Multichannel audio coding and its applications in DAB and DVB

In spite of a steady increase in storage media capacity and transmission bandwidth, high quality, multichannel audio creates a challenge for traditional and new delivery media. This paper presents an overview of the technologies adopted in multichannel audio coding. New trends, including increased audio sample resolution and sampling rates, are discussed. Different channel configurations, their advantages and disadvantages, and their impact on system data rates and capacity are examined. Emerging formats like DAB (digital audio broadcasting) and DVB (digital video broadcasting) are introduced. Finally, applications of multichannel audio in DAB and DVB are examined.