a brief chronology · first cassette deck incorporating dolby hx introduced by harman-kardon at ces...
TRANSCRIPT
A Brief
DOLBY LABORATORIES
CHRONOLOGYof
A Brief
CHRONOLOGYof
DOLBY LABORATORIES
1
October 1967Advanced production facilities addedin London SW8.
November 1967New York office established for USdistribution of professional Dolbyequipment.
1967–68B-type noise reduction developed.
International network established fordistribution of professional equipmentin Europe, Japan, and Australia.
June 1968First consumer product equipped withDolby B-type, KLH Model 40open-reel tape recorder, released inUS under first license agreement(exclusive until 1970).
November 1968Move to London premises at 346Clapham Road, SW9. Dramaticincrease in orders for Model A301,due to price reduction from £700 to£560 resulting from improvedproduction facilities.
1968–69Investigation of high-performanceCompact Cassette by combiningDolby B-type noise reduction withquality cassette recorders. Conceptdemonstrated to hi-fi industry usingoptimized Harman-Kardon CAD-4recorder and Dolby Model 505B-type noise reduction unit developedfor demonstration purposes.
1969Increased need for Dolby A-type asrecording industry’s switch tomultitrack formats results in highernoise levels. By year’s end, majority ofLondon pop music studios equippedwith Dolby noise reduction. By 1972,there were 42 16-track recorders inLondon alone.
May 1965Dolby Laboratories founded inLondon SW6 by Ray M. Dolby,American physicist, with staff of four.
Summer 1965Development of prototype audio andvideo noise reduction systems.
November 1965Dolby A-type noise reduction systemfor professional music recordingdemonstrated to Decca RecordCompany, London.
January 1966After system tests, Decca orders firstnine A301 professional noisereduction units.
April 1966First production A301 units deliveredto Decca at £700 ($2,000) each.
May 1966First commercial recording sessionemploying Dolby A-type: VladimirAshkenazy playing Mozart pianoconcertos.
November 1966First LP from master tapes made withDolby A-type released by Decca(London Records in the US): Solticonducting Mahler’s Symphony No. 2(SET 3256).
Winter 1966–67Introduction of A-type noisereduction in US with first sales toCBS, RCA, MCA, Vanguard, andseveral independents. Increasedcoverage of Dolby noise reduction byaudio and music industry press.
April 1967Liaison with first consumer hi-fimanufacturer, Henry Kloss of KLH inCambridge, MA, to explore possibilityof simplified noise reduction circuitryfor home equipment. Negotiationsbegin on licensing Dolby noisereduction for consumer applications.Distinction now made between A-type(professional) and B-type (consumer)systems.
A Chronologyof Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories’ firstproduct, the A301 A-typenoise reduction unit.
1965
1966
The first LP released frommaster tapes recorded withDolby A-type noise reduction.
Dolby Laboratories, 1965: topfloor at 590 WandsworthRoad, London SW6.
1967
The first licensedconsumer product withDolby B-type NR: theKLH Model 40 recorder.
Monitoring an earlyrecording session usingDolby A301 NR units.
1968
1969
The Dolby Model 505 wassupplied to potentiallicensees for demonstratingthe effects of B-type NRwith consumer taperecorders.
346 Clapham Road, London:company headquarters until1976, European headquartersuntil 1992.
Early multitrack installationwith Dolby A301 units.
2
June 1971First experimental FM broadcastsusing Dolby Model 320 B-typeencoder unit, by WFMT in Chicago.
Summer 1971Increased licensing activities result in30 licensees by end of year, includingSony, Matsushita, and JVC.
December 1971A Clockwork Orange, first film to useDolby noise reduction on all premixesand masters, released (withconventional optical soundtrack).
February 1972Introduction of Dolby Model 364cinema unit for decoding mono opticalsoundtracks encoded with A-typenoise reduction. Distributed outsideUS by Rank Film Equipment.
March 1972Full-time FM broadcasts encoded withDolby B-type noise reduction begunin New York by WQXR.
