Dolby (N1815) When thinking of audio, the name “Dolby” surly must come to mind. At this year’s show, the company is highlighting both broadcast and recording products. One veritable piece of TV gear every station needs is an audio encoder and Dolby’s DP569 is one to see. It is designed for digital television and disc-authoring applications, including automated broadcast installations as well as mastering DVDs and other recorded media.
The encoder supports encoded bit ranges from 56 to 640 kbps and channel configurations from mono to 5.1-channel surround sound, the DP569 is considered the reference encoder for Dolby Digital multichannel audio.
One key to video facilities is the encoder’s AES reference input, which locks the DP569 to house sync. The unit also features selectable sample rate converters on the audio inputs. For broadcast applications, the DP569 is capable of creating SMPTE 339M time stamp data bursts for synchronization with downstream equipment.
Familiar LTC and VITC timecode inputs allow Dolby Digital bit streams to be time-stamped to synchronize with audio and video in DVD-authoring systems. These inputs allow the encoder to stop and start accurately to create separate program segments and soundtrack files for DVD authoring. The DP569 supports all metadata, including the Dolby Digital Surround EX™ flag that enables downstream consumer A/V receivers and decoders to recognize the format. The unit provides real-time encoding for DVD authoring facilities and allows QC monitoring during the recording process.
A rear-panel connector provides an external metadata input from other Dolby products (for example, a DP572 Dolby E decoder). The encoder provides fault-monitoring circuits that warn of actual or potential system failure, and they provide bypass connections for hot-standby configurations.
Front-panel controls include buttons for accessing status, setup and configuration parameters, and display modes. The encoder can also be easily connected to a PC enabling configuration and control via a Windows-based PC or other remote device.
