Sonic Solutions And DTS Tam To Bring 5.1 Technology To Music And Video Producers
Sonic Solutions announced at the European Audio Engineering Society Convention in Munich (AES) last week that it will integrate DTS (Digital Theater Systems) Digital Surround encoding into its SonicStudio HD and DVD Creator systems. DTS Digital Surround is an optional audio format for both the DVD-Video and DVD-Audio formats and provides exceptionally high-quality 5.1 channel surround sound. Under this arrangement, Sonic Solutions will offer DTS encoding as an option on the new Sonic HDSP processor, included in all SonicStudio HD and DVD Creator systems. ""As the world leader in both DVD production and professional audio mastering systems, Sonic Systems is the perfect partner to help us introduce DTS encoding to the market,"" said Patrick Watson, Director of Technology Licensing for DTS Consumer Products. ""With Sonicís DTS-certified implementation of our high-quality DTS Digital Surround encoding algorithm, DTS encoding will now be available for the first time to be thousands of facilities world-wide that demand the best-quality 5.1 surround audio for their DVD and CD productions."" ""SonicStudio users are the industryís top professionals who create the EmmyÆ and OscarÆ-winning sound you hear in Hollywood feature films, your favorite television shows and audio CDs,"" said Mark Ely, Director of Product Marketing for Sonic Solutions. ""We are very pleased to collaborate with Digital Theater Systems to bring DTS encoding and formatting to me professional mastering and DVD production community for the first time."" About DTS Technology The current DTS Digital Surround technology is an encode/decode system that delivers six channels (5.1) of master-quality audio. In the encoding process, the DTS algorithm encrypts the six channels of digital audio information, providing a new data stream that can be authored onto the discs. Then, during playback, a DTS-certified decoder reconstructs the original six channels of digital audio, with literally no audible degradation, compared to the original master. DTS is included as an optional audio format for both the DVD-Video and DVD-Audio formats and is also compatible with CD-Audio technology for multichannel playback from standard CD players (including DVD-Video and LaserDisc players) connected to DTS decoders. Sonic HDSP Processor Delivers Real-Time DTS Encoding Running on Sonicís powerful 48-bit HDSP processor, the DTS encoding algorithm operates in real time, allowing up to six channels (5.1) of audio to be processed and monitored through the encoding/decoding cycle. The input to the HDSP processor can be either in the form of external AES-EEBU digital audio, analog audio or a SonicStudio HD edit decision list, allowing users to optimize their multichannel mixes in the SonicStudio HD digital audio workstation prior to encoding into DTS format. The compressed data from the HDSP processor is routed on a single AES-EBU channel, clocked synchronously to source audio inputs, and can be decoded on any DTS-certified decoder or recorded to any AES digital device such as a DAT or CD-R. Until now, all DTS Digital Surround encoding had to be performed at Digital Theater Systemsí headquarter operations, requiring that source content be sent to DTS. The addition of DTS encoding technology to Sonic Solutions HDSP processing card represents a major shift in how DTS content will be produced. Now, anyone with a SonicStudio HD or DVD Creator system will be able to add DTS Digital Surround encoding to their portfolio of DVD and High-Density Audio production tools. ""The Sonic and DTS partnership is a major watershed event for the creative community,"" said Paul West, Vice President, Universal/MCA Music. ""Until now, all DTS encoding had to be performed by Digital Theater Systems, limiting our flexibility in crating DTS content. With DTS encoding available directly within SonicStudio HD and DVD Creator, we now have the power to offer our customers DTS Digital Surround on each and every project,"" Sonicís DTS encoding option for the HDSP processor is scheduled for delivery in September 1999 at a suggested manufacturerís retail price of $14,999. About Sonic Solutions Based in Marin County, California, Sonic Solutions designs and manufacturers DVD and CD publishing Systems used by video, audio and multimedia professionals around the world to prepare music, video, film, graphics and entertainment software. Sonic DVD Creator is the leading system for producing content for the DVD format, and has been used to create thousands of DVD titles worldwide, for applications ranging from feature film releases to corporate and industrial titles. Sonic DVDit! Is the easiest way to publish on DVD and for the first time makes DVD production available to the consumer market. Sonic also offers SonicStudio HD, the leading digital audio workstation used by audio professionals to prepare recorded sound for release on DVD and CD, as well as for film and video soundtracks and broadcast. Sonic is a leader in advancing DVD-Video and DVD-Audio technology and is a full voting-member of the DVD Forum, the standards-setting body for the DVD format. Sonic Solutions can be contacted on the Web at www.sonic.com. Digital Theater Systems Digital Theater Systems was launched with the release of Universal Picturesí and Amblin Entertainmentís ""Jurassic Park,"" and since then the company has remained a leader in feature film digital audio with over 16,500 installations worldwide. DTS Consumer Products, Inc. (a subsidiary of DTS, Inc.) licenses its technology to hardware and software manufacturers to crate digital surround products for home, automobile and computer applications, that are changing the way consumers experience music recordings, movie soundtracks and video games on compact disc, LaserDisc, DVD and DVD-ROM. DTS is a product of Digital Theater Systems, Inc. of Agoura Hills, California. For more information, visit the DTS Website at www.dtsonline.com.