Dolby 的 DMP Suite

螃蟹公司把 DMP 的市場做到每月營業額破兩億元, 而 Dolby 也 "順勢" 推出了 DMP 專屬的套件. 難道這是巧合嗎?

嗯, 真的是巧合耶!

我們的 DMP 是指 digital media processor team, 賣出的產品叫做 digital media player. 但是 Dolby 的 DMP 可是叫做 Digital Media Producer.

基本上它是 PC 上的軟體, 可以用來編解, 甚至於修復 Dolby 家族的 bit stream. 分為網路版和單機版販售.
 

Dolby Media Producer Suite (Network Bundle) $3,995

Dolby Media Encoder

Dolby Media Decoder

Dolby Media Tools

Dolby Media Producer SE Suite (Stand-alone Bundle) $995

Dolby Media Encoder SE

Dolby Media Decoder

Dolby Media Tools

 

電腦規格

CPU Models and Requirements

Apple Mac Pro with two 2.66 GHz or faster Intel® Xeon® dual-core processors 

Mac OS X version 10.4.2 or later

 

MS 11 簡介

MS10 是 Dolby 先前推出的 broadcast 解碼標準, 可以解兩路的 audio, 並且

(1) primary 5.1 CH 送去 re-encoder, 也就是 AAC 變 Dolby.

(2) primary down-mix 成 2 CH 輸出

(3) secondary  (Audio Description) down-mix 成 2-CH 和 (2) mix, 給盲人用

MS11 增加了對 media playback 的支援, 而且輸出可以包括 media playback / 2-CH in 的結果.

(1) primary 5.1 CH 送去 re-encoder.

(2) primary 5.1 CH  輸出.

(3) secondary  (Audio Description) 和 (2) 的  mix 成 5.1 CH

(4) 外部的 media playback 5.1 CH decode 後和 (3) 或 (5) mix  成 5.1 CH

(5) 外的 2-CH PCM (比方說麥克風, DVD AO) 和 (3) 或 (4) mix  成 5.1 CH

(6) 最後有一個 2-CH down-mix, 可以輸出 (2) or (3) or (4), 包含了各種可能的選擇.

簡而言之, MS11 把原先放在 MS10 外部的 2CH mix module 移到架構當中, 而內部均保有 5.1 CH 的形態.

MS11 的變化形還包括把後處理的 Dolby Volume (恆定音量之用) 放在 5.1 CH down-mix 後面.

MS11 還沒有出台, 大約在 2010 的 8 月才會出 SDK.

基本上, 大多數的國家都是用 Dolby Digital (AC3) 或是 HE-AAC (Dolby Pulse) 在做音訊的數位廣播. DTS 雖然在藍光的世界占了一席之地, 講到廣播還是得臣服於 Dolby. 因此 Dolby 的架構對 STB 自然是很重要.

Dolby MS10 簡介

Dolby 公司做音效, 大家應該都知道. 但是 MS10 這個名詞可能就令人相當陌生了, 只有業內的人才會留意. 所謂 MS 就是 Multi-Stream, 10 就是第十代的 decoder.

MS10 的內容包括 Dolby Digital Plus, HE AAC 兩種 decoder, 以及 HE-AAC 到 Dolby Digital 的 Transcoder. 因為在歐洲國家, 不是 support HE-AAC Decoer (Dolby Pulse) + Dolby Digital Encoder, 就是 support Dolby Digital Plus.

這個消息在 2009/3/23 發佈, 不過 Dolby 早就在著手於 MS11 了. 因為 DTS 也擠進 Broadcast 領域的關係, Dolby 亟思將它趕出去. 

DTS 的優勢就是偽 backward compatible 的相容性, 號稱一個 bit stream 可以適用於各種等級的 DTS decoder. 因此 Dolby 的殺招就是讓它的相容性無法發揮作用, 至於是哪一招, 大家可以推測看看…

[原文]

Mar 23, 2009 08:00 ET 
New Dolby Multistream Decoder Bridges HE AAC and Dolby Digital Plus Standards
Flexible Solution for New European HDTV Broadcasting Specifications and Next-Generation Broadcast Services
 
 

SAN FRANCISCO –(Business Wire)– Mar 23, 2009 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) announced today the new Dolby® Multistream Decoder, a licensable multiformat audio decoding technology that supports Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Pulse in a single package for next generation HDTVs and set top boxes.

In Europe, various industry groups such as Digital Video Broadcasting, the European Broadcasting Union and DIGITALEUROPE (formerly known as EICTA) have recommended Dolby Digital Plus and HE AAC as the audio coding systems for next-generation broadcast transmissions. In addition, individual national forums have specified these audio systems for their respective HD formats. Dolby Digital Plus decoding brings premium audio support and full compatibility with existing Dolby Digital broadcasts. Dolby Pulse (Dolby’s implementation of HE AAC) can extend the Dolby experience to an even wider range of bandwidth constrained services and new online opportunities.

The new decoder, also known as the Dolby MS10 Multistream Decoder, decodes both Dolby Digital Plus and HE AAC audio and therefore can assist manufacturers in meeting new MPEG-4 terrestrial receiver specifications in several European countries, including Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway (HE AAC only with transcoder), Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. It also enables new audio mixing options to enhance presentation for viewers with vision impairments, as required or recommended in several European countries, including Sweden and the UK.

“We’re confident that the Dolby Multistream Decoder will not only aid manufacturers in reducing the cost and complexity of integrating audio technologies into their TVs and set top boxes, but it also will aid greatly in simplifying product development and testing,” said Tom Daily, Senior Director of Marketing, Broadcast Segment at Dolby Laboratories, Inc.

