DOLBY

W H I TE P AP E R
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Contents
Dolby Executive Summary................................................... 3
Major Specification... ................................................. 3
Benefits of Infrared ...................... ............................ 3
Basic IRDA Usage Model......... ................ ................. 3
IRDA Implementation in Computer Systems................ 4
IRDA Devices............. ............ ............ ............... 4
IRDA Limitation............. ............ ............ ............... 4
Dolby Technology Explained............. .................................. 5
Introduction ...................................................................5
Infrared Basics ..................................... ........................5
Infrared in Consumer electronics ..................................6
The IrDA standard ..................................... ...................6
IrDA-Data Architecture and Protocol Stack - Overview .7
IrDA-Data Architecture and Protocol Stack - In detail ...8
Infrared Q & A ..................................... ........................10
Reference ...............................… ... ........................….12

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Overview of Dolby Technologies

1. Introduction
2. Analog Recording Technologies
o A-type NR
o B-type NR
o C-type NR
o Spectral Recording (SR)
o S-type NR
o HX Pro
3. Digital Audio Coding
o AC-1
o AC-2
o Dolby Digital (AC-3)
o Dolby E
o MLP Lossless
o AAC
4. Film Sound
o Dolby Stereo
o Dolby SR
o Dolby Digital
o Dolby Digital Surround EX
5. Consumer Surround Sound
o Dolby Surround
o Dolby Surround Pro Logic
o Dolby Surround Pro Logic II
o Dolby Digital
o Dolby Headphone
o Dolby Virtual Speaker
o Virtual Dolby Surround and Virtual Dolby Digital

1. Introduction
Dolby Laboratories' core technologies, both analog and digital, are signal-processing
systems that improve basic sound quality, and/or enable multi-channel surround sound
in applications such as audio- and videotapes; movie soundtracks; DVDs; computer and
video games; and TV, satellite, and cable broadcasts. Some Dolby technologies are
incorporated into professional audio products, including cinema sound processors and
digital audio codecs that are manufactured by Dolby Laboratories. These are used
worldwide in recording and postproduction studios, broadcast facilities, cinemas, and
tape and disc duplication facilities.
Other Dolby technologies are licensed to manufacturers of consumer products such as
cassette and DVD players, home theater systems, PCs, and set-top boxes. These
technologies are implemented on integrated circuits (ICs) developed in close
cooperation with Dolby by leading IC manufacturers, who make them available to Dolby
licensees for incorporation into their products.

2. Analog Recording Technologies

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Beginning with A-type noise reduction, Dolby Laboratories has developed a family of
processes that improve analog recording media without audible side effects on the
material being recorded.

Dolby noise reduction is a mirror-image, encode-decode process used both when a recording is made and when it is
played back.

A-type NR, introduced in 1965, was Dolby Laboratories' first

innovation. It was originally intended for use by professional
recording studios to make quieter master tape recordings. In
the early 1970s its use was extended to film studios and motion picture release prints to
improve film sound.

B-type NR is the original Dolby system designed for consumer

tape recording. More than 30 years after its introduction, it is still
included in all but the least expensive cassette recorders and
players, and is used in the preparation of almost all prerecorded cassettes.

C-type NR was developed later to provide twice the tape hiss reduction of Dolby B, and
introduced further innovations (spectral skewing and
antisaturation) for better cassette performance. Today it is
included along with Dolby B NR in many low- and mid-range
cassette units.

Spectral Recording (SR), Dolby's second-generation professional recording system,

was introduced in 1986. More than a noise reduction system, it extends the overall
dynamic range of analog media to rival or surpass that of digital
formats. Today the analog soundtracks on virtually all 35 mm movie
release prints are recorded with Dolby SR.

S-type NR, the highest-performance Dolby system for analog

cassette recording, is derived from Dolby SR and shares several
of its advanced features. It is included in mid-range to high-end
decks that can record cassettes rivaling CDs in quality.

