Floppyhead – Digital Media and Streaming

Dolby has announced a new certification for the home theater pc, called “Dolby Home Theater,” which includes Dolby Pro Logic II decoding to produce 7.1-, 6.1-, or 5.1-channel audio from a two-channel source. The certification also supports Dolby Digital Live, which converts any analog audio signal, as from a PC or game console, into Dolby Digital for connection to a DD-equipped home theater system.

The Home Theater designation includes the following features as part of its specifications:

• Sound Space Expander is a sound stage enhancer that produces a wide stereo image and in the process improves the separation of instruments without diminishing the center of the mix.
• Natural Bass is a bass enhancement system for speaker and headphones that provides up to an octave of downward extension in the bass response of most speakers.
• Dolby Pro Logic(R) IIx creates a vivid 7.1-channel surround sound experience from any stereo (two-channel), 5.1, or 6.1 movie, music, TV, or game audio source.
• Dolby Digital Live converts any audio signal from a PC or game console into Dolby Digital for easy connection to home theater systems through a single digital cable.
• Dolby Headphone technology creates a personal surround sound experience using any set of headphones and makes listeners feel like the action is happening all around them.

Hopefully, Dolby can infuse some excitement into the audio portion of the home theater pc. Besides DRM, audio processing is one of the weakest areas of an HTPC. One coherent certification can help simplify the market for the average HTPC enthusiast.