Mar 23, 2009 08:00 ET
New Dolby Multistream Decoder Bridges HE AAC and Dolby Digital Plus Standards
Flexible Solution for New European HDTV Broadcasting
Specifications and Next-Generation Broadcast Services
SAN FRANCISCO --(Business Wire)-- Mar 23, 2009
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) announced today the new Dolby®
Multistream Decoder, a licensable multiformat audio decoding technology
that supports Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Pulse in a single
package for next generation HDTVs and set top boxes.
In Europe, various industry groups such as Digital Video Broadcasting,
the European Broadcasting Union and DIGITALEUROPE (formerly known as
EICTA) have recommended Dolby Digital Plus and HE AAC as the audio
coding systems for next-generation broadcast transmissions. In addition,
individual national forums have specified these audio systems for their
respective HD formats. Dolby Digital Plus decoding brings premium audio
support and full compatibility with existing Dolby Digital broadcasts.
Dolby Pulse (Dolby’s implementation of HE AAC) can extend the Dolby
experience to an even wider range of bandwidth constrained services and
new online opportunities.
The new decoder, also known as the Dolby MS10 Multistream Decoder,
decodes both Dolby Digital Plus and HE AAC audio and therefore can
assist manufacturers in meeting new MPEG-4 terrestrial receiver
specifications in several European countries, including Denmark, France,
Ireland, Italy, Norway (HE AAC only with transcoder), Spain, Sweden,
and the United Kingdom. It also enables new audio mixing options to
enhance presentation for viewers with vision impairments, as required or
recommended in several European countries, including Sweden and the UK.
“We’re confident that the Dolby Multistream Decoder will not only aid
manufacturers in reducing the cost and complexity of integrating audio
technologies into their TVs and set top boxes, but it also will aid
greatly in simplifying product development and testing,” said Tom Daily,
Senior Director of Marketing, Broadcast Segment at Dolby Laboratories,
Inc.
Other key benefits of the Dolby Multistream Decoder include:
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Full compatibility with Dolby metadata and consumers’ existing DVD
home cinema systems with all Dolby and HE AAC transmission formats
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Full multichannel support (transcoder) for Dolby Pulse in addition to
Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus decoding and conversion—one Dolby
Digital output for all input formats
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Support for audio description services delivered “receiver-mix” style
using two simultaneous instances of Dolby Pulse, Dolby Digital, or
Dolby Digital Plus decoders, respectively—all for the price of a
single decoder instance
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Support for multiprogram Dolby Digital Plus streams (main and
associated audio delivered in the same audio stream)
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Ability to decode AAC, HE AAC v.1, and HE AAC v.2 bitstreams
Dolby MS10 Multistream Decoder implementation and system kits are
available starting today. For more information, please visit www.dolby.com/ms10.
Dolby Pulse
Dolby Pulse is the newest addition to Dolby’s comprehensive portfolio of
high-quality audio technologies, and is designed to meet the varying
needs of broadcasters and operators in different regions. Complementing
Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Pulse addresses
next-generation applications where bandwidth efficiency is critical.
Based on a consistent code base and equipped with support of various
metadata, Dolby Pulse is designed to provide consistent and predictable
results throughout the broadcast chain.
Because it is based on the AAC family of codecs, a Dolby Pulse decoder
can decode AAC, HE AAC v.1, and HE AAC v.2 bitstreams. Dolby Pulse
stands apart from the standard MPEG-4 HE AAC core because it integrates
all the metadata parameters as required to be considered a broadcast
audio system, like Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Digital.
Dolby Pulse also offers significant improvements in the following areas:
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Decoder stability: Offers highly optimized switching times between
channel configurations and improved reliability when used in a system
with Dolby Pulse encoders
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Error concealment: Ensures reliable broadcast audio performance
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Decoder requirements in terms of memory and computational complexity:
Dolby Pulse decoding within the Dolby Multistream Decoder platform is
integrated into a combined code base that is optimized for H.264
system-on-chip architectures
-
Encoder audio quality: Offers superior audio quality compared to other
parametric audio codecs
About Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB) is the global leader in technologies that
are essential elements in the best entertainment experiences. Founded in
1965 and best known for high-quality audio and surround sound, Dolby
creates innovations that enrich entertainment at the movies, at home, or
on the go. Visit www.dolby.com
for more information.
Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding
the performance, capabilities, and impact of the Dolby Multistream
Decoder, Dolby Pulse and Dolby Digital Plus; the anticipated or
potential benefits that manufacturers, broadcasters, and consumers may
derive from these technologies; Dolby's expectations that Dolby Pulse
will extend the Dolby experience to an even wider range of bandwidth
constrained services and new online opportunities; Dolby's expectations
that the Dolby multistream decoder will aid manufacturers in reducing
the cost and complexity of integrating audio technologies into their TVs
and set top boxes and also aid greatly in simplifying product
development and testing; and the demand for these technologies, are
"forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and
uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on
management's current expectations. The following important factors,
without limitation, could cause actual results to differ materially from
those in the forward-looking statements: risks that the Dolby
Multistream Decoder may not perform as anticipated; risks associated
with building market acceptance for audio technologies in general and
Dolby technologies in particular; risks that the Dolby Multistream
Decoder will not be extended into a host of new devices and services and
implemented across the broadcast chain; competition in the market for
audio technologies; rapid changes in technical requirements for audio
technologies; and other risks detailed in Dolby's Securities and
Exchange Commission filings and reports, including the risks identified
under the section captioned "Risk Factors" in its most recent Periodic
Report on Form 10-Q or 10-K. Dolby disclaims any obligation to update
information contained in these forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Dolby and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby
Laboratories. S09/21100 DLB-G
Dolby Laboratories
David Yang, 415-645-5679 (Media)
dyang@dolby.com