HX Pro is a cassette recording technology that makes it possible to capture loud

musical passages with fewer high-frequency losses and less
distortion. In addition to being available in many cassette
decks, it is widely used in the recording industry to improve the quality of prerecorded
cassettes. Dolby HX Pro is a record-only process, and requires no playback decoding.

3. Digital Audio Coding

Based on research into human hearing, the sophisticated algorithms

used in Dolby's digital audio technologies make it possible to store
or transmit digital audio using less data than would otherwise be
necessary.

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AC-1, the first Dolby digital audio coding system was introduced in 1984. A refined form
of adaptive delta modulation, it was intended for applications such as direct broadcast
satellite systems at a time when digital signal processing "horsepower" was very costly.
AC-1 featured a comparatively complex encoder, a relatively few of which would be
needed by broadcasters, and simple, inexpensive decoders that could be readily
incorporated into mass-produced consumer receivers.

AC-2 is an adaptive-transform-based algorithm that combines professional audio quality

with a low bit rate, substantially reducing the data capacity required in such applications
as satellite and terrestrial links. The algorithm uses a multi-band approach to take
advantage of psychoacoustic masking, while a partially adaptive bit-allocation scheme
keeps codec complexity relatively low. It is used by recording studios and
postproduction facilities for such purposes as remote monitoring and dialogue
rerecording (looping) sessions.

Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby's best-known digital system, is used to provide

multichannel surround sound in cinemas from 35 mm film, and in the home from laser
discs, DVDs, and digital broadcast television, cable, and satellite systems. It enables the
transmission and storage of up to five full-range audio channels, plus a low-frequency
effects channel (LFE), in less space than is required for just one linear PCM-coded
channel on a compact disc. Additional features include the transmission of metadata
that can control playback parameters such as dialogue-keyed playback level, and the
ability of two-channel decoders to downmix multichannel soundtracks.

Dolby E is a professional audio coding developed to assist the conversion of broadcast

and other two-channel facilities to multichannel audio. It allows an AES/EBU audio pair,
or a single pair of digital VTR audio tracks, to carry up to eight channels of broadcast-
quality audio for postproduction and distribution. Among other benefits, Dolby E
encoded audio can be edited, decoded, and re-encoded many times without audible
degradation.

MLP Lossless is a true "lossless" coding system specified for DVD-Audio that
compacts PCM data with bit-for-bit accuracy, unlike "lossy" perceptual coding systems
such as Dolby Digital. MLP Lossless effectively doubles disc space without affecting the
quality of high-resolution PCM audio, making it possible for DVD-Audio discs to carry
both stereo and multichannel mixes of the same program. All DVD-Audio players are
equipped with MLP Lossless decoding, while its use on the discs themselves is at their
producers' discretion.

Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) is high-quality perceptual audio coding technology

appropriate for many broadcast and electronic music-distribution applications. Coding
efficiency is superior to that of MP3, providing higher-quality audio at lower bit rates.
Developed and standardized as an ISO/IEC specification by four industry leaders
(AT&T, Dolby Laboratories, Fraunhofer IIS, and Sony Corporation), AAC is supported by
a growing number of hardware and software manufacturers as the logical successor to
MP3.

Overview of Dolby Technologies

4. Film Sound

Dolby Stereo, introduced in 1975, was Dolby Laboratories' first major contribution to
film sound: the multi-channel analog optical soundtrack for 35 mm prints. Dolby prints
have two soundtracks matrix-encoded with four sound channels: left, center, and right
for speakers behind the screen, and a fourth surround channel for ambient sound and

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special effects heard over speakers to the sides and rear of the cinema. Other
improvements include the use of Dolby A-type noise reduction to lower the hissing and
popping associated with optical soundtracks, and loudspeaker equalization to adjust the
cinema sound system to a standard response curve.

Dolby SR, the advanced recording process introduced in 1986, was first applied to
Dolby stereo optical soundtracks (in lieu of A-type NR) the following year. Analog SR
soundtracks feature a significantly improved dynamic range, and are found today on
almost all 35 mm release prints. The SR track makes it possible for the prints to play
in any cinema, even if it is not equipped for digital playback, and also provides a
backup in case of problems with the digital track.

