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One of the major players in the surround sound game is the Dolby Digital technology that is used by many of the new systems. When we go to the theater, they often advertise that the movie we are about to see is being broadcast with “Dolby Digital Surround Sound.” This is supposed to impress the moviegoers and the home theater system purchasers. But does anybody actually know what the Dolby Digital technology consists of? There are many variations within the Dolby Digital technology, but the basic idea remains the same throughout the variations.

Specifically, the term “Dolby Digital” refers to a digitally enhanced encoding system used by many audio devices for sending and receiving sound signals. Dolby is the name of the laboratory that perfected the technology and it is one of the forerunners in the competition for a bigger and better audio experience. There are competitors in the audio industry, but Dolby is the most prominent and widely-used currently.

Having the ability to support several channels the Dolby Digital technology enables the ability to disseminate in mono or stereo quality. Used primarily in digital equipment like CD players, Tv’s and DVD’s and of course the movie theaters there is a variation that is used in the video gaming industry to make that feeling even more realistic.

Dolby Digital was born 50 years ago by a man by the name of Ray Dolby, hence the Dolby Digital name. He wanted to eradicate or reduce the white noise and static that plagued the audio equipment at the time. Clarity of audio was degraded by this static noise so when the solution he found was released it quickly became the standard for record companies and movie theater production.

From these humble beginnings the technology has grown into the behemoth we know today. The movie theaters had a more compressed format that is used to take advantage of the multiple layers of channel distribution. The very first time this technology was used effectively to the masses was though a movie called “Batman Returns”. The resulting sound gave the audience a more clearer sound that was appreciated by all, and as a result the Dolby Digital system was and still is used by movie theaters around the world.

Improvements to the Dolby Digital system continues ensuring the future of the technology for many years to come. Many would have to agree that their viewing experience has improved due to this invention. The expansion from the theater to the home has made the sound system in the family home change to a level that reflects the experience found in the theater. Because most domestic electronic equipment has this technology inbuilt the average person can enjoy a most pleasant and stimulating viewing experience.