Dolby AC-4 is here, and it looks good

[Flint]

https://hub.dolby.com/dolby-ac-4-cr...ok&utm_content=dlb-audio-ac4-futuresound-fb-2

Some of the capabilities are not of interest to me, but the auto-scaling to accommodate changes in streaming speeds and auto-loudness adjustment are both very intriguing to me.

 

[Haywood]

Ug. I just bought a new receiver...

 

[Flint]

Mostly this looks to make one standard which incorporates all of the newest Dolby tech into a single specification to ensure they are all included in the hardware you buy:

https://www.dolby.com/us/en/technologies/AC-4.html

Also, this isn't new at all, but was originally proposed for ATSC 3.0 two years ago.

 

[Haywood]

As long as I can transcode to AC-3, I'm happy.

 

[Akula]

Looks like it's more efficient than AC-3 (AC-3 was 384kbps), AC-4 can run as low as 96), which can potentially mean better audio in smaller bandwidth.

I do wonder if this means lossless formats just aren't going to be that big going forward. As nice as TrueHD or DTS Master-HD might be for things, they haven't made the jump to streaming services where AC-4 seems to be designed with those in mind.

I wonder how long it will take to filter into the devices we use. Samsung is supposedly going to offer TVs with AC-4 support this year, and it doesn't look like there's much reason why other manufacturers couldn't be on this ball right quick. It might be a good reason to hold off unnecessary upgrades, especially of things like smart TVs or receivers.

 

[Haywood]

They are going to have to maintain backward compatibility with AC-3 for years, due to the number of televisions, soundbars, receivers and so on that use it.