Summer 1972Results of using Dolby A-type withexperimental 16 mm stereo opticalsoundtrack format reported byEastman Kodak.
September 1972Dolby M Series multitrack A-typeunits introduced at AES convention inNew York.
January 1973Samples of first B-type IC, Signetics’NE545, sent to licensees forevaluation.
June 1973Proposal by Dolby Laboratories forcombining B-type noise reduction and25 microsecond pre-emphasis in FMbroadcasting published in Journal ofthe Audio Engineering Society.
September 1973Dolby Model E2 Cinema Equalizerintroduced for use in theatres tocomplement A-type noise reductiontechniques for film soundtracks.
October 1973Philips, inventor of Compact Cassette,signs license.
February 1974Dolby FM system combining B-typenoise reduction and 25 microsecondpre-emphasis demonstrated to FederalCommunications Commission (FCC).
October 1969High-performance cassette conceptdemonstrated at Audio EngineeringSociety (AES) convention in NewYork. Presentations made to Advent,Fisher, and Harman-Kardon consumerhi-fi companies.
1970–72Extensive travels by DolbyLaboratories’ staff in US, Europe, andJapan to introduce high-fidelitycassette concept to more consumerequipment and tape manufacturers.
February 1970First add-on consumer Dolby B-typenoise reduction unit, Model 100,introduced by second Dolby licensee,Advent Corporation.
June 1970Introduction of Dolby Model 320,B-type unit for encoding pre-recordedcassettes. Extensive work begun withAmpex Stereo Tapes in the US andDecca in the UK to producepre-recorded cassettes encoded withB-type noise reduction.
Summer 1970Arrival in the US of first high- fidelitycassette recorders incorporating DolbyB-type (Advent, Fisher, and Harman-Kardon), all manufactured in Japan bythird Dolby licensee, Nakamichi.
September 1970Launch of second-generation DolbyA-type units, Models 360 and 361,with identical characteristics to ModelA301, but in smaller format bettersuited to multitrack installations.
Fifth company, Revox, signs licenseagreement.
November 1970First B-type pre-recorded audiocassettes released independently byAmpex and Decca.
Investigation of application of A-typenoise reduction to cinema soundresults in first tests with excerpts froma film in production, Jane Eyre.
January 1971Japanese licensing liaison officeestablished in Tokyo with ContinentalFar East, Inc.
May 1971Agreement negotiated with Signeticsfor development of first Dolby B-typeintegrated circuit (IC).
1970
Multitrack installation withDolby Model 361s.
The first Dolby multitracknoise reduction unit, theM Series, took full advantageof the compact Cat. No. 22A-type module.
Signetics’ B-type IC made iteasier to incorporate DolbyNR in consumer products.
1972
1971
Add-on consumer noisereduction units like theAdvent 100 convinced“audiophiles” that Dolby BNR really worked.
Dolby Model 320 B-typeencoder for pre-recordedcassettes.
One of the first licensedcassette decks with DolbyB-type NR, the Harman-Kardon CAD-5.
The slim new Dolby 360Series A-type noise reductionunit was better suited tomultitrack installations(below) than the A301.
The Model 364, fordecoding mono 35 mmoptical soundtracksencoded with A-type NR,was the first Dolbyproduct designedspecifically for the cinema.
1973
1974
3
development, new marketdevelopment, licensing, and NorthAmerican sales. Dolby Laboratories’applications engineers permanentlylocated in Hollywood and New York.
Spring 1976Second 35 mm stereo optical recordercommissioned in Hollywood byDolby Laboratories and RCA.
First 35 mm Dolby Stereo optical filmwith encoded surround effects, A StarIs Born, released.
October 1976Introduction of Dolby CP50 CinemaProcessor, economical theatre unit forreproduction of 35 mm Dolby Stereooptical releases.
January 1977Establishment of Dolby LaboratoriesLicensing Corporation, responsible forall licensing activities.
