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What's the difference between Dolby Surround, Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1? Is one better than the other?
Dolby Surround involves encoding four channels of information - Front Left, Center, Front Right, and Rear Surround into a two-channel signal. A decoding chip then decodes the four channels and sends them to the appropriate destination, the Left, Right, Rear, and Phantom Center (center channel is derived from the L/R front channels). The result is a more balanced listening environment in which the main sounds derive from the left and right channels, the vocal or dialog emanates from the center phantom channel, and the ambience or effects information comes in from behind the listener.
Dolby Pro-Logic adds hardware elements in the decoding chip that emphasize important directional cues in a movie soundtrack. This process, although not important in musical recordings is very effective for film soundtracks and adds more accuracy to effects such as explosions, planes flying overhead, etc. There is greater separation between channels. In addition, Dolby Pro-Logic extracts a dedicated Center Channel that more accurately centers the dialog (this necessitates a center channel speaker for full effect) in a movie soundtrack.
Dolby Digital adds both accuracy and flexibility by adding stereo rear surround channels that enable sounds to emanate in more directions, as well as a dedicated Subwoofer Channel to provide more emphasis for low frequency effects. Dolby Digital is often referred to as a 5.1 channel system, because of the added Subwoofer channel. Also, unlike Dolby Pro-logic, which requires a rear channel of only minimal power and limited frequency response, Dolby Digital encoding/decoding requires the same power output and frequency range as the main channels. Dolby Digital encoding on DVDs, Laserdiscs, and Satellite programming is very common and has solidified this format in the marketplace. Since Dolby Digital involves its own encoding process, you need to have a Dolby Digital receiver or amplifier to accurately decode the signal.
Digital Theater Systems (DTS) has also adapted its surround sound process for home use. It is a 5.1 system just like Dolby Digital, but since DTS uses less compression in encoding process, many feel that DTS has a better result on the listening end. In addition, while Dolby Digital is mainly intended for the Movie Soundtrack experience, DTS is being used in the mixing and reproduction of Musical performances. Many CD-only players now come equipped with DTS outputs that allow a DTS-equipped amplifier or receiver to decode the DTS signals imprinted on "select" DTS-encoded music CD's.
F.A.Q. |
Dolby Formats
Dolby Surround involves encoding four channels of information - Front Left, Center, Front Right, and Rear Surround into a two-channel signal. A decoding chip then decodes the four channels and sends them to the appropriate destination, the Left, Right, Rear, and Phantom Center (center channel is derived from the L/R front channels). The result is a more balanced listening environment in which the main sounds derive from the left and right channels, the vocal or dialog emanates from the center phantom channel, and the ambience or effects information comes in from behind the listener.
Dolby Pro-Logic adds hardware elements in the decoding chip that emphasize important directional cues in a movie soundtrack. This process, although not important in musical recordings is very effective for film soundtracks and adds more accuracy to effects such as explosions, planes flying overhead, etc. There is greater separation between channels. In addition, Dolby Pro-Logic extracts a dedicated Center Channel that more accurately centers the dialog (this necessitates a center channel speaker for full effect) in a movie soundtrack.
Dolby Digital adds both accuracy and flexibility by adding stereo rear surround channels that enable sounds to emanate in more directions, as well as a dedicated Subwoofer Channel to provide more emphasis for low frequency effects. Dolby Digital is often referred to as a 5.1 channel system, because of the added Subwoofer channel. Also, unlike Dolby Pro-logic, which requires a rear channel of only minimal power and limited frequency response, Dolby Digital encoding/decoding requires the same power output and frequency range as the main channels. Dolby Digital encoding on DVDs, Laserdiscs, and Satellite programming is very common and has solidified this format in the marketplace. Since Dolby Digital involves its own encoding process, you need to have a Dolby Digital receiver or amplifier to accurately decode the signal.
Digital Theater Systems (DTS) has also adapted its surround sound process for home use. It is a 5.1 system just like Dolby Digital, but since DTS uses less compression in encoding process, many feel that DTS has a better result on the listening end. In addition, while Dolby Digital is mainly intended for the Movie Soundtrack experience, DTS is being used in the mixing and reproduction of Musical performances. Many CD-only players now come equipped with DTS outputs that allow a DTS-equipped amplifier or receiver to decode the DTS signals imprinted on "select" DTS-encoded music CD's.
B.A.
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