Dolby Digital Sound on HD DVD and Blu - ray Explained

Has a long history in the movies, and is probably one of the most recognizable brands in the industry when it comes
to sound technology.

Not only is Dolby involved in the sound reproduction in movie theaters, it can be found on most DVDs. It is the most
common sound format on DVD, and most all current A/V receivers and processors are capable of decoding the
Dolby Digital format. However, some technical limitations of the sound format on DVD causes it to run in second
place in the eyes (and ears) of many reviewers and enthusiasts to DTS Digital when both formats are available on
DVDs.

The introduction of high definition disc formats allows many of those limitations to be removed. The additional
storage capacity of these new formats provide for higher quality options to be available to the movie studios creating
HD DVD and Blu-ray discs.

Below is a summary of the Dolby Digital formats that are possible on HD DVD and Blu-ray discs.

Dolby Digital is the multi-channel sound technology used on most all DVDs. It is capable of delivering 5.1 channels
of sound, with five full-bandwidth channels with 3 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range for Front Left and Right, Center, and
Surround, plus one "Low Frequency Effects" (LFE) subwoofer channel devoted to frequencies from 3 to 120 Hz.

On DVD, Dolby Digital is limited to a bit rate of 448 kbps. On HD DVD, it is limited to a slightly higher bit rate of 504
kpbs. Blu-ray is capable of transporting Dolby Digital at a bit rate of 640 kbps. (By comparison, Dolby Digital in movie
theaters is limited to 320 kbps)
On HD DVD, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, or Dolby TrueHD may be used as the sole soundtrack on the disc, as
every player will have a decoder capable of processing any of those three bitstreams.

On Blu-ray, a Dolby Digital soundtrack is mandatory, while Dolby Digital Plus is optional. If a Blu-ray disc has a
Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD bitstream, there will also be a Dolby Digital track to ensure downward
compatibility.
For more information, visit the Dolby web site: "Dolby Digital"

Dolby Digital EX is an extension of Dolby Digital which provides for an additional rear surround channel of sound to
be encoded into the Dolby Digital soundtrack.
This additional channel is matrixed into the left and right surround channels, and is therefore not a discrete channel.
Not all movies are encoded with a Dolby Digital EX soundtrack.
With the release of Dolby Digital Plus for HD DVD and Blu-ray, we cannot see much of a use for this method to be
used when Dolby Digital Plus offers up to 7.1 channels of discrete sound. Thus, you probably won't see much of this
sound format on HD DVD and Blu-ray releases.

Dolby Digital Plus is the next generation of Dolby Digital for high definition programming and media. It is capable of
delivering up to 7.1 channels of sound at data rates as high as 6 Mbps.
At this time, HD DVD limits bit rate performance to 3 Mbps and Blu-ray limits it to 1.7 Mbps.

Dolby Digital Plus can be transmitted via HDMI 1.3 or above for single cable audio and video to A/V receivers,
switchers, and display devices. For those not capable of decoding Dolby Digital Plus, the audio can be sent as the
core Dolby Digital audio format over the standard digital audio output, or as PCM audio (a raw audio format) over
HDMI to a compatible receiver.

Note: In the first and second generation HD DVD players, the Dolby Digital Plus signal is converted to DTS Digital
Surround at 1.5 Mbps for output over the standard digital audio output.
Dolby Digital Plus is downward compatible with Dolby Digital, providing existing equipment with Dolby Digital quality
sound and compatibility.

For more information, visit the Dolby web site: "Dolby Digital Plus: Audio that completes the high
definition picture."

Dolby TrueHD is a lossless audio technology developed for high-definition disc-based media (HD DVD and Blu-ray).
It is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master, supporting up to 8 full-range channels of sound at 24 bits / 96 kHz at a
bit rate up to 18 Mbps.

Dolby TrueHD can be transmitted in bitstream format via HDMI 1.3 and above. The audio data also may be sent to
the A/V receiver in Linear PCM form instead of raw Dolby TrueHD. A third option is that the audio is decoded by the
player and output via 6-8 analog outputs. (See note below about audio mixing in HD DVD and Blu-ray players)

Dolby TrueHD is a mandatory audio format on HD DVD players, but only in 2-channel mode. Fortunately, all HD
DVD players are capable of decoding multi-channel Dolby TrueHD, so support for that format is the de facto
standard for HD DVD players.
Note: In the first and second generation HD DVD players, the Dolby TrueHD signal is converted to DTS Digital
Surround at 1.5 Mbps for output over the standard digital audio output.

Dolby TrueHD support is optional on Blu-ray players, however. When a Dolby TrueHD soundtrack is included on a
Blu-ray disc, a companion Dolby Digital track must also be included for compatibility reasons. You will need to
consult the owner’s manual and release notes for your Blu-ray player to determine its level of support for Dolby
TrueHD.

A historical tidbit is that Dolby TrueHD has its origins in the MLP Lossless technology, first used on DVD-Audio.
For more information, visit the Dolby web site: "Dolby TrueHD"

HD DVD and Blu-ray discs contain more audio than just what is contained strictly in the movie itself. There may be
sounds when you bring up the overlay menus, and if you are viewing content that appears in a secondary video
window (picture-in-picture), that audio needs to be mixed together with the primary audio from the movie soundtrack.
Doing so requires that the player performs this mixing and then outputs a compatible audio stream to your A/V
receiver or Preamp/Processor.

So, unlike with DVD, where the receiver needed to be able to decode Dolby Digital or DTS as sent straight from the
disc to the receiver, the player now handles the initial decoding, mixing, and re-encoding. This process makes it
possible for a Dolby TrueHD soundtrack to be decoded, mixed, and then sent via HDMI in PCM format (a raw audio
data format) to an HDMI-equipped receiver that may not be able to decode Dolby TrueHD natively (such equipment
is very uncommon as of November 2007).

