audio type confusion
02-04-02, 03:52 PM
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audio type confusion
Hi Y'all -
I'm a recent newcomer to DVD technology and having trouble deciphering some of the icons that appear on the back of the packaging. I think I've got Dolby Digital down pretty clear, but can't seem to grasp what exactly MPEG is and how it differs. Is it simply a compression technique? Why would a studio use MPEG versus Dolby Digital? Any info in plain english would be loved and appreciated!
Thanks.
I'm a recent newcomer to DVD technology and having trouble deciphering some of the icons that appear on the back of the packaging. I think I've got Dolby Digital down pretty clear, but can't seem to grasp what exactly MPEG is and how it differs. Is it simply a compression technique? Why would a studio use MPEG versus Dolby Digital? Any info in plain english would be loved and appreciated!
Thanks.
02-04-02, 04:33 PM
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Just to add
As stevevt said MPEG is a video standard. MPEG is how digital video is encoded for different mediums.
MPEG-1 is lower quality encoding and used for VCDs(Video CDs).
MPEG-2 is high quality encoding and used for DVDs.
Ever DVD player has an MPEG decoder built into it for decoding the data on the DVD.
I put a link to the MPEG website in the FAQ if you want more info, also all those acronyms on your DVD player are explained in the FAQ.
As stevevt said MPEG is a video standard. MPEG is how digital video is encoded for different mediums.
MPEG-1 is lower quality encoding and used for VCDs(Video CDs).
MPEG-2 is high quality encoding and used for DVDs.
Ever DVD player has an MPEG decoder built into it for decoding the data on the DVD.
I put a link to the MPEG website in the FAQ if you want more info, also all those acronyms on your DVD player are explained in the FAQ.
02-05-02, 08:07 AM
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audio type confusion
Hey guys... I did interpret the part about video compression. But apparently there's a MPEG Multichannel that refers to an alternate audio type. If you go to the Dolby Digital site, they provide a list of audio types which include MPEG-1 and MPEG-2, as well as Pulse Code Modulation (which I haven't even begun to tackle yet) and SDDS. I've actually got a call in to the Dolby team to help me interpret. Even they seem to be stumped.
I'll try to put a link in here. Hopefully it'll work. This is the Dolby site, and if you click Figure Two, you'll see the full list of audio types. This is where I'm confused.
http://www.dolby.com/dvd/dvdlisten.html
If anyone out there is clear on these, let me know. Otherwise, I'll come back and relay what I get from the Dolby team - just in case anyone else is interested.
I'll try to put a link in here. Hopefully it'll work. This is the Dolby site, and if you click Figure Two, you'll see the full list of audio types. This is where I'm confused.
http://www.dolby.com/dvd/dvdlisten.html
If anyone out there is clear on these, let me know. Otherwise, I'll come back and relay what I get from the Dolby team - just in case anyone else is interested.
02-05-02, 08:23 AM
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Yes MPEG is also used for audio encoding as well however your receiver would need an MPEG input and decoder.
A common use of MPEG audio is obviously MP3. MP3 stands for MPEG Layer 3. The layer basically refers to the level of quality at which the audio is compressed.
Your DVD player is generally going to have 3 different ways of producing audio.
(1) Bitstream - This is the actual encoded digital bitstream that is decoded by the DVD player's MPEG decoder. This includes your digital 5.1, DTS and Stereo/Mono track.
(2) PCM(Pulse Code Modulation) - Represents the audio as a series of digital samples.
(3) Analog - Uses the DVD players internal DAC(Digital to Audio Converter) and the analog outputs for the audio. This can include the Stereo/Mono track, 5.1 and DTS track.
A common use of MPEG audio is obviously MP3. MP3 stands for MPEG Layer 3. The layer basically refers to the level of quality at which the audio is compressed.
Your DVD player is generally going to have 3 different ways of producing audio.
(1) Bitstream - This is the actual encoded digital bitstream that is decoded by the DVD player's MPEG decoder. This includes your digital 5.1, DTS and Stereo/Mono track.
(2) PCM(Pulse Code Modulation) - Represents the audio as a series of digital samples.
(3) Analog - Uses the DVD players internal DAC(Digital to Audio Converter) and the analog outputs for the audio. This can include the Stereo/Mono track, 5.1 and DTS track.
