasting. Most home theater A/V receivers incorporate Dolby Digital technology. Dolby Digital Live is an implementation of Dolby Digital encoding that enables a PC to serve as a source component for a home theater system. Dolby Digital Live converts any PC audio signalfrom a CD, a DVD, streamed content, and gamesto a Dolby Digital signal. Dolby Digital Live encodes the signal into a compact Dolby Digital bitstream in real time. The signal is sent from the PC to the home theater system via a single digital cable (S/PDIF), eliminating the confusion and hassle of multiple cables. The connection also ensures the quality of the audio signal.
Why Dolby
As PCs become multimedia hubs, consumers increasingly rely on them for entertainment. However, native PC audio does not reach the levels of quality that can be attained by a full home theater system. Dolby Digital Live provides a practical, cost-effective solution for delivering discrete multichannel audio from a PC to a home theater system. Dolby Digital Live adds to the versatility and functionality of a PC as a multimedia source component. Dolby Digital Live ensures playback compatibility with nearly all multichannel playback systems, from elaborate home theaters to compact, integrated 5.1-channel speaker systems. From a hardware standpoint, the single S/PDIF digital connection is easier and less expensive to implement than multiple analog connectors. Dolby Digital Live is part of Dolby Home Theater v3. It is also available for license as an individual technology.
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Dolby Digital Plus

Dolby Digital Plus extends the capabilities of Dolby Digital technology, optimizing sound quality and efficiency for a richer, more compelling audio experience. Scalable and extensible, optimizes audio quality and efficiency for available bandwidth Supports a wide range of existing and emerging home theater, broadcast, online, and mobile applications Provides up to 7.1 channels of surround sound for a more involving experience and dramatic special effects Is fully compatible with all audio encoded in Dolby Digital Enables compatibility with millions of existing home theater systems via simple conversion to Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Plus is a versatile, scalable digital audio coding technology that extends the capabilities of Dolby Digital. It delivers up to 7.1 channels of surround sound and supports a wide range of bit rates that ensure optimized sound quality and efficiency to match available bandwidth. It also enables advanced applications such as multiple-program support and audio stream mixing. These advances are just a few reasons why Dolby Digital Plus delivers a more enveloping audio experience for existing and emerging applications, including new digital broadcast TV formats, Internet-delivered audio, and high-definition video discs.
Why Dolby
Dolby Digital Plus delivers premium-quality surround sound to the PC, improving the listening experience of downloaded and streamed media, Blu-ray Disc, and digital TV. With support for up to 7.1 channels of audio, it complements high-definition video, unlocking the full audio potential of streamed and downloaded media, as well as HD broadcasts. Dolby Digital Plus is also fully compatible with all audio content encoded in Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital Plus is supported by Microsoft Windows 7 and is included in the Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate editions. Dolby Digital Plus helps a PC serve as a full-featured center of an advanced home audio system. It allows connection to the home theater system via HDMI through a single cable. Through a simple conversion to Dolby Digital, it also allows connection via S/PDIF to legacy home theater systems.
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Dolby Digital Stereo Creator

