WASHINGTON, D.C., April 7, 2004 – The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has published two new Candidate Standards that document enhancements to the AC-3 digital audio compression standard and specify its use in the DTV Standard. The new specifications will provide improved performance and flexibility.

“Enhanced AC-3 will provide the industry with expanded audio capabilities that can be used for broadcast, cable, satellite and DVD applications,” said ATSC president Mark S. Richer. “This is another example of our efforts to evolve ATSC standards in response to market place requirements.”

ATSC first standardized the AC-3 digital audio system in November of 1994. AC-3* is now widely used in digital television systems around the world. The enhancements to AC-3 (E-AC-3) are contained in documents CS/T3-613 and CS/T3-614. CS/T3-613 provides revisions to the ATSC Digital Audio Compression Standard (A/52) that can be used in a variety of media. CS/T3-614 describes additions to the ATSC DTV Standard (A/53) that specify use of E-AC-3 in the Enhanced VSB (E-VSB) robust mode currently under development in ATSC.

These new Candidate Standards complement the previously published CS/T3-608 & CS/T3-609 that provide transport specifications for E-VSB and CS/T3-606 that provides enhancements to the ATSC PSIP Standard (A/65) for use with E-VSB.

Enhanced AC-3 was submitted to the ATSC for consideration by Dolby Laboratories in response to a Request for Information published in December of 2002. E-AC-3 offers new coding tools that fundamentally improve performance, and new features that allow operation over a wider range of bit-rates and numbers of channels. Of great importance to the industry, E-AC-3 can be converted into AC-3 for playback compatibility on consumer’s existing A/V decoders.

The Candidate Standard stage is an explicit call for implementation and technical feedback. Candidate Standards are available at www.atsc.org/standards/candidate_standards.html.

The Advanced Television Systems Committee, Inc. is an international, non-profit organization developing voluntary standards for digital television. ATSC member organizations represent the broadcast, broadcast equipment, motion picture, consumer electronics, computer, cable, satellite, and semiconductor industries.

"AC-3 is known in the marketplace as “Dolby Digital” and E-AC-3 will be marketed as “Dolby Digital Plus”.

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Contact:  Lisa Hester, ATSC (202) 872-9160