DVD authoring

Emedia Professional, Dec, 1998

Dolby Licenses Dolby Digital Encoding Technology

Dolby Laboratories is licensing its Dolby Digital audio encoding technology to consumer product manufacturers, meaning consumers will be able to record stereo Dolby Digital audio on DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, and multimedia PC products. Many consumer delivery formats use Dolby Digital audio, including DVD-Video, digital broadcast TV, direct broadcast satellite TV, the Internet, and PCs. Dolby's coding method makes it possible to record high-quality audio in a fraction of the space required by the PCM audio coding used on CDs, freeing up space on the new recordable DVD formats for high-quality video. Consumer Dolby Digital encoding is a simplified version of professional Dolby Digital, with lower memory and Millions of Instructions Per Second (MIPS) requirements that reduce complexity to a level comparable to many consumer decoder implementations. The consumer encoder also features a self-test mode so manufacturers may verify that their implementations meet Dolby's testing and certification requirements prior to mass production.

Sonic Solutions Debuts DVD-Audio Authoring Systems

Sonic Solutions has introduced Sonic DVD Producer AV, a DVD-Audio authoring system, and OneClick DVD, an option for SonicStudio and new SonicStudio HD workstations that provides integrated DVD-Audio production. OneClick DVD streamlines the process of authoring for multiple formats, supporting conversion of CD productions in Red Book format to DVD-Audio. It supports the full range of audio formats, from 44.1 kHz to 192kHz at 16-, 20-, and 24-bit resolution. OneClick DVD also includes integrated mixdown capabilities, making it easy to generate the coefficient tables required for Smart Content six-to-two mixdown--an important DVD-Audio feature that supports intelligent mixdown of surround audio programs into stereo. DVD Producer AV, meanwhile, supports High-Density Audio, slide shows, real-time text, and Audio Video disc creation. "Sonic DVD Producer AV and SonicStudio HD combine everything we have learned as leaders in CD premastering and DVD-Video production," says Bob Doris, Sonic Solutions president, "with the added functionality audio professionals will need to create compelling DVD-Audio titles."

(Sonic Solutions, 101 Rowland Way, Suite 110, Novato. CA 94945; 415/893-8000; Fax 415/893;-8008; http://www.sonic.com)