Some Good News From Dolby

[Aussie Geoff]

Hi,

Imagine uncompressed surround sound……

For those that haven't seen it, my friend and HTgude member Matt Stacey pointed out the information in this LINK FROM DOLBY to me.

If you ignore the continuing HD-DVD / Bu-Ray madness, it is a win on several fronts.

Looks like MLP Lossless and Dolby Digital Plus will be mandatory standards for inclusion on all HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs. This is great news for us home theatre junkies, as it means every film released will be encoded with both enhanced high bit rate multi-channel DD Plus audio, and truly lossless high resolution multi-channel audio using MLP 96khz 24-bit technology!

I imagine this will also give the DVD-Audio format the boost it needs to go mainstream, given all HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players will be required to so support DVD-A playback.

For those of us with “Upgraditis” it goes without saying that this will be a fantastic excuse for a new HT Processor or Receiver to process all those digital formats! And of course there will be several generations of HD-DVD and Blu Ray DVD players to migrate through! Looks like we've got some happy times coming up - better start saving!

Some text from the Dolby Press Release: to "whet your appetite":

Dolby Technologies Mandatory On Both HD DVD And Blu-ray Disc Next-Generation Packaged Media Formats; Dolby Digital Plus, MLP Lossless, Dolby Digital Selected

As evidence of its pioneering efforts in multichannel audio entertainment, Dolby Laboratories announces that Dolby audio technologies have been selected as mandatory formats for both High-Definition Digital Versatile Disc (HD DVD) and Blu-ray Disc (BD). The DVD Forum has selected Dolby Digital Plus and MLP Lossless as mandatory audio formats for HD DVD. The Blu-ray Disc Association announced that Dolby Digital will be a mandatory technology on its new format, the Blu-ray Disc. Both discs are next-generation packaged media formats designed to deliver high-definition picture quality. "Dolby is a recognized leader in multichannel audio technologies. With that leadership comes a clear vision of the future, which includes enabling superior audio performance for next-generation HD video formats and home theater applications, while maintaining our commitment to the millions of households worldwide that have adopted Dolby Digital 5.1 as their entertainment standard," said Craig Eggers, Marketing Director, Consumer Electronics, Dolby Laboratories. "We are pleased that Dolby's technologies have been selected to be part of both exciting next-generation HD packaged media formats."

As the industry shifts from standard- to high-definition video entertainment, consumers will demand a packaged media format that offers superior HD images and surround sound audio playback. The DVD Forum's decision to include Dolby Digital Plus and MLP Lossless as mandatory audio standards for HD DVD ensures that the audio quality of HD DVD will be just as compelling as its video quality. Dolby Digital Plus offers bit-rate and channel extendibility and is an extension of the popular Dolby Digital format, which is the audio standard for DVD-Video worldwide and North American high-definition television (HDTV). The DVD Forum's selection of Dolby Digital Plus as a mandatory audio standard assures future compatibility of HD DVD software media and playback devices with the more than 39 million A/V receivers equipped with Dolby Digital in homes today. Additionally, DVD-Video software titles will retain full audio compatibility with next-generation HD DVD-Video players. For instances where higher bit rates can be allocated for audio playback, such as HD DVD, Dolby Digital Plus delivers the highest quality audio performance possible from a highly sophisticated perceptual coding process. Dolby Digital Plus is designed to offer discrete channel coverage beyond the current 5.1-channel standard. Dolby Digital Plus offers coding efficiencies for systems where bandwidth is at a premium or limited, such as next-generation cable, broadcast, and satellite systems. Earlier this year, the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) nominated Dolby Digital Plus as a Candidate Standard for future robust channel transmission. In anticipation of future packaged media business models and format flexibility, Dolby Digital Plus' efficiency will also enable simultaneous streaming of audio content and software playback. This capability would enable consumers to watch a movie while listening to artists' or directors' commentary streamed directly from the studio website, for example. Dolby will demonstrate Dolby Digital Plus for high-definition applications at the 117th AES Convention, held this year in San Francisco, October 28-31, 2004.

MLP Lossless technology, licensed by Dolby Laboratories, has also been selected as mandatory audio standard of the HD DVD by the DVD Forum. MLP Lossless reproduces every nuance of an original performance, including elements that may have been previously lost or masked in CD playback. Because it delivers the highest audio fidelity possible without compromising picture quality or video bit rates, MLP Lossless is the perfect complement to Dolby Digital Plus. With MLP Lossless as a mandatory audio format, consumers can experience, for example, their favorite prerecorded concert performance at the highest level of audio fidelity and quality possible on an HD DVD. The DVD Forum's selection also ensures that consumers with HD DVD players will be able to play DVD-Audio discs. The core audio technology behind multichannel DVD-Audio, MLP Lossless, enables content providers to encode multiple channels of 24-bit/96 kHz surround sound or 24-bit/192 kHz stereo content onto a DVD. Playback of content encoded in MLP Lossless is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master; nothing is lost during the encoding/decoding process. The result is the most realistic and involving high-fidelity audio available for packaged media.

