user manual

A Guide to Dolby Metadata Downmixing
Dolby
®
DP570 Multichannel Audio Tool User’s Manual 91
Aswithstereomixingwherethemixismonitoredinmonoonoccasiontomaintain
compatibility,multichannelaudiomixingrequirestheengineertoreferencethemixto
fewerspeakerchannelstoensurecompatibilityindownmixingsituations.Inthisway,
DolbyDigital,usingthemetadataparametersthatcontroldownmixing,isan“equal

opportunitytechnology,”inthateveryconsumerwhoreceivestheDolbyDigitaldata
streamcanenjoythebestaudioreproductionpossible,regardlessoftheplaybacksystem.
Itisimportanttoconsidertheoutputsignalsfromeachpiece ofequipmentthatcanreceive
aDolbyDigitalprogram inthehome.Table D‐2shows
theoutputtypesfromdifferent
equipment.
Set‐topboxes,usedtoreceiveterrestrial,cable,orsatellitedigitaltelevision,typicallyoffer
ananalogmonosignalmodulatedontheRF/Antennaoutput,aline ‐levelanalogstereo
signal,andanopticalorcoaxialdigitaloutput.DVDplayersofferananalogstereoanda
digital
output,andsomeofferasix‐channelanalogoutput(fora5.1‐channelpresentation).
PortableDVDplayersofferanalogstereo,headphone,anddigitaloutputs.DVDplayersin
computersandgameconsolesofferadigitaloutputaswellasanalogstereo,headphone,
andpossiblysix‐channelanalogoutputs.5.1‐channelamplifiers,
decoders,andreceivers
havesix‐channelanalogoutputsandpossiblysixspeaker‐leveloutputs.
Inallofthesecases,aDolbyDigitaldecodercreatestheanalogaudiooutputsignal.
Inthecaseoftheset‐topboxorDVD player,theanalogstereooutputisadownmixed
versionoftheDolby
Digitaldatastream.Thedigitaloutputdeliversthe DolbyDigitaldata 
Table D-2 Outputs from Different Equipment Types
Equipment
Output
Digital
5.1-Channel
Analog
Two-Channel
Analog
RF
Remodulated
5.1‐channelamplifier
Thestandardhome
theaterA/Vamp
rr
5.1‐channeldecoder r r
High‐endDVDplayer r r r
DVDplayer r r
PC
Includesgamesconsoles
r(someunits) r
High‐endset‐topbox
OftenHDTV
rr r r
Set‐topbox
UsuallySDTV
rrr
IDTV
TVsetwithanintegrated
digitalTVtuner
rr
High‐endTV
LargescreenTVwitha
5.1
‐channelspeaker
system
rr