May 1977Opening of Star Wars in forty-six UStheatres equipped for Dolby Stereo,plus release of Close Encounters of theThird Kind later in year, greatlyincrease public awareness of DolbyStereo and trigger further theatreinstallations.
December 1977Twelve films released with DolbyStereo soundtracks in 1977, bringingnumber of films with A-type encodedsoundtracks to 30.
April 1978Star Wars (1977) is first of eighteenfilms in a row with Dolby encodedsoundtracks to win Academy Award®
for Best Achievement in Sound.
December 1978Superman, fiftieth film withsoundtrack encoded with DolbyA-type NR, opens simultaneously inover 200 theatres; also used in firstexperiments with 70 mm stereosurround.
April 1979Dolby Laboratories receives Scientificand Engineering Award for “improvedfilm sound recording andreproduction system” from Academyof Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
May 1974Callan, first film using opticalsoundtrack (mono) encoded withA-type noise reduction, shown atCannes Film Festival.
June 1974FCC approves 25 microsecond DolbyFM broadcasts for US.
July 1974First 35 mm stereo optical recordercommissioned by Dolby Laboratoriesat EMI Elstree Studios, England.Milestone in development of stereovariable area (SVA) soundtrack formatnow widely associated with DolbyLaboratories’ involvement with filmsound.
October 1974Dolby Models 330 and 334introduced for pre-recorded cassetteduplication and Dolby FMbroadcasting.
November 1974Introduction of 35 mm Dolby Stereooptical soundtrack format at Society ofMotion Picture and TelevisionEngineers (SMPTE) convention inToronto using specially remixedsection of Stardust. Advantagesinclude performance comparable toolder 35 mm magnetic process atconsiderably less cost to producers,distributors, and exhibitors.
February 1975Dolby CP100 Cinema Processorintroduced for reproduction of DolbyStereo magnetic and opticalsoundtracks. First units installed forLondon premiere of Tommy in March.
August 1975One hundred US stationsbroadcasting in Dolby FM.
September 1975First feature film for general releasewith Dolby Stereo optical soundtrack,Lisztomania, completed.
October 1975Dolby FM broadcasting approved forCanada by Canadian Department ofCommunications.
January 1976New headquarters in San Franciscoopened; original New York facilityclosed. London continues withmanufacturing and international sales,while San Francisco handles companyadministration, research and
The Dolby Model 330 tapeduplication unit (pictured)and Model 334 FMbroadcast unit featured thenew slim format of the 360Series.
1975
The first Dolby StereoCinema Processor, theCP100.
1977
1978
1976
The economical Dolby CP50Cinema Processor for stereooptical releases.
731 Sansome St., SanFrancisco: corporateheadquarters, 1976–1986.
1979
®A.M.P.A.S.Beginning with thisScientific and EngineeringAward in 1979, DolbyLaboratories’ contributionsto film sound have beenrecognized seven times bythe Academy of MotionPicture Arts and Sciences.
4
June 1979Dolby HX headroom extension forcassette recording introduced to audioindustry at Consumer ElectronicsShow (CES) in Chicago.
July 1979Manufacturers of VHS videorecorders licensed to incorporateB-type noise reduction in videocassette machines.
Summer 1979Introduction of Dolby Cat. No. 55,compact A-type module for generaldesign applications in Dolby noisereduction units.
September 1979Hair, first Dolby Stereo film dubbedinto a second language, released inGermany.
First European Dolby Stereo mix,Don Giovanni, completed in France.
Autumn 1979Number of professional tracksequipped with Dolby A-type noisereduction surpasses 50,000.
First stereo VHS videocassetterecorder with Dolby B-type noisereduction introduced by JVC inJapan.
November 1979Apocalypse Now is first Dolby Stereo70 mm film exhibited commerciallywith stereo surround (in 15 theatres).
January 1980First cassette deck incorporatingDolby HX introduced byHarman-Kardon at CES in Las Vegas.
April 1980Dolby Cat. No. 155 introduced, firstin series of A-type noise reductionmodules for inclusion withinprofessional one-inch C-format videorecorders.
