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Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) and Dolby TrueHD are different codecs, not interchangeable quality labels. Dolby describes Digital Plus as lossy and used in Blu-ray and digital-broadcast contexts; TrueHD is lossless and designed for high-fidelity Blu-ray audio. A format’s maximum capability does not guarantee that a particular disc, broadcast, player, connection, or receiver uses or supports it.

What are Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD?

Both are digital audio codecs from Dolby, but they have different aims. Dolby Digital Plus, also called E-AC-3, compresses audio with data discarded, while Dolby TrueHD uses lossless compression. Dolby says TrueHD playback is bit-for-bit identical to the master recording. That describes the codec’s capability; it does not establish that every release or playback setup carries or reproduces a lossless track. Dolby TrueHD Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus technical paper

How do the published specifications compare?

The figures below are specifications Dolby publishes for the formats, not independent measurements or a ranking of perceived sound quality. Bitrate alone does not determine what a listener will hear.

Format Coding Published capability Contexts described by Dolby
Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) Lossy Dolby lists 32 kbps to 6 Mbps and up to 7.1 discrete channels. Blu-ray Disc and ATSC and DVB digital-broadcast formats, according to Dolby.
Dolby TrueHD Lossless; Dolby says output is bit-for-bit identical to the master recording. On Blu-ray, Dolby lists up to eight full-range channels at 24-bit/96 kHz, up to six full-range channels at 24-bit/192 kHz, and a maximum bitrate of 18 Mbps. Dolby also describes up to 7.1-channel high-definition audio. High-fidelity Blu-ray audio.

Specifications are format limits, not a promise about an individual soundtrack. The actual stream configuration depends on the content and implementation. Sources: Dolby Digital Plus product information and Dolby TrueHD product information.

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Where do the formats fit in Blu-ray and HDTV?

Dolby Digital Plus: disc and broadcast contexts

Dolby says Digital Plus has been adopted for Blu-ray Disc and ATSC and DVB digital-broadcast formats. That statement appears in Dolby’s technical paper, which search metadata dates to approximately 2008; it should not be read as a current, country-by-country account of HDTV services or evidence that a specific channel uses the codec today. Broadcasters, discs, and devices can use different stream configurations.

Dolby TrueHD: high-fidelity Blu-ray audio

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What happens if equipment does not support the format?

Dolby says equipment limited to Dolby Digital can receive a converted traditional Dolby Digital signal from a Digital Plus source. That stated compatibility behavior can preserve a usable audio path, but it does not unlock Digital Plus’s full feature set and should not be assumed for every source and device combination. Check the documentation for the exact equipment and connection involved. Dolby Digital Plus product information

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How to check a Blu-ray or HDTV playback chain

  1. Check the content. For a disc, look up its listed audio tracks; do not infer TrueHD or Digital Plus from the title or the fact that it is Blu-ray. Broadcast audio depends on the service and program.
  2. Check the player or source. Confirm that its specifications cover the track’s codec and that its audio output settings send audio in a form the next device can handle.
  3. Check the connection and receiving device. Verify the AV receiver or television’s supported input formats and whether the selected connection and settings allow decoding or passthrough of the intended signal.
  4. Test the complete path. If the intended format does not play, consult each device’s manual and try a supported output mode. A compatible player cannot make an unsupported receiver or connection decode a format.

Dolby identifies Blu-ray players, AV receivers, and TVs as relevant equipment, but its cited pages do not validate compatibility for particular models. Verify the exact model specifications rather than relying on a generic codec label. Dolby Digital Plus product information Dolby TrueHD product information

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