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Decoder Plug-In

USER MANUAL

1 Introduction..................................................................................................................12 Main Screen..................................................................................................................2

2.1 Program Configuration......................................................................................................... 22.2 File-based Operation ............................................................................................................ 42.3 Metadata ............................................................................................................................... 52.4 Active Channel Selection ..................................................................................................... 52.5 Output Metering ................................................................................................................... 62.6 Solo / Mute ........................................................................................................................... 72.7 Settings ................................................................................................................................. 8

2.7.1 Program Output Channel Mapping .............................................................................. 82.8 Timecode ............................................................................................................................ 102.9 Metadata File ...................................................................................................................... 10

3 Using the Decoder in Pro Tools ...............................................................................133.1 Decoding from Track and Live Input................................................................................. 133.2 Monitoring 5.1 + 2 Programs ............................................................................................. 14

4 Using the Decoder in Nuendo...................................................................................215 Appendix A Program Configurations.....................................................................26

Introduction

1 Introduction

Dolby E is used to transmit audio-for-video from a network center to affiliate stations, where it is decoded into analog or re-encoded into Dolby Digital for rebroadcast to the consumer.

The Dolby E data takes the space of a stereo pair of digital audio, at 48 kHz. Dolby E contains up to 8 channels which can be divided in different ways to create up to 24 unique channel configura-tions, called Program configurations. Each Program configuration is made of one or more pro-grams, or groups of channels. A program can be a single mono channel, surround sound up to 7.1 channels. A Program configuration can be combinations of Programs such a 5.1 plus stereo. See Appendix A for a complete list of Program configurations.

This plug-in is available as a file-based-only plug-in. A Dolby E file is selected using a browser inside the plug-in, and it plays in sync with the timeline in the host application. The plug-in decodes it and sends out up to 8 channels of PCM digital audio.

SurCode for Dolby E Decoder page 1

Main Screen

2 Main ScreenFigure 2-1 shows the Surcode for Dolby E Decoder plug-in.

Figure 2-1

2.1 Program Configuration

The plug-in displays the Program configuration in two ways - - 1) in a text listing at the upper right, and 2) by the graphic grouping of level meters. For example, if the Dolby E stream has two programs, one 5.1 channel program and one stereo program, the text will be displayed as shown in Figure 2-2.

Figure 2-2


Main Screen

The meters will be shown in 2 groups - - one group of 6 meters for the 5.1 program, and one group of 2 meters for the stereo program (see Figure 2-3).

Figure 2-3

As another example, Figure 2-4 and Figure 2-5 show how four mono programs are displayed.

Figure 2-4


Main Screen

Figure 2-5

2.2 File-based Operation

For file-based operation, you must select an input file for the Dolby E data. This is done by click-ing on the Browse button under the timecode display (see Figure 2-6).

Figure 2-6

The name of the selected file will appear to the left of the Browse button.

The plug-in will play the Dolby E file in sync with the timecode of your host application.


Main Screen

2.3 Metadata

Dolby E streams can contain embedded AC3 metadata. This metadata is available for viewing as tabs on the main screen. There is a numbered tab for each Program in the Dolby E stream. When you click on a numbered tab, the metadata for that program is displayed (see Figure 2-7).

Figure 2-7

2.4 Active Channel Selection

Above each group of level meters is a round button (see Figure 2-8). It appears over the leftmost meter. This is the button that activates each program.

Figure 2-8


Main Screen

To make a program active, click on the button. It will turn green to indicate that the program is now active (i.e, that program will now pass decoded audio to the output (see Figure 2-9).

Figure 2-9

2.5 Output Metering

The SurCode for Dolby E plug-in will display one meter for each output channel, and the number of output channels will change depending on the Program configuration. They are grouped to reflect the grouping of channels in the current Program configuration (see section 2.1, Program Configuration).

The meters will show outgoing audio from decoded Dolby E streams. The meters do not show audio from PCM passthrough.

A pull-down menu below the solo buttons selects between peak and RMS metering (see Figure 2-10).

Figure 2-10


Main Screen

2.6 Solo / Mute

Under each output meter is one mute button and one solo button (see Figure 2-11).

Figure 2-11

When you click on a mute button or a solo button, it turns green to show that it is active.

When at least one solo button is active, the mute buttons for all of the non-soloed channels will turn green.


Main Screen

2.7 Settings

Figure 2-12 shows the Settings tab.

