Glossary
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LFE 0.1 channel
This channel reproduces low-frequency signals. The frequency
range of this channel is from 20 Hz to 120 Hz. This channel is
counted as 0.1 because it only enforces a low-frequency range
compared to the full-range reproduced by the other 5/6 channels in
Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1/6.1-channel systems.
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MP3
One of the audio compression methods used by MPEG. It employs
the irreversible compression method, which achieves a high
compression rate by thinning out the data of hardly audible part to
the human ears. It is said to be capable of compressing the data
quantity by about 1/11 (128 kbps) while maintaining a similar audio
quality to music CD.
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MPEG-4 AAC
An MPEG-4 audio standard. As it allows compression of data at a
bit rate lower than that of MPEG-2 AAC, it is used among others for
mobile telephones, portable audio players and other low-capacity
devices requiring high sound quality.
In addition to the above types of devices, MPEG-4 AAC is also
used to distribute contents on the Internet, and as such is supported
by computers, media servers and many other devices.
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Neo:6
Neo:6 decodes the conventional 2-channel sources for 6- channel
playback by the specific decoder. It enables playback with the full-
range channels with higher separation just like digital discrete
signal playback. There are two modes available: “Music mode” for
music sources and “Cinema mode” for movie sources.
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Neural-THX Surround
“Neural-THX
®
” Surround is taking surround sound to the next
level. This revolutionary new technology delivers the rich
envelopment and discrete image detail of surround sound in a
format that is fully compatible with stereo. Neural-THX Surround
reduces the bandwidth needed for broadcasters to deliver true,
multi-channel surround presentations, and enables 7.1-channel
support for gaming and movies. By unmasking the audio details,
typically lost by other playback systems, audiences will experience
the deep ambience and subtle details of movies, music and games.
And with this technology being used by sound designers during
content creation, as well as embedded into playback devices,
Neural-THX Surround promises a listening experience that is true
to the original mix. Neural-THX Surround has been chosen as the
official surround sound broadcast format for XM Satellite Radio’s
“XM HD Surround”, as well as other leading FM/HD radio stations
worldwide. For additional information, please visit
http://www.neuralsurround.com/.
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PCM (Linear PCM)
Linear PCM is a signal format under which an analog audio signal
is digitized, recorded and transmitted without using any
compression. This is used as a method of recording CDs and DVD
audio. The PCM system uses a technique for sampling the size of
the analog signal per very small unit of time. Standing for “Pulse
Code Modulation”, the analog signal is encoded as pulses and then
modulated for recording.
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Sampling frequency and number of quantized
bits
When digitizing an analog audio signal, the number of times the
signal is sampled per second is called the sampling frequency, while
the degree of fineness when converting the sound level into a
numeric value is called the number of quantized bits. The range of
rates that can be played back is determined based on the sampling
rate, while the dynamic range representing the sound level
difference is determined by the number of quantized bits. In
principle, the higher the sampling frequency, the wider the range of
frequencies that can be played back, and the higher the number of
quantized bits, the more finely the sound level can be reproduced.
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SRS CS II (SRS Circle Surround II)
SRS CS II (SRS Circle Surround II) is a high-performance
6.1 channel matrix surround sound decoding system. It is the next-
generation of the original SRS Circle Surround technology,
incorporating powerful industry-first features including the dialog
clarity enhancement technology and added cinema-like bass to the
front channels and subwoofer.
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S-video signal
With the S-video signal system, the video signal normally
transmitted using a pin cable is separated and transmitted as the Y
signal for the luminance and the C signal for the chrominance
through the S-video cable. Using the
S VIDEO jack eliminates video signal transmission loss and allows
recording and playback of even more beautiful images.
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WAV
Windows standard audio file format, which defines the method of
recording the digital data obtained by converting audio signals. It
does not specify the compression (coding) method so a desired
compression method can be used with it. By default, it is
compatible with the PCM method (no compression) and some
compression methods including the ADPCM method.
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WMA
An audio compression method developed by Microsoft
Corporation. It employs the irreversible compression method,
which achieves a high compression rate by thinning out the data of
hardly audible part to the human ears. It is said to be capable of
compressing the data quantity by about 1/22 (64 kbps) while
maintaining a similar audio quality to music CD.
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xvYCC
A color space standard supported by HDMI version 1.3. It is a more
extensive color space than sRGB, and allows the expression of
colors that could not be expressed before. While remaining
compatible with the color gamut of sRGB standards, xvYCC
expands the color space and can thus produce more vivid, natural
images. It is particularly effective for still pictures and computer
graphics.
