feature audio for video
Entertainment is evolving. HD broadcast has
Feature sponsored
arrived and is growing in popularity and
by Dolby
accessibility. Viewing behaviour and content
consumption habits are changing. Home based
entertainment - whether watching broadcast
TV, ordering a film online, playing a game or
spinning a Blu-ray disc - demands to be more
immersive than ever before. People expect to
capture the cinema experience in their own
homes. James Caselton, marketing manager for
broadcast systems at Dolby, reports.
Audio: the next
generation
F
or some time digital TV has next-generation broadcasts, various for HD terrestrial is building. Already
been available via subscription broadcaster/manufacturer groups within France TNT-HD has been on air
over satellite and cable - with have worked collaboratively to gain since October 2008, with Italy and the
HD services growing in consensus on the formats desired to UK due to start their services later this
number each month. Now, be included in European receivers. year and other key countries set to
with the analogue to digital This multilateral dialogue has follow in 2010 - HD broadcast over
switchover, mainstream free-to-air culminated in the selection of two terrestrial has arrived.
terrestrial television is going HD - audio codec technologies: HE AAC and From a consumer point of view,
opening up new opportunities for
James Caselton,
marketing
Dolby Digital Plus. HE AAC was HDTVs and set top boxes are
broadcasters, operators, professional manager for selected for its remarkable sound decreasing in price and increasing in
and consumer electronics
broadcast systems,
quality at low bit rates, whilst Dolby features - lowering the barrier of entry
manufacturers, as well as retailers.
Dolby.
Digital Plus was selected for its for all. This has enabled increasing
scalability to support up to and beyond amounts of people to engage with the
Momentum is building 3mbps higher quality multichannel new technologies and to build an
and stereo audio. understanding & expectation for them.
The analogue to digital TV Throughout Europe, as countries As this expectation increases
switchover has provided the broadcast announce their HD DTT specifications broadcasters and operators will be
industry with a rare opportunity to and roll out their plans, momentum forced to re-examine their offerings
review its position with regard to and to adapt their business models to
spectrum usage, take stock and plan include a wider media mix eg new
for the future. This has required a advertising opportunities for
coordinated approach between interactive online services, VOD,
countries and broadcasters to ensure mobile TV as well as HD broadcast.
that next generation services can be
delivered in the most reliable,
Map of the EU
Delivering on the promise
consistent and efficient manner. As
showing Dolby
the DVB specification does not specify
Digital, Dolby
Digital Plus and HE
To drive next generation content
which audio codec should be used for AAC momentum. provision, broadcasters and operators
16 l ibe l may/june 2009 l www.ibeweb.com
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