Figure 2-12

2.7.1 Program Output Channel Mapping

The Surcode for Dolby E Decoder plug-in gives you flexibility in assigning Dolby E channels to I/O soundcard output channels. The button under “Program” determines the channel labels over


Main Screen

the eight buttons to the right. Clicking on the Program button will present a list of all the Program Configurations available in Dolby E (see Figure 2-13).

Figure 2-13

The selected Program Configuration appears on the Program button. The eight buttons to the right now have labels above them which indicate the correct channels for the selected program config-uration. They define how the audio channels will map to the eight outputs of the plug-in. You can change the mapping by clicking on the button under each channel, and choosing a different output for that channel (see Figure 2-14).

Figure 2-14


Main Screen

2.8 Timecode

The embedded timecode in the Dolby E stream is displayed in the upper left corner of the plug-in (see Figure 2-15).

Figure 2-15

The button to the right of the timecode display lets you select the timecode display format (see Figure 2-16). “Timecode” will display the timecode in Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames, and “Frame Count” will display timecode in frames. The button will be labeled with the currently selected format.

Figure 2-16

2.9 Metadata File

The SurCode for Dolby E Decoder can save the metadata out to a file, for later use in Dolby Dig-ital encoding. The metadata can be saved either as a text or xml file, or the metadata can be writ-ten into the header of a .wav file.


Main Screen

The text listing of metadata can be viewed by clicking on the Meta File tab (see Figure 2-17).

Figure 2-17

This metadata listing shows the metadata at the current timecode position in the host application.


Main Screen

The metadata can be saved by clicking on the Save As button. This brings up the Save dialog (see Figure 2-18).

Figure 2-18

The filename extension that you use determines the way that the metadata is stored. If you use a “.txt” extension, the metadata is stored in a simple text file. If you use a “.xml” extension, the metadata will be stored as an XML-formatted file. The third option is to select the .wav file that was created by the decoding of the Dolby E file. In this case, the audio in the file is unaffected, but the file is updated to include the metadata. At a later time, if this .wav audio file is encoded into Dolby E or Dolby Digital, the metadata is available to be read by the encoder and thus used in the encoding process.


Using the Decoder in Pro Tools

3 Using the Decoder in Pro Tools

3.1 Decoding from Track and Live Input

In Pro Tools, SurCode for Dolby E Decoder can play an encoded Dolby E stream from a track or from a live input. The decoder will decode from file if an encoded file is open in the decoder, and will decode from a track or live input when there is not an encoded file open in the decoder.

Since a Dolby E stream is 2 channels and since the decoder sits on an 8-channel bus, a structure must be created to bring in 2 channels and connect them into an 8-channel bus. This is done using the I/O setup in Pro Tools.

First, you need to create a stereo Audio Track and a 7.1 Aux Input. SurCode for Dolby E Decoder is then dropped onto the 7.1 channel mixer stip as an insert. Next you need to go to the I/O Setup and create the bus that will connect a stereo input to a 7.1 bus (see Figure 3-19).

Figure 3-19

Do this by creating a 7.1 bus, and then create a stereo sub-path of the 7.1 bus with the stereo chan-nels in the location as the first two channels of the 7.1 bus. In addition you will need to have a 7.1 output bus for monitoring or for bouncing to disk. If you want to use a live input, you will also need to create a stereo input bus connected to an AES/EBU input from the I/O box (see Figure 3-20).

Figure 3-20



On the channel strips on the mixer, the inputs and outputs must be assigned for both the stereo track and the 7.1 aux track (see Figure 3-21).

Figure 3-21

If you are playing from a track, you can drop the encoded file onto the stereo track. Then, when you hit the play button, the play cursor will move across the track, and the track will send the encoded file output to the 7.1 bus and to the decoder. The decoder can be monitored through a 7.1 channel output, or bounced to disk (see Figure 3-22).

Figure 3-22

To run the encoder from a live input, just click on the track input button. The button will turn green, and the track will send data from the AES/EBU input directly to the decoder (see Figure 3-23).

Figure 3-23

3.2 Monitoring 5.1 + 2 Programs

The SurCode for Dolby E Decoder is a file-based plug-in. You select the Dolby E file that is to be decoded from inside the plug-in. The plug-in will then decode the Dolby E file and play it in sync with Pro Tools playback.

Stereo Input

Stereo Ouputto 7.1 Bus

7.1 bus input

7.1 bus output

Live Input Button



The most common Program configuration in Dolby E is Program configuration 0, which is 5.1 plus stereo. It is easy to set up a Pro Tools session that provides simple monitoring of the 5.1 and stereo programs from the decoder.