Other key benefits of the Dolby Multistream Decoder include:

  • Full compatibility with Dolby metadata and consumers’ existing DVD home cinema systems with all Dolby and HE AAC transmission formats
  • Full multichannel support (transcoder) for Dolby Pulse in addition to Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus decoding and conversion—one Dolby Digital output for all input formats
  • Support for audio description services delivered “receiver-mix” style using two simultaneous instances of Dolby Pulse, Dolby Digital, or Dolby Digital Plus decoders, respectively—all for the price of a single decoder instance
  • Support for multiprogram Dolby Digital Plus streams (main and associated audio delivered in the same audio stream)
  • Ability to decode AAC, HE AAC v.1, and HE AAC v.2 bitstreams

Dolby MS10 Multistream Decoder implementation and system kits are available starting today. For more information, please visit www.dolby.com/ms10.

Dolby Pulse

Dolby Pulse is the newest addition to Dolby’s comprehensive portfolio of high-quality audio technologies, and is designed to meet the varying needs of broadcasters and operators in different regions. Complementing Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Pulse addresses next-generation applications where bandwidth efficiency is critical. Based on a consistent code base and equipped with support of various metadata, Dolby Pulse is designed to provide consistent and predictable results throughout the broadcast chain.

Because it is based on the AAC family of codecs, a Dolby Pulse decoder can decode AAC, HE AAC v.1, and HE AAC v.2 bitstreams. Dolby Pulse stands apart from the standard MPEG-4 HE AAC core because it integrates all the metadata parameters as required to be considered a broadcast audio system, like Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Digital.

Dolby Pulse also offers significant improvements in the following areas:

  • Decoder stability: Offers highly optimized switching times between channel configurations and improved reliability when used in a system with Dolby Pulse encoders
  • Error concealment: Ensures reliable broadcast audio performance
  • Decoder requirements in terms of memory and computational complexity: Dolby Pulse decoding within the Dolby Multistream Decoder platform is integrated into a combined code base that is optimized for H.264 system-on-chip architectures
  • Encoder audio quality: Offers superior audio quality compared to other parametric audio codecs

About Dolby Laboratories

Visit www.dolby.com for more information.

Dolby Laboratories
David Yang, 415-645-5679 (Media)
dyang@dolby.com

[原文連結]


http://www.virtualpressoffice.com/RODAccess?did=1237824499473&pid=84875&ct=C

 

[網路謠言] Dolby AC3 專利快到期了?

根據網路謠言的說法, Dolby AC3 的專利快到期了, 明年大家可以隨便用…

由於美國專利的年限規定, 大約是 17~20 年, 詳情請看 http://www.patent-tutorial.net/node/1114. 所以今年到期的美國專利, 應該是 1992 年獲准, 或是 1989 年申請的. 那麼, 謠言來源應該是針對這兩個專利吧!

“Low bit rate transform code, decoder, and encoder/decoder for high quality audio", USA Patent 5,109,417 and 5,142,656.

不過以網路上的合約範本 (Dolby Digital v.s. Sony) – http://contracts.onecle.com/sonic-foundry/dolby-license-1997-07-28.shtml (網路上真是甚麼都有), 他們簽約的時候, Dolby 授予對方的權利包含下面這些專利, 難道每一隻都過期了嗎?

好像沒有! 剛好只到 5,142,656 會在今年過期. 其中 5,235,671 竟然是 GTE 的專利, 而不是 Dolby 的.

回過頭來看, 爆料者似乎爆過頭了. 萬一大家都亂用 AC3 的專利, 然後被 Dolby 告得半死. 那麼散布此謠言的人, 也沒有好處啊?

其中, Dolby 也有申請台灣的專利. 在歐洲也有好多個同號碼的專利, 假如專利號碼不像電話號碼的可以選號的話, 應該只是互相承認的專利, 然後再不同國家之下都掛一次, 充充場面的吧!

PATENTS
                                    ——-
                   
          Country                              Patent Number
          ——-                              ————-
                                            
          Australia                                631,404      
          Australia                                644,170      
          Australia                                649,786      
          Australia                                653,582      
          Australia                                655,053      
          Australia                                655,535      
          Austria                                  0 524 264      
          Belgium                                0 208 712      
          Belgium                                0 481 374      
          Belgium                                0 524 264      
          Canada                                 1,239,701      
          Canada                                 1,301,337      
          Canada                                 2,026,213      
          Denmark                               0 208 712      
          Denmark                               0 481 374      
          Denmark                               0 524 264      
          France                                   0 208 712      
          France                                   0 455 738      
          France                                   0 481 374      
          France                                   0 524 264      
          Germany                                690 060 11.4    
          Germany                                691 078 41.6    
          Greece                                   0 524 264      
          Italy                                       0 208 712      
          Italy                                       0 524 264      
          Netherlands                            0 455 738      
          Netherlands                            0 524 264      
          Spain                                     0 524 264      
          Sweden                                  0 524 264      
          Switzerland                             0 524 264      
          Taiwan                                    52,047      
          Taiwan                                    53,726      
          Taiwan                                    56,006      
          Taiwan                                    60,430      
          United Kingdom                         0 208 712      
          United Kingdom                         0 455 738      
          United Kingdom                         0 524 264      
          United States of America               4,790,016      
          United States of America               4,914,701      
          United States of America               5,109,417      
          United States of America               5,235,671      
          United States of America               5,274,740      
          United States of America               5,291,557      
          United States of America               5,297,236      
          United States of America               5,357,594      
          United States of America               5,394,473      
          United States of America               5,463,424      
          United States of America               5,479,562