Dolby Digital, introduced in 1992, takes its name from Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio
coding. It features a digital optical soundtrack located between the sprocket holes on
one side of 35 mm release prints. A Dolby SR analog track is also provided to ensure
compatibility.

Dolby Digital provides five full-range channels for left, center, and right screen
channels, plus independent left and right surround channels. A sixth channel,
sometimes called the ".1" channel because it covers only the lowest one-tenth of the
audible range, carries low-frequency effects that are reproduced by subwoofers.

Dolby Digital Surround EX adds a third surround channel to the Dolby Digital format.
The third channel is reproduced by rear-wall surround speakers, while the left and right
surround channels are reproduced by speakers on the side walls. Among the benefits
are more realistic flyover and flyaround effects and a more consistent surround field
throughout the auditorium.

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Overview of Dolby Technologies

5. Consumer Surround Sound

Dolby Surround is the consumer version of the original analog Dolby multichannel film
sound format. When a Dolby Surround soundtrack is produced, four channels of audio
information—left, center, right, and surround—are matrix-encoded onto two audio
tracks. These two tracks are then carried on stereo program sources such as
videotapes and TV broadcasts into the home, where they can be decoded to recreate
the original four channels and the surround sound experience. Thousands of feature
films on home video, as well as many television shows, are encoded in Dolby Surround.

More on Dolby Surround

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Dolby Surround Pro Logic is the technology that decodes program material encoded
in Dolby Surround; it is built into virtually every home theater audio system. Like the
professional decoder units used in cinemas, Dolby Surround Pro Logic reconstructs the
original four channels—left, center, right, and surround—that were encoded onto the
program material's stereo soundtracks.

More on Dolby Surround Pro Logic

Home theater system with four-channel Dolby Pro Logic playback.

Dolby Surround Pro Logic II is an improved matrix decoding technology that provides
better spatiality and directionality on Dolby Surround program material; provides a
convincing three-dimensional soundfield on conventional stereo music recordings; and
is ideally suited to bring the surround experience to automotive sound. While
conventional surround programming is fully compatible with Dolby Surround Pro Logic II
decoders, soundtracks will be able to be encoded specifically to take full advantage of
Pro Logic II playback, including separate left and right surround channels. (Such
material is also compatible with conventional Pro Logic decoders.)

More on Dolby Surround Pro Logic II

Dolby Digital identifies the use of Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio coding for such consumer
formats as DVD and DTV. As with film sound, Dolby Digital can provide up to five full-
range channels for left, center, and right screen channels, independent left and right
surround channels, and a sixth ( ".1") channel for low-frequency effects.

More on Dolby Digital

Home theater system with four-channel Dolby Pro Logic playback.

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Dolby Headphone is a unique signal processing system that enables conventional

stereo headphones to convincingly portray the sound of a multispeaker surround sound
system in actual listening rooms. It can be incorporated into virtually any type of audio or
video product that features a headphone output, and is also used by airlines to heighten
their passengers' inflight entertainment experience. more on Dolby Headphone
technology

Dolby® Virtual Speaker technology enables true-to-life 5.1 surround sound from both
multichannel and stereo programs over as few as two speakers, allowing multichannel
programs to be heard as their producers intended. Its uniquely powerful, next-
generation signal processing convincingly portrays
the sound of properly placed surround speakers,
making it ideal for use in PCs, DVD players, and TV sets. As a result, all viewing,
listening, and gaming activities are transformed into realistic surround-sound
experiences without the added expense and complexity of a traditional surround
system. more on Dolby Virtual Speaker

Virtual Dolby Surround and Virtual Dolby Digital technologies enable a pleasing
surround-sound effect over just two speakers in a TV set or other stereo playback
system. Efficient virtualizing circuitry processes the
surround channels derived by the Dolby
multichannel decoder, then mixes them back into the Left and Right channels. The result
over two speakers is bigger, more spacious, and more involving sound than regular
stereo playback provides.

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