Tensilica's HiFi Audio Engine was the first 24-bit audio solution for SOC designs to earn approval from Dolby Laboratories for its Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio decoding and consumer encoding capabilities. Dolby AC-3 is a flexible audio data compression technology capable of encoding a range of audio channel formats into a low rate bit stream.

Tensilica added support for Dolby Digital Plus 7.1-channel and 5.1-channel decoders . Dolby Digital Plus is a highly sophisticated and versatile audio coding system designed for next-generation home entertainment applications, including HD DVD players, Blu-ray Disc players and set-top boxes. Dolby Digital Plus is a highly flexible audio technology that delivers excellent high-definition sound on optical discs as well as on cable, satellite and IPTV set-top boxes, where bandwidth efficiency is critical. Dolby Digital Plus offers up to 7.1 channels of surround sound and more than three times the audio information of conventional DVDs to deliver a rich, involving entertainment experience.

Tensilica’s MHz efficient Dolby Digital Plus 7.1-channel implementation enables support for the simultaneous decode of primary and secondary audio channels as well as simultaneous streams of 7.1-channel content on a single HiFi 2 Audio Engine.

Tensilica’s Dolby Digital Plus 5.1-channel decoder/converter enables native Dolby Digital Plus signals to be automatically and efficiently converted to 5.1-channel Dolby Digital, ensuring full playback compatibility with existing home theater systems that support Dolby Digital (AC-3).

Dolby Laboratories develops and delivers products and technologies that make the entertainment experience more realistic and immersive. For four decades Dolby has been at the forefront of defining high-quality audio and surround sound in cinema, broadcast, home audio systems, cars, DVDs, headphones, games, televisions, and personal computers. Based in San Francisco with European headquarters in England, the company has entertainment industry liaison offices in New York and Los Angeles, and licensing liaison offices in London, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit www.dolby.com .