Introducing the Next Generation of Broadcast

The future of broadcast is here: the new Dolby® Pulse technology delivers high-quality multichannel content to TVs, computers, mobile phones, and more. Dolby Pulse is the ideal HE AAC solution for bandwidth-critical services like next-generation HDTV, IPTV, cable, and satellite services. It provides broadcasters with the capability to broadcast stereo and 5.1-channel audio, occupying the lowest bandwidth while maintaining high audio quality. And because it includes Dolby metadata, Dolby Pulse is the one HE AAC solution that eliminates the need for a stereo simulcast with a 5.1 broadcast, further reducing bandwidth. Dolby Pulse coding can be used throughout the broadcast chain, from content creation all the way to the home. When every bit counts, Dolby Pulse delivers.

Dolby Pulse coding can be implemented in professional products in a number of ways: it is available within the Dolby DP600 Program Optimizer, on an OEM card to be installed in broadcast OEM products, or as professional licensed software implemented in broadcast manufacturer’s products. It can be used both in real-time and in file-based implementations.

Dolby Pulse at NAB 2009

At the 2009 NAB Show, April 20–23, Dolby staff will be demonstrating new products and solutions with Dolby Pulse capability. (Courtesy of Dolby, attendees can get a free 2009 NAB Show exhibit-only pass.) At our booth (Las Vegas Convention Center, booth N1815), NAB attendees will be able to see the Dolby DP600 Program Optimizer in action. The DP600 is an innovative audio platform that provides a file-based work-flow solution for audio creation and conversion, loudness correction, and upmixing. It is specifically designed for use in cable, satellite, IPTV, terrestrial TV, and postproduction facilities.

Dolby DP600 Program Optimizer

The DP600 includes the world’s first intelligent audio analysis and automated loudness normalization engine, and the ability to encode, decode, convert, and transcode Dolby E, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Pulse streams. It also features a specially designed algorithm for upmixing legacy two-channel audio for 5.1-channel applications. Dolby will be introducing several new features at this year’s NAB Show, including support for Dolby Pulse.

In addition to inclusion in the Dolby DP600, Dolby Pulse professional encoding licensing kits both for real-time and for file-based applications will become available to broadcast licensees by this summer. (Professional encoding solutions for Dolby Digital Plus are already available, as is a Dolby Digital to Dolby Digital Plus transcoder for real-time applications.)

Cat. No. 561 Dolby Digital Plus/ Dolby Pulse Encoder Module

Finally, Dolby Pulse encoding will be supported on our Cat. No. 561 Dolby Digital Plus/Dolby Pulse encoder module for inclusion in OEM broadcast products. The encoder will be capable of encoding from either native PCM or Dolby E sources. It will support up to four simultaneous encoders, encoding a maximum of eight input channels with support for metadata. The Cat. No. 561 will be available by this summer.

For incorporation into consumer manufacturer’s products, including televisions and set-top boxes, the Dolby MS10 Multistream Decoder kits have now been released. The MS10 Multistream Decoder supports Dolby Pulse decoding, as well as decoding for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, HE AAC, and AAC bitstreams.