May 1980First installations of Dolby CP200Cinema Processor, comprehensivetheatre unit incorporating OpticalBass Extension and formatprogramming for the first time.
Autumn 1980Dolby C-type noise reductionintroduced to licensees; 24 companiesannounce plans for equippedproducts. Six models exhibited atTokyo Audio Fair in October.
December 1980–March 1981Dolby C-type demonstrated to audiopress in US, UK, and Germany. Firstproduct with C-type, Sony TC-FX6Ccassette deck, reaches Japanese market.
April 1981Dolby Cat. No. 221, two-channelA-type audio noise reduction modulefor Sony BVH-1100 and BVH-1000professional VTRs, introduced atNational Association of Broadcasters(NAB) convention.
Spring 1981Cassette duplicators in the US, Japan,and Europe supplied with new DolbyCat. No. 219 C-type encoder modulesfor evaluation.
June 1981Thirty-four products with DolbyC-type exhibited by licensees at CESin Chicago.
First headphone portable cassetteplayer with Dolby B-type introducedby Infinity.
First Japanese Dolby Stereo mix,Rengo Kantai (The Grand Fleet),completed by Toho Films.
Number of US theatres equipped withDolby Stereo processors reaches2,000.
Elephant Parts, first pre-recorded VHSvideo cassette with stereo soundtracksencoded with B-type noise reduction,released by Pacific Arts.
July 1981Joint development of first DolbyC-type IC announced by Pioneer,Hitachi, and Dolby Laboratories. Withmore than 750 elements, new chip ismost complex linear IC ever, andincludes B-type characteristic forcompatibility.
Summer 1981Total number of consumer productsmanufactured with Dolby B-type NRsurpasses 100 million.
August 1981Dolby Stereo film festival at MagicLantern Theatre, Bridgton, Maine,screens 22 Dolby Stereo titles in threeweeks.
MTV, first full-time cable televisionservice with stereo sound encodedwith Dolby B-type noise reduction,begins broadcasting nationwide.
The CP200, the most advancedand comprehensive Dolbycinema processor to date.
Dolby Cat. No. 221 two-channel A-type NR modulefor Sony BVH-1100 andBVH-1000 professionalVTRs.
1980
1981
The compact DolbyCat. No. 55 A-type moduleenabled new kinds of NR units,including a new family of modulesfor use within professionalvideotape recorders (VTRs).
5
March 1983Paper detailing investigation into deltamodulation for audio storage andtransmission presented at AESconvention in Eindhoven, theNetherlands.
April 1983Dolby Cat. No. 234, two-channelnoise reduction module for SonyBV 2000 professional VTR,introduced at NAB convention.
San Francisco manufacturing facilityopened.
May 1983Introduction of Dolby Model 372, aportable two-channel professionalA-type noise reduction unit.
Ray Dolby becomes chairman ofDolby Laboratories, appointing BillJasper company president.
June 1983Capitol Records releases first pre-recorded cassettes produced withDolby HX Pro.
February 1984Production begins of Dolby Cat.No. 248, Dolby HX Pro module forOtari MTR-10/12 series cassettemastering recorder.
March 1984Dolby Soundlink ADM, later knownas Dolby AC-1, adopted by GeneralInstrument for direct broadcastsatellite and cable televisionapplications.
First headphone portable cassetteunits with Dolby C-type introduced:Sony WM-D2C and WM-D6C.
April 1984Dolby Model 380, two-channel noisereduction unit for Ampex VPR-3/RCA TH-900 professional VTRs, andCat. No. 235 interface module forAmpex VPR-80/RCA TH-400,introduced at NAB.
May 1984Release of 500th Dolby Stereo film,The Karate Kid.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doomreleased with more than 1,500 DolbyStereo prints in US alone.
September 1981Production samples of first DolbyB-type/C-type IC, HitachiHA10238, sent to licensees forevaluation. First C-type pre-recordedcassettes announced by DesmarRecords, New York.