For all 8 channels of the decoder output to be available to Pro Tools, the plug-in must be dropped onto an 8-channel track. In Pro Tools, the 8-channel track that is available to us is a “7.1” track. From there, we use sub-paths to break out the 7.1 track into a 5.1 track and a stereo track.

First, it is necessary to create a 7.1 i/o output path and a 7.1 bus path. Next, a 5.1 sub-path and a stereo sub-path must be created for both the 7.1 i/o output path and the 7.1 bus path. When you are done, the i/o output setup will look like Figure 3-24, and the bus setup will look like Figure 3-25.

Figure 3-24

Figure 3-25

What the channels are named does not matter. What does matter is that the channel order is the same for the 7.1 i/o output path and the 7.1 bus path, and that the channel order is the same for the 5.1 i/o output sub-path and the 5.1 bus sub-path. This will cause output channels 1 through 6 of the plug-in to appear on outputs 1 through 6 of the i/o. The stereo sub-paths, however, are differ-ent. Their job is to move the plug-in outputs 7 and 8 to i/o outputs 1 and 2.

The end result is that you will be able to monitor the 5.1 output of the decoder plug-in on i/o out-puts 1 through 6, and monitor the stereo outputs on i/o output 1 and 2. This way, the Left and Right channels of the 5.1 program will be monitored from the same speakers as the Left and Right outputs of the stereo program, with no need for external switching or cable swapping.



After the i/o setup is complete, the tracks can be added. First, drop an 8 channel track by selecting Track > New, and choosing a “7.1” “Audio Track” (see Figure 3-26).

Figure 3-26

This will create a 7.1 mixer strip in the mixer (see Figure 3-27).

Figure 3-27



Next, place the SurCode for Dolby E Decoder plug-in on this track (see Figure 3-28).

Figure 3-28

Then, drop a 5.1 Aux Track (see Figure 3-29) and a Stereo Aux Track (see Figure 3-30).

Figure 3-29

Figure 3-30



Your mixer will now look like Figure 3-31.

Figure 3-31

The inputs and outputs must be assigned as follows:The output of the 7.1 channels strip goes to the 7.1 busThe input of the 5.1 channel strip comes from the 5.1 channel sub-path of the 7.1 busThe output of the 5.1 channel strip goes to the 5.1 channels sub-path of the 7.1 channel i/oThe input of the stereo channel strip comes from the stereo sub-path of the 7.1 channel busThe output of the stereo channel strip goes to the stereo sub-path of the 7.1 channel i/o



The finished mixer looks like Figure 3-32.

Figure 3-32

This session is now ready to be used for monitoring Dolby E content. You will want to save this session for later use.

To use this session, load a Dolby E file into the plug-in by clicking on the Browse button on the plug-in and browsing to the file. Now you can start playback in Pro Tools and the decoder plug-in will follow the Pro Tools timeline. You should see the meters in the plug-in moving, and you should see them reflected in the meters of the 7.1 channel strip. Also, the 5.1 channel strip will



reflect the meters of the first 6 channels, and the stereo strip will reflect the meters of the last 2 channels.

To listen to the 5.1 program, turn on the solo buttons for the 7.1 channel strip and the 5.1 channel strip. To listen to the stereo program, turn on the solo for the 7.1 channel strip and the stereo chan-nel strip.

When the 5.1 channel program is playing, the channel assignments of the i/o will be:Channel 1 - LeftChannel 2 - RightChannel 3 - CenterChannel 4 - LFEChannel 5 - Left SurroundChannel 6 - Right Surround

When the stereo program is playing, the channel assignments of the i/o will be:Channel 1 - LeftChannel 2 - Right


Using the Decoder in Nuendo

4 Using the Decoder in NuendoOne version of the SurCode for Dolby E Decoder is a VST plug-in. This version of the plug-in can be used in applications that accept VST plug-ins, both Mac and Windows. In this section, we will show it’s use in Nuendo as an example.

SurCode for Dolby E Decoder is an 8-channel plug-in. For most applications, you will want to use it on an 8-channel track. To drop an 8-channel track in Nuendo, you will need to first create an 8-channel output bus. Go to Devices > VST connections. This will bring up the VST connections window (see Figure 4-33).

Figure 4-33

For most uses, it is best to first remove any existing busses from the list. Do this by right-clicking on the bus name and selecting “Remove Bus”. Then, click on the Add Bus button, and select a “7.1 Music” bus.

Next, drop an 8-channel track into the timeline. Do this by going to Project > Add Track > Audio, and select a configuration of “7.1 Music” in the Add Audio Track window (see Figure 4-34).

