Sonic Foundry Announces Dolby Digital Encoding Tool

Sonic Foundry, Inc. will introduce Soft Encode, the company's new software-based Dolby Digital encoder, at the '98 NAMM International Music Market held January 29 - 1 February, 1998 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Soft Encode is a stand-alone software program that provides cost-effective Dolby Digital (AC-3) encoding for multi-channel audio delivery. Dolby Digital is widely used as the audio component on commercially standardized formats including laser disc, DVD, HDTV, and digital cable and satellite transmissions.

"Because Soft Encode operates in Windows 95 and Windows NT, it is the first truly affordable software-only mastering tool for Dolby Digital. Whether used alone or coupled with an editor like Sound Forge, the entire process - editing, mastering and encoding files can be handled on a single Windows-based machine," said Rimas Buinevicius, CEO of Sonic Foundry.

"We are thrilled to see Sonic Foundry bring the first off-the-shelf software-only based Dolby Digital encoder to market," said Ramzi A. Haidamus, Licensing Manager, Digital Technologies, Dolby Laboratories. "Soft Encode takes advantage of the power and speed of Windows-based machines and, most importantly to content providers, makes Dolby Digital encoding accessible and affordable. Now that Dolby Digital has become a mandatory audio standard on both PAL and NTSC DVD discs, Soft Encode will be able to serve the entire DVD world community in generating high quality Dolby Digital content."

Sonic Foundry is pleased to offer unprecedented pricing for the audio-encoding technology. Soft Encode is available in two versions: the Dolby Digital 5.1 Channel version (MSRP $995) and the Dolby Digital 2 Channel version (MSRP $495).

About Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital Sound (formerly known as AC-3) is the worldwide standard for DVD audio encoding. Dolby Digital provides six channel sound - left and right for music and effects, center for dialog, two rear speakers for surround sound, and a low-frequency channel for effects. A key feature of Dolby Digital sound is its ability to play back on a variety of audio setups - from a fully-configured six (or more) speaker environment down to a single speaker - without level imbalance, drop-outs, loss of synchronization, or other loss of quality in the listening experience.

About Sonic Foundry. Sonic Foundry develops and markets award-winning audio software for the Windows platform. Sonic Foundry's product line is sold internationally for use in a range of applications, including music production and post-production, multimedia and Web development, broadcast production, computer telephony and audio forensic analysis. The company's award-winning audio editor, Sound Forge, contains the most extensive list of audio processing tools available on the PC, and is extendible with a full line of proprietary and DirectX Audio Plug-Ins.

File Compatibility

• Opens PCM .WAV and Raw PCM files (16 and 24-bit)
• Supports sample rates of 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz
• Supports up to 6 channel PCM files*
• Opens Dolby Digital encoded files (AC-3) in channel view (audio) or frame view (data)

• Supports simultaneous audio output to multiple audio cards
• Playback Dolby Digital encoded previews through compatible digital I/O cards to external Dolby Digital decoder
• Solo, mute and channel fader controls on each audio channel
• Boost or cut each channel by +20 dB to -90 dB
• Graphically select Dolby Digital channel outputs independent of analog monitor outputs

• Full support for standard Dolby Digital encoding options
• Save Dolby Digital as an encoded .WAV file for playback from other windows applications to Dolby Digital decoders
• Adjust encoder parameters including: data rate, compression, filtering and phaseshifting, audio production information and dialog normalization
• Multiple audio encoding modes including 1/0, 2/0 (Dolby Surround compatible), 3/0* 2/1* 3/1* 2/2* and 3/2*
• LFE channel optional for all encoding options (excluding 1/0 and 2/0)

• Dolby Digital file verification, including detailed frame by frame verification information
• Full graphical waveform display of audio channels
• Project file saving makes maintaining multiple sessions a snap
• Built-in batch conversion for encoding multiple files
• Graphical track position editing
• Extensive magnification options
• Track locking available for editing safety

*Indicates feature only available in 5.1 channel version of Soft Encode

System Requirements:

• Pentium or Alpha AXP microprocessor required
• Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 or later
• Windows-compatible sound card
• VGA display
• CD-ROM drive
• 16 MB RAM
• 5 MB of hard-disk space for program installation