User Guide

Preparing Audio Assets 45
A brief description of the supported audio formats is include below:
PCM Audio Uncompressed audio format, from one to eight channels, recorded with Pulse
Code Modulation. The DVD Specification supports PCM sample rates of 48 kHz and 96 kHz
with resolutions of 16, 20, or 24 bits. While PCM audio yields higher fidelity than other
formats, its higher bit rates (see Table 3 on page 44) leave less available bandwidth for video.
Note: To use PCM audio at a sample rate of 96 kHz, you must have Scenarist Professional.
Note: Although the DVD Specification supports up to 8 channels of PCM audio, currently,
there are no DVD players that support multi-channel PCM.
MPEG-1 Layer 2 Audio Perceptual coding system by the Moving Picture Experts Group that
delivers compressed two-channel audio. MPEG-1 (along with Dolby Digital) is one of the
mandatory audio compression systems for PAL titles.
Dolby Digital (AC-3) Perceptual coding system by Dolby Laboratories that delivers
compressed multi-channel audio, in a range of formats, at reduced bit rates with acceptable
fidelity. Dolby Digital is perhaps the most common audio format used for DVD-Video, and is
the mandatory audio compression system for NTSC titles. It is also (along with MPEG-1) one
of the mandatory audio compression systems for PAL titles.
DTS Perceptual coding system by Digital Theater Systems that delivers compressed multi-
channel audio in 5.1 and 6.1 formats. DTS was initially developed for theater surround
sound but has also been used in consumer systems.