Autumn 1981Number of Dolby C-type processorsmanufactured surpasses one million,only nine months after introductionof first product with C-type noisereduction.
October 1981Dolby SP Series professional noisereduction unit introduced at LosAngeles SMPTE and New York AESconventions.
January 1982First consumer cassette deck withDolby HX Pro headroom extensionintroduced at Winter CES byHarman-Kardon.
April 1982Dolby Cat. No. 226, two-channelaudio noise reduction module forAmpex VPR-2 and Marconi MR-2professional VTRs, introduced atNAB convention.
Investigation initiated of deltamodulation techniques for storageand transmission of high-qualityaudio.
July 1982Introduction of first low-voltageB-type IC by Rohm Corporationfacilitates incorporation of DolbyB-type noise reduction in headphoneportable cassette players.
First high-speed cassette duplicationequipment incorporating Dolby HXPro announced by Electrosound.
Betacam ENG/EFP equipment withDolby C-type noise reduction onVTR soundtracks introduced by Sony.
November 1982Dolby demonstration film, listen…,introduced at SMPTE convention.
December 1982First licensed decoder with DolbySurround circuitry introduced bySurround Sound Inc.
1982
1983
Dolby SP Series multitrackNR unit.
Dolby Cat. No. 226 two-channel A-type NR module forAmpex and Marconi VTRs.
Dolby Cat. No. 234 two-channel A-type NR modulefor Sony BV2000 VTR.
Dolby Model 380 noisereduction unit for AmpexVPR-3VTR.
Dolby Model 372 portableA-type noise reduction unit.
1984
6
September 1986Studer introduces A-820 multitrackaudio tape recorder with SR or A-typebuilt in.
Autumn 1986First delivery of Dolby Cat. No. 280SR modules.
Dolby Stereo SR 35 mm opticalformat demonstrated to the Academyof Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
October 1986Agreements completed with first threeconsumer licensees in People’sRepublic of China.
November 1986Release of 1,000th Dolby Stereo film,Heartbreak Ridge.
January 1987First Dolby Pro Logic directionalenhancement surround decodershown at CES.
CBS broadcasts Super Bowl XXI inDolby Surround.
March 1987Sony BVH-3000 C-format VTR withswitchable SR/A-type OEM moduleintroduced at NAB.
Spring 1987Production quantities of Cat. No. 431SR modules manufactured.
Joint effort with Graham PattenSystems to supply Australianindependent TV stations with video/audio distribution systemincorporating DP85s.
May 1987Release of first Dolby Stereo filmmixed in China, The First Woman inthe Forest.
Concord Records releases the firstcommercial recording prepared withDolby SR, the Dave BrubeckQuartet’s Blue Rondo.
July 1987First Dolby Stereo SR films released:Innerspace and Robocop.
March 1988Opening of San Francisco facility’sPresentation Studio, including theatrefor film and concert presentation,projection room, and audio control/recording room.
September 1984Australian Broadcasting Corporationadopts Dolby AC-1 for directbroadcast satellite use beginning in1985.
January 1985Second MTV channel, VH1, beginsoperation in US using Dolby AC-1for satellite distribution.
February 1985Dolby CP55 35 mm CinemaProcessor with automated featuresintroduced at ShoWest in Las Vegas.
March 1985First AC-1 encoding unit, DolbyDP80, manufactured inSan Francisco.
Summer 1985First video disc and cassette softwareissued with Dolby Surroundtrademark.
October 1985Dolby AC-1 incorporated intoAUSSAT 1, Australia’s directbroadcast satellite.
Cost-effective Dolby XP Seriesmultitrack A-type noise reduction unitintroduced at AES in New York.
January 1986San Francisco finance andadministration, engineering, licensing,and manufacturing consolidated inrefurbished warehouse at 100 PotreroAvenue, San Francisco.
Twelve products with DolbySurround decoding introduced atCES in Las Vegas.
March 1986Dolby SR (spectral recording)introduced at AES in Montreux,Switzerland. Dolby Cat. Nos. 280(single-track) and 431 (multitrack)modules shown.
