Dolby® Digital, also referred to as AC-3, is an advanced audio encoding/decoding technology that efficiently delivers up to 5.1 discrete channels of vibrant surround sound for broadcasting, home theater, cinema, PC, online streaming, and video game programming.

Enables the efficient storage and transmission of high-quality 5.1 digital surround sound

Immerses audiences in the on-screen action

Provides compatibility with millions of existing playback units

Dolby Digital technology ensures that your audience experiences a rich, enveloping surround sound experience by delivering up to 5.1 discrete audio channels.

Three front channels (Left, Center, and Right) provide crisp, clean dialogue and accurate placement of on-screen sounds, while two surround channels (Left Surround and Right Surround) immerse the audience in the action.

The Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) channel delivers deep, powerful bass effects that can be felt as well as heard. As it needs only about one-tenth the bandwidth of the other channels, the LFE channel is referred to as a “.1” channel.

Already found in thousands of cinemas and millions of homes worldwide, Dolby Digital is the reigning standard in surround sound today.

Why Dolby

Dolby Digital is a versatile digital audio encoding technology that lets broadcasters deliver up to 5.1 discrete channels of vibrant, engaging surround sound.

Applied to the final broadcast transmission signal just prior to multiplexing with the digital video, Dolby Digital is used extensively today in digital satellite (DBS and DVB-S, -S2, -C, and -T), cable, digital TV (DTV), and terrestrial high-definition TV (HDTV), as well as IPTV broadcasting services.

With Dolby Digital, broadcasters have the flexibility to deliver any number of audio channels, from rich 5.1 surround sound down to mono audio, plus multiple-language programs and other specialized services.

Dolby Digital’s adaptability is the result of metadata (“data about the data”) that is created during programming production and carried in the Dolby Digital bitstream.

Metadata parameters ensure that the program producer’s original vision for the audio is faithfully delivered within a single audio bitstream. This provides audiences with a high-quality, highly engaging audio experience, whether they are listening to a mono, stereo, or 5.1-channel system.