Of course it also means that the industry will make mega-bucks - reissuing super special HD or Blu Ray releases of favourites.... (Sigh)

Geoff

[Kevin P]

I just hope they don't pull the paranoid BS they did with DVD-Audio/SACD and require analog connections between the player and the pre-pro. It sounds like a winner, especially if they make it a digital connection.

[SpOoNmAn]

I just hope they don't pull the paranoid BS they did with DVD-Audio/SACD and require analog connections between the player and the pre-pro. It sounds like a winner, especially if they make it a digital connection.

good grief, what am I to do with all the new toys I just bought?

this hobby makes my head spin sometimes. But I love it!! thanks for the update!

[David Meek]

I just hope they don't pull the paranoid BS they did with DVD-Audio/SACD and require analog connections between the player and the pre-pro. It sounds like a winner, especially if they make it a digital connection.

Kevin hit the nail on the head. Give me digital w/o another new connection and I'll be a happy camper.

[Aussie Geoff]

David,

I suspect it will be a new connection, new processor and new DVD player to get this baby working. Hopefully though ALL of this will go through the HDMI interface which is designed to support simultanoeus video and digital audio, including encrypted digital audio to the paranoid SACD and DVD-A standards....

Certainly most commentators expect that this will be the case - though who knows with the Blu Ray vs HD-DVD madness maybe they will each pick a different standard and really stuff the market!!!! (and themselves)

Here's some interesting NEWS FROM CES 2004

Geoff

[purplepeople]

As much as I can't wait for high-resolution audio to become typical, I have to expect that it will only happen at the high-end. Maybe there will be equipment for those of us with upgraditis, but I don't think you'll ever see it in any consumer lines.

As much as SACD and DVD-A are getting more common, the fact is that the general public doesn't have the hearing acuity to discern any difference from redbook. In fact, most people I know think that MP3 is fine for everything.
The move to 7.1 is going pretty slow already and two extra speakers is already a tangible thing to most buyers. They can also see the cost of the extra equipment, which is why the HTIB systems are so popular. It really is a stretch for me to expect the general public to accept an upgrade that they can neither see nor hear.

ensen.

[sikoniko]

This is exactly why I am not going to worry about upgrading my 1055 anytime soon. And to think I just caught that Arcam av8 thread... heh. oh well, need that money to upgrade to N803's and a pair of scm1's anyways...

[Aussie Geoff]

Sikonkiko,

You can always wait for the upcoming Arcam AV9 (name not confirmed) which is an upgrade of the AV8 to include a HDMI interface for pure digital video and audio.... (Nice match for their DV29 DVD with HDMI interface...)

Expected next year if you want to save ... (Think arround $5K)

By then Silthlord and Bladerunner wil be through 2 or 3 upgrades.... :rofl:

Geoff

[Sithlord]

5 upgrades thank you Geoff. The future does look bright for HT with Blueray/HDdvd on the horizon with uncompressed audio and video. It's good to know that I have something to keep me occupied at least for the next 3 years anyway :B

[sikoniko]

heh. in all honesty, once I get the 803's and scm1's, the system is done. The receiver has exactly 4 years left on it. At that point, it will probably be the only upgrade that year, so I could possibly buy in the $5k range.

[George W]

Here's an exerpt from one of the Blu-Ray white papers concerning encryption and output methods:

"In the BD (Blu-Ray Disc) contents protection system, DES (Data Encryption Standard) with a key length of 56 bits has been adopted, and Triple DES with a key length of 112 bits has been adopted for the key generating process. In addition, for the exclusion of illegal devices (System Renewability) and for the prevention of illegal copying, RKB (Renewal Key Block) information and a Disc ID unique to the disc are written in ROM area of the disc. Each recorder (player) has a device key, which differs depending on the manufacturer or the machine. An encryption key is generated by combining the device key and RKB. Therefore, illegal devices can be excluded by updating the RKB information. Furthermore, illegal copying is also prevented by using a disc ID unique to the disc to generate the encryption key, because even a bit-by-bit copy cannot generate the encryption key.
In addition to such highly-secure coding during recording, by implementing the contents protection technology in the interface to output played-back contents, illegal copying and retransmission to the general public through Internet can be prevented. Before being outputted, contents are protected by DTCP *1) for MPEG-TS stream output using the IEEE 1394 interface and by HDCP *3) for baseband digital output using the HDMI interface *2). In addition, CGMS-A and macro-vision copy control signal are added to the analog image signal.
*1) Digital Transmission Content Protection: A contents protection technology corresponding to IEEE 1394, proposed by five companies: Hitachi, Intel, Matsushita, Sony, and Toshiba.

