Windows 7 Delivers Next-Generation Audio

[z3r010]

When it comes to optimizing and really advancing the personal entertainment experience on the PC, Microsoft and Dolby Laboratories share a history of improving the integrity of audio playback. The collaboration between the two companies started when they began working together to enhance audio delivery for the Xbox in 2001. After this design was completed, Microsoft extended its usage of Dolby audio technology in Windows Media Center. This work continued with Windows Vista, which was launched worldwide in January 2007. The evolution of these shared efforts is realized in Windows 7 today.

Windows 7 builds on past collaboration by adding next-generation Dolby Digital Plus technology to offer high-quality multichannel audio. Available in Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate, Dolby Digital Plus brings home theater–quality audio to the PC, improving the listening experience of music, movies, and TV.

When it comes to the small, discreet speakers built into a PC or laptop, how can audio really be optimized? Dolby Digital Plus, a multichannel audio standard for DVDs and select HD broadcasts worldwide, is a high-efficiency, next-generation audio codec that maintains the quality of Dolby Digital at a lower data rate and is fully compatible with all current Dolby Digital A/V receivers. From the movie and music producer point of view, this means that Dolby Digital Plus offers more channels and better compression, making it easier to create higher quality content at lower bit rates to experience on the PC.

Dolby Digital Plus is already the broadcast audio standard for HDTV services in Europe. France is currently using Dolby Digital Plus, with Poland and other countries following closely. Users in these countries watching streaming broadcast content on their computers get to experience next-generation sound.

Microsoft’s diligence in working closely with Dolby engineers to fully enable the PC to be a more sophisticated, dynamic entertainment device is evidence of the company’s broad vision and steadfast commitment to revolutionizing the role of the PC. The next generation of PC enthusiasts can enjoy their computers as their primary home entertainment device—and Dolby Digital Plus will play an important role in that experience.

Spinal Tap fans will recall the restaurant scene in which David St. Hubbins’s interfering girlfriend, Jeanine, informs the band that their album wasn’t “mixed right” because it wasn’t mixed in “Dob-l-ey.” We may be biased, but we tend to agree with that statement. Content is never quite right without Dolby audio technology. Fortunately, PCs with Windows 7 will never have that problem.

To check out the latest on Dolby Digital Plus in Windows 7—including Dolby videos and a dedicated Windows 7 web page—visit Dolby.com and Audiodolby.com. For a complete Dolby PC demo and other PC videos, visit www.audiodolby.com/#/motion/pc. For press releases and news about Dolby technologies, visit investor.dolby.com/releases.cfm.

Robin Selden
Senior Vice President, Marketing, Dolby

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[macgyver2]

wish they could improve the speakers on laptops soon.

 

[reghakr]

No offense, but..............

Yes, that great, but to take full advantage of it, you need to hookup an optical cable to your 7.1 channel home theater receiver.

I can't imagine playing it on regular computer speakers.

I'll be even more happy when they come out with Dolby TrueHD
Dolby - Dolby TrueHD - The Ultimate Home Theater Audio Experience

 

[abuttino]

Optical Cables cannot handle DD+. You have to use the Coax or analog direct to speakers or amp

 

[reghakr]

An optical cable from the sound card to a home theater receiver sure will decode DD.

I use it all the time.

If you don't have a home theater connect, you still need at least 5 .1 channels to take full advantage of it.

An analog cable is not digital, so that would never work.

I think you have to pay for it also.

 

[abuttino]

Analog to amp (5.1-7.1 out from the sound card) is most certainly digital. It has to travel from digital to analog at some point, this would be one step early.

DD+ does NOT travel on SP/DIF (Optical) DD DOES.

Trust me on this, I've been doing HTPC's and HD Media since HD-DVD first came to the market

 

[Scotteq]

<Takes a 10 year leap into the future>

News: Nov 19, 2019: Creative Announce Dob-l-ey DD+ Support for Win 7

...we are excited that after an exhaustive development effort, our engineers have merged the sublime sound of Dolby Digital Plus with our patented X-Fi "SCP" technology (*Snap* *Crackle* and *Pop*) for Windows 7 users...

