Glossary
■DTS 96/24
DTS 96/24 offers an unprecedented level of audio quality for multi-channel sound on DVD video, and is fully backward-compatible with all DTS decoders. “96” refers to a 96 kHz sampling rate compared to the typical 48 kHz sampling rate. “24” refers to 24-bit word length. DTS 96/ 24 offers sound quality transparent to the original 96/24 master, and 96/24 5.1-channel sound with full-quality full- motion video for music programs and motion picture soundtracks on DVD video.
■DTS Digital Surround
DTS digital surround was developed to replace the analog soundtracks of movies with a 6.1-channel digital sound track, and is now rapidly gaining popularity in movie theaters around the world. DTS, Inc. has developed a home theater system so that you can enjoy the depth of sound and natural spatial representation of DTS digital surround in your home. This system produces practically distortion-free 6.1-channel sound (technically, front left and right, center, surround left and right, and LFE 0.1 (subwoofer) channels for a total of 5.1 channels). This unit incorporates a DTS-ES decoder that enables 6.1-channel reproduction by adding the surround back channel to the existing 5.1-channel format.
■HDMI
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is the first industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. Providing an interface between any source (such as a set-top box or AV receiver) and an audio/video monitor (such as a digital television), HDMI supports standard, enhanced or high-definition video as well as multi-channel digital audio using a single cable. HDMI transmits all ATSC HDTV standards and supports 8- channel digital audio, with bandwidth to spare to accommodate future enhancements and requirements. When used in combination with HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), HDMI provides a secure audio/video interface that meets the security requirements of content providers and system operators. For further information on HDMI, visit the HDMI website at “http://www.hdmi.org/”.
■LFE 0.1 channel
This channel reproduces low-frequency signals. The frequency range of this channel is from 20 Hz to 120 Hz. This channel is counted as 0.1 because it only enforces a low-frequency range compared to the full-range reproduced by the other 5/6 channels in Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1/6.1-channel systems.
■Neo:6
Neo:6 decodes the conventional 2-channel sources for 6- channel playback by the specific decoder. It enables playback with the full-range channels with higher separation just like digital discrete signal playback. There are two modes available: “Music mode” for music sources and “Cinema mode” for movie sources.
■Neural Surround
Neural Surround™ represents the latest advancement in surround technology and has been adopted by XM Satellite Radio for digital radio broadcast of surround recordings and live events in surround sound. Neural Surround™ employs psychoacoustic frequency domain processing which allows delivery of a more detailed sound stage with superior channel separation and localization of audio elements. System playback is scalable from 5.1 to 7.1 multi-channel surround playback.
■PCM (Linear PCM)
Linear PCM is a signal format under which an analog audio signal is digitized, recorded and transmitted without using any compression. This is used as a method of recording CDs and DVD audio. The PCM system uses a technique for sampling the size of the analog signal per very small unit of time. Standing for “Pulse Code Modulation”, the analog signal is encoded as pulses and then modulated for recording.
■Sampling frequency and number of
quantized bits
When digitizing an analog audio signal, the number of times the signal is sampled per second is called the sampling frequency, while the degree of fineness when converting the sound level into a numeric value is called the number of quantized bits. The range of rates that can be played back is determined based on the sampling rate, while the dynamic range representing the sound level difference is determined by the number of quantized bits. In principle, the higher the sampling frequency, the wider the range of frequencies that can be played back, and the higher the number of quantized bits, the more finely the sound level can be reproduced.
■S-video signal
With the S-video signal system, the video signal normally transmitted using a pin cable is separated and transmitted as the Y signal for the luminance and the C signal for the chrominance through the S-video cable. Using the S VIDEO jack eliminates video signal transmission loss and allows recording and playback of even more beautiful images.