Dolby Digital Stereo Creator is an efficient audio coding technology that lets consumers record high-quality Dolby Digital stereo audio on a variety of digital media, including DVD-Videos and Blu-ray Discs authored on PCs. Saves substantial space on recording media compared to PCM while maintaining high audio quality Creates content that can be played through any home theater or other playback system with Dolby Digital decoding Is an audio standard for recording video on AVCHD-based camcorders and digital still cameras Based on the same Dolby Digital technology used for movie soundtracks, DVDs, digital cable, digital TV, and more Dolby Digital Stereo Creator is a version of Dolby Digital perceptual audio coding optimized for consumer applications, making it possible to store high-quality digital sound far more efficiently than it is to store conventional PCM recording. Dolby Digital Stereo Creator can be built into disc-based camcorders (DVD, AVCHD, Blu-ray Disc, or flash memory), digital still cameras, optical disc recorders, and PVRs. It can also be incorporated into PC software that converts the users final audio mix to Dolby Digital for burning onto a recordable DVD-Video or Blu-ray Disc. Stereo soundtracks encoded with Dolby Digital Stereo Creator can take up less than one-tenth the space required for stereo PCM audio, while audio quality is what consumers have come to expect from Dolby Digital media such as DVD-Videos and DTV broadcasts. A multichannel version, Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator, is also available for recording discrete surround sound audio.
Why Dolby
As digital video recording grows rapidly in popularity, so does the use of the PC as a video editing and production tool. With increasingly sophisticated video editing and production software available for a wide range of PCs, users are discovering that they can create home movies with a high level of technical quality. They are also discovering the importance of the audio to the overall video quality. Incorporating Dolby Digital Stereo Creator into a PC allows users to add Dolby Digital stereo soundtracks to their home movies. PC users can burn their videos onto DVD-Video or Blu-ray Discs. These discs will play back properly on nearly any DVD or Blu-ray Disc player. Benefits of using Dolby Digital Stereo Creator include the following: It provides playback compatibility with the many millions of home theater systems worldwide that already incorporate Dolby Digital technology. It delivers high efficiency encoding so that soundtracks occupy minimal disc space. It enables users to add a professional touch to their videos with high-quality stereo sound.
PC 49
Dolby Headphone
With Dolby Headphone technology, your customers will experience rich, dramatic surround sound over conventional headphones. Delivers realistic 5.1-channel sound from any set of headphones Provides a more comfortable listening experience, reducing listener fatigue Enables superb surround sound from stereo music and movies when combined with Dolby Pro Logic II Dolby Headphone accurately creates the sensation of up to five loudspeakers in a room using powerful digital signal processing (DSP) technology. The result is a richer and more natural listening experience over conventional stereo headphones. Dolby Headphone is compatible with native 5.1-channel content. When combined with Dolby Pro Logic II technology, Dolby Headphone can transform content from a two-channel source into a surround sound listening experience. When reproducing a source that incorporates Dolby Pro Logic IIz preprocessing, Dolby Headphone provides a 7.1-channel surround sound experience. Dolby Headphone electronically imparts the sonic signature of a corresponding speaker properly placed in a carefully defined acoustic environment to each audio channel (two on stereo programs, and up to five on surround programs). The subwoofer signal (the .1 Low-Frequency Effects [LFE] channel) is mixed into the Left and Right channels in equal proportion. All of this information is combined by the Dolby Headphone processor into two encoded channels that deliver the spatial properties of the original audio, with more natural sounds that actually seem to be out-of-head.
Why Dolby
Youll set your PCs apart from the competition by including Dolby Headphone technology. Your customers will experience richer, more natural sound, and enjoy a more memorable product experience. Even better, Dolby Headphone eliminates the listener fatigue phenomenon common to headphones, replacing it with a spacious and natural soundfield that listeners can enjoy for hours. Dolby Headphone technology delivers multichannel surround sound through any pair of headphones. It can be included in any desktop or laptop, and it can transform a netbook from a Web surfing tool into a portable entertainment platform. The Dolby Headphone process can be embedded into DSP chips or implemented in software for personal computers. From the outset Dolby Headphone technology was designed to encompass all possible audio formats. Conventional stereo, Dolby Surround, and 5.1-channel digital content can all be enhanced for headphone reproduction by the Dolby Headphone process. The result is a far more natural sound over any conventional wired or wireless stereo headset on all programs, from 5.1-channel DVDs to stereo MP3s. In addition, in conjunction with content preprocessed with Dolby Pro Logic IIz, Dolby Headphone can deliver a convincing 7.1-channel surround experience.
PC 50
Dolby Pro Logic II

