Intelligent Sound

DTS-HD High Resolution Audio is one of the two high-definition DTS audio formats for Blu-ray media. DTS-HD High Resolution Audio and DTS-HD Master Audio are the extensions to the original DTS audio format. The format delivers up to 7.1 channels of sound at a sampling frequency of 96 kHz and 24-bit depth resolution.

With constant bit rates up to 6.0 Mbit/s, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio is selected as an optional surround sound format for Blu-ray Disc and for constant bit rates up to 3.0 Mbit/s; it is selected for HD DVD.

Dolby Digital Surround EX is the cinema version of Dolby Digital EX and functions essentially the same way. It was co-developed by Dolby and Lucasfilm THX at the time of release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, in May 1999. Since then, the technology has been used for the Star Wars prequels on the DVD versions and the remastered original Star Wars trilogy.

DTS-HD Master Audio, created by Digital Theater System, is a lossless audio codec. Formerly known as DTS++, it is an extension of DTS that supports an unlimited number of surround sound channels. When played back on devices not supporting the Master Audio or High Resolution extension, it is degraded to a lossy “core” track.

Dolby Digital Plus is a digital audio compression scheme, abbreviated as DD+ or E-AC-3 (Enhanced AC-3). The enhanced coding system is based on the AC-3 codec and offers increased bitrates (up to 6.144 Mbit/s). The system also supports up to 13.1 audio channels and offers improved coding techniques to reduce compression artifacts. Although E-AC-3 decoders can transcode to AC-3 or DTS for equipments connected via S/PDIF, DD Plus is not backward compatible with the current AC-3 hardware.