Vice President of Creative's Consumer Marketeering quote: "WoW!! DD+!!! Do they even make brassier... Oop.. What?? Oh Audio, is it? Shame... Sounds Great guys! Once again Creative revolutionize the industry!..."





though perhaps one might suppose I could be taking the p*ss... just a little bit...

 

[reghakr]

No duisreprect, but........

My nephew does custom audio video installs and I help with some of ther in wall installs.

If you talking about Connecting analog Cable to a home theater receive , you get sterro, that;s ir

On my Marantz receiver, it will play Dolby Digital Plus,The logo is right on front of the receiver.

 

[abuttino]

That DD+ is PROBABLY going thru COAX.

BTW, COAX and analog are 2 different things.

Digital audio delivered from a Blu-ray or other digital media in it's original form, Such as DD+ or DTSHD in 7.1 is still digital audio.

If you have 7.1 speakers and a 7.1 out of your sound card, you are getting the true experience as long as you have the codec's that support DD+ or whatever on your player (PowerDVD or Set top box).

It doesn't matter what point it's converted to analog because it HAS to be converted to analog at some time to drive the speakers with the + and - charge to actually put out the sound that you hear.

Analog sound which you are probably thinking about is a monoral or stereo sound that is a traditional way to deliver music and movies on Dolby Surround.

One speaker per analog channel for digital surround is going to be the same effective output as hdmi

One optical cable will be the same as routing a red and white (Stereo) to your player

Now, Just in case you don't beleve me I pulled it from the Dolby website:
SP/DIF only gets 2 channel PCM

Dolby - Dolby Digital Plus

I didn't wanna make a fool of you or any of you. Next time I say something, take heed

Now, rep me! (Just kiddin')

Besides the fact that I've been using DD+ on my HD-DVD's and Blu-ray on my HTPC for quite some time, I have been an audiophile for all my adult and adolescent life.

If you still have reason to doubt me, go over to avsforums.com

 

[reghakr]

My optical out from my sound card certainly does produce 5.1 channel sound on my Marantz receiver.

One optical cable will be the same as routing a red and white (Stereo) to your player

Totally false

Yes, I know what coax is, I have a monster Aka Reference Series integrated amp (when thee used to make good quality products) with coax in and out. I can record digitally to my mini disk player.

Here's a link to the receiver:
Marantz America | SR7002 THX Select2 Dolby TrueHD dts-HD MA AV Receiver

 

[abuttino]

So, your receiver defies all Dolby logic?

Many receivers upmix the 2 channels that you get from the DD+ (2CH PCM that you get from Optical SP/DIF) to make you think you are getting 5.1.

The other alternative is that your receiver knows it's being fed DD+ but Optical CANNOT HANDLE a DD+ stream.

Look at the site. It is NOT possible

What you ARE receiving is Dolby Digital.

Line output: Two-, six-, and eight-channel analog
S/PDIF: Two-channel PCM and Dolby Digital
HDMI 1.1/HDMI 1.2: Two-, six-, and eight-channel PCM and Dolby Digital
HDMI 1.3: Two-, six-, and eight-channel PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby TrueHD bitstreams.

 

[reghakr]

I had just taken my entire home theater down because I had my carpet replaced.

Hooking it back up was a nightmare, but then went around back and noticed an HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV.

So, you are correct after-all and I apologize for my mistake

 

[abuttino]

A lot of times the Receiver will throw up a DTS or DTS-EX for a DD+ stream, but since you were telling me that it was throwing the DD+ symbol on your amp, that could only be HDMI

Glad we straighted that out.

 

[reghakr]

Sorry,. I should have looked more closely into that before posting.


Anyway DTS, DTS-EX, DD+,. and Dolby TrueHD provide incredible sound.

 

[abuttino]

It's all good.