Figure 4-34



This will place an 8-channel track into the timeline (see Figure 4-35).

Figure 4-35

Click on the Inserts button to open the inserts list (see Figure 4-36).

Figure 4-36



Click on the first blank box under the Inserts button. This will open a list of available VST plug-ins (see Figure 4-37).

Figure 4-37



Click on SurCodeforDolbyEDecoderVST. This will place the decoder plug-in into the inserts list, and also bring up the decoder window (see Figure 4-38).

Figure 4-38

To use the decoder, select a Dolby E encoded file by using the Browse button on the decoder. Then hit the Play button on Nuendo. The decoder will play the decoded audio through the outputs selected in Nuendo.



To save the decoded audio as a file, first select a section of the timeline equal to the length of the encoded file by moving the two triangular handles in the time display at the top of the track (see Figure 4-39).

Figure 4-39

Then select File > Export > Audio Mixdown. This will bring up the Mixdown window (see Figure 4-40).

Figure 4-40

Give the decoded file a filename, and click on “Export”. If you want the output as 8 mono files, select the “Split Channels” option. Else , Nuendo will export the decoded file as an interleaved multichannel .wav file.


Appendix A Program Configurations

5 Appendix A Program Configurations

Table 1:

Program Configuration Program Sequence Configuration

Name Channels

0 5.1 + 2 5.1 + 2 Program 1: L,R,C,LFE,Ls,RsProgram 2: L,R

1 5.1 + 1 + 1 5.1 + 2x1 Program 1: L,R,C,LFE,Ls,RsProgram 2: CProgram 3: C

2 4 + 4 4 + 4 Program 1: L,R,C,SProgram 2: L,R,C,S

3 4 + 2 + 2 4 + 2x2 Program 1: L,R,C,SProgram 2: L,RProgram 3: L,R

4 4 + 2 + 1 + 1 4 + 2 + 2x1 Program 1: L,R,C,SProgram 2: L,RProgram 3: CProgram 4: C

5 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 4 + 4x1 Program 1: L,R,C,SProgram 2: CProgram 3: CProgram 4: C

6 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 4x2 Program 1: L,RProgram 2: L,RProgram 3: L,RProgram 4: L,R

7 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 3x2 + 2x1 Program 1: L,RProgram 2: L,RProgram 3: L,RProgram 4: CProgram 5: C

8 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 2x2 + 4x1 Program 1: L,RProgram 2: L,RProgram 3: CProgram 4: CProgram 5: CProgram 6: C



9 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 2 + 6x1 Program 1: L,RProgram 2: CProgram 3: CProgram 4: CProgram 5: CProgram 6: CProgram 7: C

10 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 8x1 Program 1: CProgram 2: CProgram 3: CProgram 4: CProgram 5: CProgram 6: CProgram 7: CProgram 8: C

11 5.1 5.1 Program 1: L,R,C,LFE,Ls,Rs

12 4 + 2 4 + 2 Program 1: L,R,C,SProgram 2: L,R

13 4 + 1 + 1 4 + 2x1 Program 1: L,R,C,SProgram 2: L,RProgram 3: C

14 2 + 2 + 2 3x2 Program 1: L,RProgram 2: L,RProgram 3: L,R

15 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 2x2 + 2x1 Program 1: L,RProgram 2: L,RProgram 3: CProgram 4: C

16 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 2 + 4x1 Program 1: L,RProgram 2: CProgram 3: CProgram 4: CProgram 5: C

17 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 6x1 Program 1: CProgram 2: CProgram 3: CProgram 4: CProgram 5: CProgram 6: C

18 4 4 Program 1: L,R,C,S

19 2 + 2 2x2 Program 1: L,RProgram 2: L,R

Table 1:


Name Channels



20 2 + 1 + 1 2 + 2x1 Program 1: L,RProgram 2: CProgram 3: C

21 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 4x1 Program 1: CProgram 2: CProgram 3: CProgram 4: C

22 7.1 7.0 Program 1: L,R,C,LFE,Ls,Rs,Lrs,Rrs

23 7.1 Screen 7.1 Scrn Program 1: L,R,C,LFE,Ls,Rs,Lrs,Rrs

Table 1:


Name Channels


Copyright 2009 Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc.

“SurCode” is a trademark of Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.

Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Confidential unpublished works. Copyright 1998-1999, 2007 Dolby Laboratories All rights reserved.

“VST” is a trademark of Steinberg Soft- und Hardware GmbH.


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