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 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 twin 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 each 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 preferred standard in home theater surround sound today.

Why Dolby

Dolby Digital technology is a sophisticated digital audio encoding technology that provides up to 5.1 channels of enveloping, engaging home theater surround sound.

Dolby Digital’s coding efficiency lets content creators deliver high-quality multichannel surround sound without compromising video quality. That’s why Dolby Digital is a global multichannel audio standard for DVD: virtually every DVD-Video player includes Dolby Digital decoding, with a digital output for 5.1-channel surround sound and stereo outputs for two-channel mixdowns of the Dolby Digital movie soundtrack.

In PCs, Dolby Digital decoding capability can add significant user benefits. For a PC equipped to play DVD-Video discs, Dolby Digital decoding allows the user to experience the full audio capabilities of a DVD soundtrack, either through its own speakers or through an external speaker setup.

Gamers will enjoy similar benefits, as many video games for the PC include Dolby Digital soundtracks.

Additionally, PCs that include Dolby Digital decoding will also give users the full audio experience from streamed online content that includes Dolby Digital soundtracks.

Depending on their connection options, PCs with Dolby Digital decoding can function as full-featured DVD players or video game centers for home theater setups.

Dolby Digital is also a standard audio codec for Blu-ray Disc™. For PCs with Blu-ray Disc drives, Dolby Digital enables 5.1-channel surround sound playback.