Dolby Pro Logic II is an advanced matrixing technology that delivers convincing, realistic surround sound from stereo content. Provides compelling five-channel surround sound from any stereo program source, including TV broadcasts, movies, video games, and music Delivers natural, realistic surround derived from spatial cues naturally occurring in stereo content; no artificial added effects Complements Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding to ensure a surround experience on all content Dolby Pro Logic II was developed to allow a surround listening experience from stereo content. It delivers five full-range channels (including two surround channels) derived from spatial cues that occur naturally in stereo recordings, soundtracks, and broadcasts. The result is a compelling yet entirely natural and realistic surround effect that is incorporated in virtually all home theater products, including audio/video receivers (AVRs) and home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems. Dolby Pro Logic II technology is also used by broadcasters to encode their stereo signals specifically for Pro Logic II playback. This makes it possible for them to deliver specific surround and localization effects over stereo services that are more like discrete 5.1 transmissions, without compromising regular stereo and mono playback.
Why Dolby
As PCs become multimedia hubs, consumers increasingly rely on them for entertainment, which has increased the demand for surround sound capability on the PC. Yet many PC audio sources including streamed or downloaded audio in MP3 and AAC formats, CDs, many games, and even some DVD soundtracksare two-channel. Dolby Pro Logic II creates realistic and natural 5.1-channel surround sound from these sources. Dolby Pro Logic II is fully compatible with other Dolby Pro Logic technologies. It provides optimal playback for the many TV shows available online and the many PC video games that have been encoded in Dolby Surround. Dolby Pro Logic II works especially well with Dolby Headphone to provide a personal surround sound experience. It also works with the built-in speakers on a PC, or with external speakers or component systems connected to the PCs audio outputs. We license Dolby Pro Logic II to PC manufacturers and also to PC soundcard manufacturers.
PC 51
Dolby Pro Logic IIx

Dolby Pro Logic IIx is an extension of Dolby Pro Logic II matrixing technology that delivers enveloping 6.1 and 7.1 surround sound from both stereo and 5.1 content. Enables 6.1 and 7.1 playback from all stereo and 5.1 content and sources Enriches surround envelopment Enhances spatial depth Improves directionality Provides larger listening area sweet spot Incorporates soundfield tailoring for movies, music, and games Dolby Pro Logic IIx extends the original Dolby Pro Logic II technology, which derives 5.1 surround from stereo programming, to derive 6.1- or 7.1-channel surround from both stereo and 5.1-channel content. Incorporated in an A/V receiver (AVR) or processor, Pro Logic IIx allows the listener to add more surround channels with a convenient and easy-to-use upgrade. Three listening modes tailor the audio to meet the different needs of movie, music, or game sources. The Music mode features additional user controls to adjust the spread of vocals across the front (particularly useful on stereo content) to create a seamless, wraparound surround effect and to set a deeper or shallower surround soundfield.
Why Dolby
Consumers increasingly rely on their PCs for entertainment. PCs are becoming multimedia hubs and even central components in home entertainment systems. With the proliferation of online and PC media content, PC users have come to expect high-quality audio. In particular, the inclusion of DVD players in many PCs has generated demand for surround sound capability. Yet many PC audio sources are two-channel stereo. These include streamed or downloaded audio in MP3 and AAC formats, CDs, many games, and even some DVD soundtracks. Dolby Pro Logic IIx creates realistic and natural surround sound from these sources. Dolby Pro Logic IIx is an advanced matrix-decoding technology. It works with any PC audio source, converting stereo to up to 7.1 channels of surround sound. It can also expand a native 5.1-channel DVD soundtrack to 6.1 or 7.1 channels. Dolby Pro Logic IIx works with the built-in speakers on a PC, or with external speakers or component systems connected to the PCs audio outputs. Dolby Pro Logic IIx is part of Dolby Home Theater v3. A PC incorporating Dolby Home Theater v3 can serve as a stand-alone entertainment center or as the hub of a complete home theater surround sound setup.
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Dolby TrueHD
Dolby TrueHD unleashes the ultimate high-definition audio experience. Delivers 100 percent lossless audio that is bit-for-bit identical to the original studio master Supports up to eight channels of 24-bit/96 kHz audio playback on Blu-ray Disc Provides up to 4:1 compression efficiency, maximizing HD disc space and minimizing bandwidth requirements Developed specifically for high-definition entertainment, Dolby TrueHD is Dolbys new-generation, 100 percent lossless technology. Dolby TrueHD brings stunning high-definition sound to the home theater experience, unlocking the full potential of Blu-ray Disc and future HD (streamed) media. Dolby TrueHD delivers powerful sound that is bit-for-bit identical to that created in the recording studio or mixing stage, and to that captured at a live concert. High-definition entertainment has now taken a giant leap forward.
Why Dolby
For PCs with built-in Blu-ray Disc players or burners or with provision for external Blu-ray Disc drives, Dolby TrueHD unlocks the full audio capabilities of the format. Enables a PC to serve as a full-featured center of an advanced home theater system Supports Blu-ray Discs standard eight full-range channels of 24-bit/96 kHz audio, and up to 5.1 channels of 24-bit/192 kHz audio Enables HDMI single-cable digital connection for audio and video Transfers data at bit rates of up to 18 Mbps for unmatched sound quality Dolby TrueHD brings a spacious soundstage, highly realistic effects, and unsurpassed dynamic range to home theaters, so your customers experience studio-quality you are there surround sound. By achieving compression ratios of as much as 4:1, Dolby TrueHD lets content producers deliver the ultimate in sound quality while minimizing bandwidth and storage requirements. Additional Dolby TrueHD Features Expands metadata support to give content creators advanced control over audio playback Supports independent two-channel integration of artists mix content into the bitstream Maintains constant volume levels when changing between Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital programming via dialogue normalization Includes dynamic range control, enabling reduced peak volume levels without the loss of overall sound quality
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Dolby Virtual Speaker

