■Dolby Surround
Dolby Surround uses a 4-channel analog recording system to reproduce realistic and dynamic sound effects: 2 front left and right channels (stereo), a center channel for dialog (monaural), and a surround channel for special sound effects (monaural). The surround channel reproduces sound within a narrow frequency range. Dolby Surround is widely used with nearly all video tapes and laser discs, and in many TV and cable broadcasts as well. The Dolby Pro Logic decoder built into this unit employs a digital signal processing system that automatically stabilizes the volume on each channel to enhance moving sound effects and directionality.
■DSD
Direct Stream Digital (DSD) technology stores audio signals on digital storage media, such as Super Audio CDs. Using DSD, signals are stored as single bit values at a high-frequency sampling rate of 2.8224 MHz, while noise shaping and oversampling are used to reduce distortion, a common occurrence with very high quantization of audio signals. Due to the high sampling rate, better audio quality can be achieved than that offered by the PCM format used for normal audio CDs.
■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 Theater Systems)
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. Digital Theater Systems 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.
GLOSSARY
■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.
■MP3
One of the audio compression methods used by MPEG. It employs the irreversible compression method, which achieves a high compression rate by thinning out the data of hardly audible part to the human ears. It is said to be capable of compressing the data quantity by about 1/11 (128 kbps) while maintaining a similar audio quality to music CD.
■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.
