File extension ac3

Name: Audio Files

Popularity: 6

Open With: Ultra File Opener

What is this ac3 file?

C-3, or Dolby Digital audio file format; may contain up to 6 channels of audio, including a subwoofer output (a.k.a. 5.1 surround sound). Launched in 1987, the Dolby Digital format is a digital audio encoding standard developed by Dolby Labs. Unlike Dolby ProLogic systems, Dolby Digital audio tracks are independent (the term "discrete" is also sometimes used). For consumer electronics, the Dolby Digital format relies on a compression algorithm called AC3 (Audio Coding 3), which can compress audio streams by a factor of 10 to 12 with a 16-bit sampling rate of 48 kHz, for an overall bitrate of 384 kbps. For this reason, the Dolby Digital format is sometimes called Dolby AC3. For professionals, instead of an AC3 decoder, Dolby Digital uses a system called SR-D. Dolby Digital is likely the most commonly used system in home theatre systems. To be able to use media recorded in Dolby Digital format (DVD video or DVD audio, for example), you need a device with an integrated AC3 decoder.