Yamaha RX-V367 Owners Manual - Page 61

Glossary APPENDIX Audio information Audio and video synchronization (lip sync) Lip sync, an abbreviation for lip synchronization, is a technical term that involves both a problem, and the capability of maintaining audio and video signals synchronized during post-production and transmission. Whereas the audio and video latency requires complex end-user adjustment, HDMI version 1.3 incorporates an automatic audio and video syncing capability that allows devices to perform this synchronization automatically and accurately without user interaction. Dolby Digital Dolby Digital is a digital surround sound system that gives you completely independent multi-channel audio. With 3 front channels (front L/R and center), and 2 surround stereo channels, Dolby Digital provides 5 full-range audio channels. With an additional channel especially for bass effects, referred to as LFE (Low-Frequency Effect), the system has a total of 5.1channels (LFE is counted as 0.1 channel). By using 2-channel stereo for the surround speakers, more accurate moving sound effects and surround sound environments are possible than with Dolby Surround. The wide dynamic range from maximum to minimum volumes that are reproduced by the 5 full-range channels, and the precise sound orientation generated using digital sound processing provides listeners with unprecedented excitement and realism. With this unit, any sound environment from monaural up to a 5.1-channel configuration can be freely selected for your enjoyment. Dolby Pro Logic II Dolby Pro Logic II is an improved technique used to decode vast numbers of existing Dolby Surround sources. This new technology enables a discrete 5-channel playback with 2 front left and right channels, 1 center channel, and 2 surround left and right channels, instead of only 1 surround channel for conventional Pro Logic technology. There are three modes available: "Music mode" for music sources, "Movie mode" for movie sources, and "Game mode" for game sources. Dolby Surround Dolby Surround uses a 4-channel analog recording system to reproduce realistic and dynamic sound effects: 2 front left and right channels (stereo), a center channel for dialog (monaural), and a surround channel for special sound effects (monaural). The surround channel reproduces sound within a narrow frequency range. Dolby Surround is widely used with nearly all video tapes and laser discs, as well as in many TV and cable broadcasts. The Dolby Pro Logic decoder built into this unit employs a digital signal processing system that automatically stabilizes the volume on each channel to enhance moving sound effects and directionality. DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround was developed to replace the analog soundtracks of movies with a 5.1-channel digital sound track, and is now rapidly gaining popularity in movie theaters around the world. DTS, Inc. has developed a home theater system so that you can enjoy the depth of sound and natural spatial representation of DTS Digital Surround in your home. This system produces practically distortion-free 5.1-channel sound (technically, left, right and center channels, 2 surround channels, plus an LFE 0.1 channel as a subwoofer, for a total of 5.1-channels). DSD Direct Stream Digital (DSD) technology stores audio signals on digital storage media, such as Super Audio CDs. Using DSD, signals are stored as single bit values at a high-frequency sampling rate of 2.8224 MHz, while noise shaping and oversampling are used to reduce distortion, a common occurrence with very high quantization of audio signals. Due to the high sampling rate, better audio quality can be achieved than that offered by the PCM format used for normal audio CDs. The frequency is equal to or higher than 100 kHz, with a dynamic range of 120 dB. This unit can transmit or receive DSD signals via the HDMI jack. LFE 0.1 channel This channel reproduces low-frequency bass signals, and has a frequency range 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 channels in Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1-channel systems. 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. 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 accuracy 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, whereas 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 accurately the sound level can be reproduced. Sound field program information CINEMA DSP Since the Dolby Surround and DTS systems were originally designed for use in movie theaters, their effect is best felt in a theater having many speakers designed for acoustic effects. Since home conditions, such as room size, wall material, number of speakers, and so on, can differ so widely, it is inevitable that there are differences in the sound that is heard. Based on a wealth of actually measured data, Yamaha CINEMA DSP uses Yamaha's original DSP technology to combine Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital, and DTS systems to provide the audiovisual experience of a movie theater in the listening room of your own home. Compressed music enhancer The Compressed music enhancer feature of this unit enhances your listening experience by regenerating the missing harmonics in compression artifacts. As a result, it compensates for flattened complexity due to the loss of high-frequency fidelity as well as lack of bass due to the loss of lowfrequency bass, providing improved performance for the overall sound system. En 61