Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator Makes Its Camcorder Debut at CES
Las Vegas, January 7, 2005—Dolby Laboratories today announced the first implementation of Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator in a consumer camcorder product.
The Sony DVD Handycam camcorder model DCR-DVD403 is debuting in the Sony and Dolby exhibits (#N109 and #20913, respectively) at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show.
The product incorporates built-in multichannel microphones and Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator, enabling consumers to record their home movies in dramatic 5.1-channel digital surround sound.
Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator is a sophisticated audio coding technology that formats audio content into a multichannel Dolby Digital bitstream, allowing consumers to create home movies with rich, full, surround sound that captures the entire setting.
As a result of its superior coding efficiencies, 5.1-channel Dolby Digital requires less data than stereo PCM, resulting in savings in disc space and allowing consumers to make longer recordings or store higher-quality video content by assigning a higher data rate to video.
"Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator opens up a whole new world for the camcorder enthusiast," commented Ron Vitale, Director of Marketing, Consumer Division, Dolby Laboratories. "Now consumers can bring home all of their vacation memories—in both sound and picture. Whether it's a street corner in Prague, or the theater where a daughter is performing her first piano recital, the entire ambience of the event is captured and preserved in Dolby Digital 5.1."
The Sony Handycam camcorder DCR-DVD403 records to a 3-inch DVD, which is simple and convenient to shoot, play, and share. Played back in most DVD players, and connected to 5.1 audio system, special memories such as birthdays, concerts, or graduations are delivered in realistic and immersive multichannel sound.
A major area of concern for camcorder users has always been the recording of narration tracks on home movies. With Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator built into a camcorder, the person recording no longer needs to shout into the microphone to be heard. The narration can be easily picked up by the rear channels without masking the sounds of objects directly in front of the camera.
Dolby's booth (#20913) is located at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), South Hall, Lower Level, at the 2005 International CES from January 6-9, 2005.
About Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories develops and delivers products and technologies that make the entertainment experience more realistic and immersive. For nearly four decades, Dolby has been at the forefront in defining high-quality audio and surround sound in cinema, broadcast, home audio systems, cars, DVDs, headphones, games, televisions, and personal computers.
Based in San Francisco with European headquarters in England, Dolby has entertainment industry liaison offices in New York and Los Angeles, and licensing liaison offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, and Tokyo. For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit www.dolby.com.
Dolby and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Handycam is a registered trademark of Sony.