AC-3(short for Arc Consistency Algorithm #3) is a Dolby Digital audio format. And the Dolby Digital could be the common version containing up to six discrete channels of sound. Probably the most elaborate mode in common usage involves five channels for normal-range speakers(20 - 20,000 Hz) (right front, center, left front, right, left surround)the other channel (20 Hz - 120 Hz allotted audio) for the subwoofer driven low-frequency effects. Mono and stereo modes are supported. AC-3 supports audio sample-rates up to 48 kHz.

 

AC3 increases fidelity over its previous surround standard, Pro-logic, with independent tracks per on the 6 speakers, a 16bit sampling at 48khz rate compressed by 10- 12 times, making for a total bit rate of 384kbps.

 

AC3 can be a file extension for multichannel audio audio files used on DVDs format. The AC3 file format is made by Dolby Labs for usage in the Dolby Digital audio on DVD, Blu-ray as well as other digital video formats. AC3 represents Audio Coding 3.

 

To breed full surround signal while on an AC3 file needs a supported playback device for example DVD player linked to a Dolby Digital-supporting home entertainment amplifier. It really is more prevalent in computer audio for sound cards to interpret AC3 and hang up out a PCM stream; however some cards can output a Dolby Digital or DTS stream that may be applied to using a home theater amplifier.

 

Generally speaking, DVD's audio is AC-3 orDTS format, which is featured 5.1 surround. Whenever you play watching DVD movie with the home entertainment system, this multi-dimensional audio effect forces you to immersive have the fantastic of DVD movie. Meanwhile, AC-3 and DTS audio format can also be converted and stored into video clips like MPEG and AVI. When playback them with your media player, it can also achieve the 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround.

 

Although commonly associated with the 5.1 channel configuration, Dolby Digital allows a variety of channel selections. Your options are:

 

Mono (Center only)

2-channel stereo (Left + Right), optionally carrying matrixed Dolby Surround

3-channel stereo (Left, Center, Right)

2-channel stereo with mono surround (Left, Right, Surround)

3-channel stereo with mono surround (Left, Center, Right, Surround)

4-channel quadraphonic (Left, Right, Left Surround, Right Surround)

5-channel surrounding (Left, Center, Right, Left Surround,Right Surround)

 

Many Dolby Digital decoders include down-mixing to distribute encoded channels to speakers. For instance such functions as playing surround information throughout the front speakers if surround speakers are unavailable, and distributing the guts channel to all over the place if no center speaker can be found. When outputting to split up equipment on the 2-channel connection, a Dolby Digital decoder can optionally encode the output using Dolby Surround to preserve surround information.The '.1' in 5.1, 7.1 etc. refers to the LFE channel, which is also a discrete channel.

 

These configurations optionally add some extra LF Effect (LFE) channel. The past two with stereo surrounds optionally use Dolby Digital EX matrix encoding to feature an additional Rear Surround channel.