Leveraging its expertise through the expansion of the Dolby® Digital broadcast system and loudness correction technologies, Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) is offering broadcasters and operators more options to help deliver a premium multichannel audio experience to their audiences, and highlighting tools and technologies that facilitate a consistent listening level at this year’s National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show (booth N1815).
The company announced today that it plans to incorporate Dolby Pulse into its award-winning Dolby DP600 Program Optimizer and Cat. No. 561 Dolby Digital Plus/Dolby Pulse Encoder Module later this year. The Dolby DP600 automatically analyzes coded audio bitstreams of any channel configuration and loudness level, and intelligently and automatically configures (or re-configures) audio metadata parameters. The Dolby Cat. No. 561 module offers broadcasters an integrated module that saves money and space, and offers OEMs an all-in-one integrated audio solution that they can provide to their customers.
Additionally, Dolby Pulse professional development kits for both real-time and file-based licensing solutions, as well as Dolby E real-time encoding, are expected to be available this summer.
“Dolby is excited to have integrated an HE AAC–based technology into its portfolio of very successful and widely adopted technologies, including Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus, by offering compatibility, consistency, and—more importantly—quality that is synonymous with the Dolby brand,” said Tom Daily, Executive Director, Broadcast Segment, Dolby Laboratories. “Now, broadcasters and operators need only choose which solution best suits their needs and Dolby will help ensure that they will have a reliable implementation.”
Dolby Pulse is a robust HE AAC–based technology that is ideal for delivering high-quality multichannel content to TVs, computers, mobile phones, and other entertainment platforms. Flexible and highly efficient, Dolby Pulse was designed for bandwidth-critical services such as next-generation HDTV, IPTV, cable, and satellite, while maintaining compatibility with existing Dolby Digital home theater systems.
For operators and broadcasters with a Dolby Digital system that are looking for next-generation audio solutions, Dolby Digital Plus is a home theater–based solution with increased efficiency that enables lower bit rates, support for up to 7.1 channels, and advanced services including bitstream mixing. Key broadcasters and operators in a number of European countries, including France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK, have adopted Dolby Digital Plus.
In addition to Dolby Pulse and Dolby Digital Plus, NAB attendees will have the opportunity to see Dolby’s multifaceted approach to accurately measuring and correcting loudness levels, which includes both professional solutions that aid in setting correct audio levels prior to broadcast and device-level solutions that aid in controlling volume inconsistencies at playback to ensure that the viewer has a consistent audio experience. Key demonstration products for the broadcaster and operator include:
- Dolby DP600 Program Optimizer
- Dolby LM100 Loudness Meter
- Dolby Media Meter software solution
Dolby will also highlight Dolby Volume, a technology specifically designed for consumer electronics products that automatically and seamlessly controls audio levels over a wide range of devices and consumer media formats. Dolby Volume provides consumer electronics manufacturers a simple and elegant option for managing loudness control where metadata is not present.
And finally, for disc authoring solutions, Dolby announced the latest version of its Dolby Media Tools (v.1.3) and Dolby Media Encoder (v.1.3), which are part of the Dolby Media Producer suite of applications that provides developers a flexible set of tools for working with today’s video and audio formats and new disc media formats.
Dolby Media Tools allow users to repair and update existing bitstream files without the need for re-encoding. Its features include metadata editing, file trimming, timecode striping, and file concatenation. It is optimized to run locally on a single machine. Dolby Media Encoder now combines Dolby Pulse with Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and MLP Lossless™ encoding capabilities with comprehensive project and file management features. This non-real-time encoder works on a local workstation or over a network, giving access to multiple clients within a facility.
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 Dolby Pulse, the Dolby DP600 Program Optimizer, the Dolby Cat. No. 561, the Dolby Encoder OEM Module, Dolby Digital Plus, the Dolby LM100 Loudness Meter, the Dolby Media Meter software solution, Dolby Volume, Dolby Media Tools, and Dolby Media Encoder; the anticipated or potential benefits that manufacturers, broadcasters, and consumers may derive from these technologies; the timing and availability of products and licensing development kits for Dolby Pulse; 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 Dolby Pulse, the Dolby DP600 Program Optimizer, the Dolby Cat. No. 561, the Dolby Encoder OEM Module, Dolby Digital Plus, the Dolby LM100 Loudness Meter, the Dolby Media Meter software solution, Dolby Volume, Dolby Media Tools, and Dolby Media Encoder may not perform as anticipated; risks associated with building market acceptance for audio technologies in general and Dolby technologies in particular; risks that Dolby Pulse will not be extended into a host of new devices and services and implemented across the broadcast chain; risks that Dolby Pulse products and licensing kits will not be available in 2009 or at all; 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. MLP Lossless is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories. S09/21240 DLB-G
Contacts:
David Yang, 415-645-5679
dyang@dolby.com