Some players, such as the Toshiba HD-A35 and HD-XA2 HD DVD players, have an option to forgo this
decoding/mixing/re-encoding process and the audio from the movie is sent to the receiver via HDMI in a bitstream
format. When this happens, no menu audio or secondary audio of any kind is audible. The receiver is then required
to decode the audio format that exists on the disc being played. For more information about this, please see the Help
Document titled "Do I Need a New Receiver to Enjoy the Best Sound from HD DVD and Blu-ray?"
 DTS Digital Sound on HD DVD and Blu-ray Explained

On September 5, 2006 DTS unveiled a three tier system of audio solutions for the HD DVD and Blu-ray high
definition disc formats. Subsequently, the name of the base DTS format was changed from DTS Encore to DTS
Digital Surround.

DTS Digital Surround is the original DTS decoding format that revolutionized home theater audio. Enhanced
dynamic range and improved frequency response combine to create an enveloping surround sound experience for
movies and music when compared to competing audio decoding technologies available at the time. You can
confidently play DTS-HD encoded discs on a Blu-ray or HD DVD player and use your existing DTS capable receiver
to enjoy high quality DTS Digital Surround.

Due to space limitations on the standard DVD format, most DVD content featuring DTS surround sound is encoded
at 768 kbps. However, with the introduction of the new higher capacity high definition optical disc media, consumers
will be able to experience the DTS core at a full 1.5 Mbps, resulting in an immediate improvement in sound quality
even if a next generation player is connected to standard home theater hardware.

Support for DTS Digital Surround is mandatory in both HD DVD and Blu-ray formats.

DTS-HD High Resolution Audio can deliver up to 7.1 channels of sound that is virtually indistinguishable from the
original soundtrack. It provides audio at high constant bit rates superior to standard DVDs to produce outstanding
quality. It can carry up to 7.1 channels at 96k sampling frequency / 24-bit depth resolution, thereby allowing content
creators to provide rich, high definition audio on content where disc space may not allow for DTS-HD Master Audio.

The DTS-HD High Resolution Audio bit stream also contains the DTS 1.5 Mbps core for compatibility with existing
DTS-enabled home theater systems, and delivery of 5.1 channels of sound at twice the resolution found on most
standard DVDs.

Support for DTS-HD High Resolution Audio is optional in both HD DVD and Blu-ray formats.

DTS-HD High Resolution Audio requires an HDMI 1.1 or higher connection to a DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
decoder, unless it is decoded by the player and output via analog outputs. (Read more)

If the audio receiving equipment and/or the connection used between the player and the receiving equipment is not
capable of decoding DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, the DTS 1.5 Mbps core (DTS Digital Surround) is sent to the
receiving equipment.

DTS-HD Master Audio delivers sound that is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master. It can deliver audio at very high
variable bit rates which are significantly higher than standard DVDs. DTS-HD Master Audio can provide up to 7.1
audio channels at 96k sampling frequency / 24-bit depths that are identical to the original.

The DTS-HD Master Audio bit stream also contains the DTS 1.5 Mbps core for compatibility with existing DTS-
enabled home theater systems, and delivery of 5.1 channels of sound at twice the resolution found on most standard
DVDs.

Support for DTS-HD Master Audio is optional in both HD DVD and Blu-ray formats.

DTS-HD Master Audio requires an HDMI 1.3 or higher connection to a DTS-HD Master Audio decoder. (View
connection diagram) HDMI 1.1 or 1.2 may be used, but that requires that the audio data be sent to the AV receiver in
Linear PCM form instead of raw (bitstream) DTS-HD Master Audio. A third option is that the audio is decoded by the
player and output via 6-8 analog outputs. (Read More)

If the audio receiving equipment and/or the connection used between the player and the receiving equipment is not
capable of decoding DTS-HD Master Audio, the DTS 1.5 Mbps core (DTS Digital Surround) is sent to the receiving
equipment.

To make a long explanation short, the list above goes in the order of quality (good, better, best). DTS-HD Master
Audio is the highest quality sound possible using the DTS technology.

All three formats are compatible with any current receiver that can decode a DTS bitstream, so you can take
purchase titles with the higher quality audio on them and still enjoy them on an older audio system. Then, when you
upgrade your A/V receiver or Preamp/Processor, purchasing a model that supports the higher quality formats will
allow you to enjoy them without having to purchase the titles over again.

HD DVD and Blu-ray discs contain more audio than just what is contained strictly in the movie itself. There may be
sounds when you bring up the overlay menus, and if you are viewing content that appears in a secondary video
window (picture-in-picture), that audio needs to be mixed together with the primary audio from the movie soundtrack.
Doing so requires that the player performs this mixing and then outputs a compatible audio stream to your A/V
receiver or Preamp/Processor.
So, unlike with DVD, where the receiver needed to be able to decode Dolby Digital or DTS as sent straight from the
disc to the receiver, the player now handles the initial decoding, mixing, and re-encoding. This process makes it
possible for a DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack to be decoded, mixed, and then sent via HDMI in PCM format (a
raw audio data format) to an HDMI-equipped receiver that may not be able to decode DTS-HD Master Audio natively
(such equipment is very uncommon as of November 2007).

Some players have an option to forgo this decoding/mixing/re-encoding process and the audio from the movie is
sent to the receiver via HDMI in a bitstream format. When this happens, no menu audio or secondary audio of any
kind is audible. The receiver is then required to decode the audio format that exists on the disc being played. For
more information about this, please see the Help Document titled "Do I Need a New Receiver to Enjoy the Best
Sound from HD DVD and Blu-ray?"