*2) High-Definition Multimedia Interface: A baseband digital transmission system for home-use devices, proposed by seven companies: Hitachi, Matsushita, Philips, Silicon Image, Sony, Thomson, and Toshiba.

*3) High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection: A contents protection technology corresponding to HDMI, proposed by Intel."

So if I am interpretting this correctly, it looks like Firewire and HDMI will be the digital outputs of choice for blu-ray.

[David Meek]

George W?



Bush? :



Oh, hi George welcome to The Guide. :welcome:

[David Meek]

As it stands right now, I won't be making a change in source components until a few (several?) months of general North American hi def DVD usage has passed. At that point, I'll be looking at major purchases for an SACD source, and source for whatever DVD format has been accepted. Based on your post, at that point my "path" of choice will probably be HDMI as Firewire did (and still does) seem too restrictive.

[George Bellefontaine]

George Dubbya ?????


Welcome to The Guide, George. :welcome:

You'll find we like to kid each other a lot around here.

[George W]

My fellow Americans, I have decided to resign from...er, maybe I'd better not go there!

Thanks for the warm welcome. I personally only have the facilities for 2 channel HT right now but I really do hope that the industry will settle on one format before they start delivering media to the public. Personally, give me the storage capacity of Blu-Ray and some 2 channel MLP Lossless and I think I can be happy for a few years.

George

[Shane Martin]

DTS has announced virtually the same thing. So the format wars continue. They both don't have to provide a Dolby + or DTS ++ track but its an option and a mandatory audio spec for Blu Ray.

[Gordon Moore]

Here's the long version:

DTS Technology Mandatory Audio Format For Blu-ray And HD-DVD Next Generation Disc Standards

Single Audio Track Provides High Performance for New Formats and Backward Compatibility with All Existing DTS Decoder-Based Consumer Electronics Products

PR for: DTS Corporate



DTS (Digital Theater Systems, Inc.) (NASDAQ: DTSI) today announced that its DTS Coherent Acoustics coding system has been selected as mandatory audio technology for both the Blu-ray Disc (BD) and High Definition Digital Versatile Disc (HD-DVD), the two next generation high-definition disc formats for home video. In addition to the Company’s core technology, DTS’ extension technologies have also been selected as options. Encompassing higher data rates, lossless operation and additional channels, DTS’ extension technologies, identified by the DVD Forum (HD-DVD) and Blu-ray Disc Association collectively as DTS++, have been approved as optional features on both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc. DTS++ is also the only lossless audio technology selected for both disc formats.

"As a mandatory technology in the next generation standards, a DTS decoder will be built into every next generation player that incorporates either HD-DVD or Blu-ray Disc, therefore allowing content providers the freedom to choose the audio technology best suited for their needs," said Jon Kirchner, President and CEO of DTS. “We are both excited and pleased, and believe that this is a vote of confidence in DTS’ technology and market leadership. Although we do not expect to see revenue until the next generation products become available, we believe the mandatory inclusion sets the stage for a very positive future.”

“Over the past several years, we have seen a marked increase in DVD titles that include DTS soundtracks, and we expect this number to accelerate as DTS becomes an audio standard for next generation formats,” said Patrick Watson, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development at DTS. “The mandatory inclusion of DTS in both the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray standards demonstrates the industry’s support for value-added DTS audio technologies. At the same time, DTS remains committed to artists, consumers and the industry by continuing our tradition of developing new technologies that offer superior performance and backwards compatibility.”

DTS Coherent Acoustics
DTS Coherent Acoustics, first introduced into the market in 1996, was designed to be both extensible and backward-compatible based on its core + extension structure. Subsequent extensions to the original 5.1-channel format were an additional discrete channel for 6.1-channel audio (DTS-ES), and a 96 kHz sampling rate for high-resolution audio (DTS 96/24.) DTS audio tracks using either of these enhancements can be played on any existing DTS decoder, making them compatible with more than 280 million DTS-licensed consumer electronics products today, with advanced decoders able to play the added data.

Now, with the extra space and bandwidth afforded by HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc, content providers and consumers alike can appreciate DTS audio tracks encoded at data rates greater than 1.5 Mbit/s, all the way to fully lossless operation – meaning that the soundtrack is bit-for-bit identical to the master. Both the mandatory DTS core technology, as well as optional higher sampling rates such as DTS 96/24 and additional channels up to 7.1, enable both Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD formats to offer DTS’ premium audio quality to consumers while retaining compatibility with all existing DTS decoders. This is the only approved coding system offering this range of performance yet maintaining full backward compatibility, therefore allowing a single audio track to provide advanced features and to support the large population of existing multi-channel preamps and receivers.

HD-DVD and Blu-ray Discs are next generation packaged media formats with large storage capacity capable of high-definition video in addition to other advanced technologies for an enhanced consumer experience.

For more information on HD-DVD, please visit www.dvdforum.org.

For more information on Blu-ray Disc, please visit www.blu-raydisc.com.