The Dolby® DP600 Program Optimizer is an innovative audio platform that provides a file-based workflow solution for loudness correction, audio conversion, and upmixing.
The DP600 is specifically designed for use in cable, satellite, IPTV, terrestrial TV, radio, and postproduction facilities. It includes the world’s first intelligent audio analysis and automated loudness normalization engine, along with the ability to encode, decode, convert, or transcode between the following formats:
Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, and Dolby E
PCM, MPEG-1 LII, AAC, and HE AAC v2
Other common broadcast media file and audio formats
It also features a newly designed algorithm for upmixing legacy two-channel audio for 5.1-channel delivery.
Automated Loudness and Metadata Correction
Content producers and broadcasters can reduce loudness complaints by using the DP600 to provide viewers with a consistent audio experience across programs, channels, and networks. The DP600 expands upon the Dialogue Intelligence™ technology developed for the Dolby LM100 Broadcast Loudness Meter, allowing it to:
Normalize the loudness of audio programs while preserving their original dynamic range*
Analyze the loudness of file-based audio bitstreams coded in Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, Dolby E, and HE AAC with Dolby metadata
Validate and correct the dialnorm audio metadata parameter without the need for decoding and reencoding the original audio bitstream
Provide intelligent speech-based loudness normalization for both PCM audio and MPEG-1 LII audio
* In very rare cases involving extreme loudness corrections that require gain, soft limiting will occur only during program peak levels that would exceed clipping after applying this type of loudness correction.
Audio Encoding/Decoding and Cross-Conversion
The DP600-C version of the Program Optimizer provides faster-than-real-time file-based encoding, decoding, and conversion between all of Dolby’s audio formats (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, and Dolby E), and PCM, MPEG-1 LII, AAC, and HE AAC v2, while preserving the audio metadata.
In addition, it offers a unique, high-quality, single-step Dolby Digital to Dolby Digital Plus transcoder that preserves the metadata and minimizes tandem coding losses. This allows the audio from existing media archives to be converted to next-generation broadcast formats. The DP600 also supports Dolby Pro Logic® II encoding for two-channel matrix-encoded content derived from multichannel source files.
Upmixing Functionality
Customers interested in enhancing two-channel audio for use in 5.1-channel applications can purchase an optional software upgrade that adds an intelligent file-based upmixing capability to the DP600.
This unique process is based on a newly developed Dolby algorithm that:
Creates a wider, natural sounding sweet spot
Ensures that subsequent downmixing is free from artifacts
Can be adaptively integrated into the same DP600 workflow profiles utilized for file-based loudness correction, encoding, decoding, conversion, and transcoding
Workflow Flexibility and Ease of Use
The Dolby DP600 platform:
Supports several types of applications, including archiving, automated quality control, content conversion, and media asset management.
Offers considerable potential for integration with third-party systems through an open Web services–based API.
Features a hot folder ingest process that is simple to set up and use. In this mode, users can select a specific profile, and all media files moved to the hot folder will be automatically processed based on the profile and delivered to a user-defined folder upon completion.
Why Dolby
Automated loudness analysis and correction: Provides a more consistent, reliable, and high-quality experience without the need to manually validate and correct each piece of media
Patented Dialogue Intelligence algorithm: Effective speech-based loudness normalization; automatically sets and/or corrects dialnorm values within media files
Automated file conversion and transcoding: Simplifies conversion of archives to next-generation formats
Intelligent upmixing capability: Enhances legacy two-channel content
Hot folder mode: Simplifies integration into existing workflows
Touch-screen status display: Simplifies upgrades, system provisioning, maintenance, and operation
Adaptable and extensible design: New features and supported audio formats available through simple software updates
Upgrade Options
UU/600 ($2,695)
This DP600 and DP600-C upgrade adds two-channel (including Lt/Rt matrix-encoded programs) to five- or 5.1-channel upmixing functionality.
UC/600 ($8,500)
This upgrade adds faster-than-real-time file-based encoding, decoding, conversion, and transcoding of Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, Dolby E, PCM (.wav and .aiff), MPEG-1 LII, AAC, and HE AAC v2 (.mp4 and .aac) to the DP600 base configuration.