Dolby Virtual Speaker delivers a full surround sound experience from two stereo speakers. Creates a realistic illusion of a 5.1-channel surround sound system Works with any pair of stereo speakers Offers high sound quality and long-term listening comfort Dolby Virtual Speaker is a highly sophisticated, reference-quality virtual technology that delivers a full, realistic, and natural surround sound experience from just two stereo speakers. Dolby Virtual Speaker gives listeners the feeling of sound coming from all around them. It works with any material in any format, from 5.1-channel Blu-ray Disc and DVD movies, music CDs, MP3 files, video games, and broadcast programming. Typical surround systems have five main speakers, plus an optional subwoofer. Generally, the Left, Center, and Right channels are reproduced by speakers across the front of the listening area, while the surround effects are reproduced by two additional speakers at the sides or rear. Dolby Virtual Speaker creates the same effect through a pair of stereo speakers, as if the audio was reproduced by a perfectly set up 5.1-channel system. Dolby Virtual Speaker delivers reference-quality, highly natural surround sound and does not create listener fatigue. In fact, it is designed for long-term listening enjoyment.
Why Dolby
Dolby Virtual Speaker adds meaningful value to a PC, enabling any PC with built-in stereo speakers or a stereo audio output to deliver a surround sound experience. Laptop users can enjoy virtual surround sound just about anywhere. For stationary PC setups (laptop or desktop), Dolby Virtual Speaker also delivers the surround experience through external speakers, including those built in to some displays. Dolby Virtual Speaker works with any PC multichannel audio source, and with any PC stereo source when integrated with Dolby Pro Logic II or Dolby Pro Logic IIx decoding.
Dolby, Dolby Home Theater, Pro Logic, and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Surround EX is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. 2010 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. S10/22793 PC 54

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Dolby Technologies

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Dolby Digital Plus

Dolby Digital Plus for Broadcast

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Dolby Pro Logic II

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Dolby 3D Digital Cinema

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Dolby Digital Products for Exhibitors

Dolby Digital Mastering for Studios

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Dolby Digital Cinema

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Dolby Digital Surround EX

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Dolby Digital Live

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Dolby Pro Logic II

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Dolby Pro Logic IIz

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Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator

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Dolby Digital Plus

Dolby Digital Plus for Home Theater

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Dolby Digital Surround EX

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Dolby Pro Logic II

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Dolby Pro Logic IIx

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Dolby Pro Logic IIz

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Dolby TrueHD Digital Out

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Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator

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Dolby Digital Live

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Dolby Digital Plus

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Dolby Digital Stereo Creator

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Dolby Pro Logic II

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Dolby Pro Logic IIx