Spring 1986Dolby SR introduced in US, UK,Germany, and Japan.
July 1986European headquarters adds newfactory on Union Road, Clapham.
August 1986Number of professional tracksequipped with Dolby A-type surpasses100,000.
1985
Dolby XP Series multitrackA-type noise reduction unit.
Dolby Laboratories’ firstdigital product, the DP80Dolby AC-1 encoder.
1987
100 Potrero Ave., SanFrancisco, company head-quarters since January 1986.
Presentation Studio, SanFrancisco headquarters.
1988
Dolby CP55 CinemaProcessor, replacing the CP50,provides automation featuresand higher performance.
1986
Dolby Cat. No. 280 SR modulescould be substituted for Cat.No. 22 modules in existingDolby NR units.
The Cat. No. 431 SR modulewas designed for use in DolbySP and XP multitrack NR units.
7
Otari introduces MTR 100Amultitrack recorder with switchableSR/A-type OEM module at AES inParis.
April 1988Dolby Laboratories receives AcademyAward® for Technical Achievement forDolby Cat. No. 43 playback-onlybackground noise suppressor.
October 1988Introduction of Dolby Model 363,low-cost, 1-U two-channel unitincorporating Cat. No. 300switchable SR/A-type modules.
November 1988Studer introduces revised A-820multitrack audio recorder usingDolby Cat. No. 300 modules.
December 1988Sanyo releases LA2770, first DolbyPro Logic IC.
March 1989Ray Dolby and Ioan Allen awardedOscars® for “continuing contributionsto motion picture sound through theresearch and development programsof Dolby Laboratories” by Academyof Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
June 1989Dolby Model 400, softwarecontrolled SR/A-type unit,introduced at APRS, London.
First consumer product to incorporateDolby Time Link digital delayintroduced.
September 1989Ray Dolby wins Emmy for“outstanding achievement inengineering development for audionoise reduction systems forprofessional television tape recorders”by National Academy of TelevisionArts and Sciences.
First Dolby Surround music-onlyrecording, The Home Video Album,released on CD and audio cassette byRCA Victor.
October 1989Dolby S-type, new consumer noisereduction system derived fromDolby SR, demonstrated to FarEastern licensees and press in Tokyo.
Dolby Model 500 Series AC-2 digitalcodecs, and software-controlled DolbyMT Series multitrack SR/A-type unit,introduced at AES in New York.
November 1989Dolby S-type demonstrated toEuropean licensees and press inLondon.
January 1990Dolby S-type demonstrated to USpress at CES in Las Vegas. Fivelicensees exhibit prototype consumerproducts incorporating new system.
April 1990Dolby 3 Stereo for stereo televisionsets introduced.
June 1990Release of 100th Dolby Stereo SRfilm, Robocop 2.
August 1990Demonstration in San Francisco ofadvanced National Television SystemsCommittee (NTSC) television systemcombining Dolby AC-2 stereo digitalaudio and Faroudja ResearchEnterprises’ SuperNTSC video.
Sanyo releases LV1000, first ICincorporating Dolby Time Link digitaldelay.
September 1990Dolby Model 422 B/C/S encoderintroduced at AES.
November 1990First one-inch 24-track recorders withDolby S-type, Tascam MSR-24S andFostex G24S, introduced.
December 1990First production cassette decks withDolby S-type shipped: Harman-KardonTD4600 and TD4800.
Dolby Technologies: How They Work,consumer information laser disc,released. Videocassette version followsin 1991.
January 1991HBO announces expanded use ofDolby Surround on originalprogramming, including all musicspecials.
1990
Model 363 two-channel NRunit providing switchable SRand A-type NR.
Dolby Cat. No. 43 noisesuppressor, widely used inthe film industry to clean upsoundtrack elements, winsAcademy Award forTechnical Achievement.
1989
1991
Model 400, the firstsoftware-controlled DolbyNR unit.
Ioan Allen (L) and Ray Dolby(R) were presented with theirOscars by Angie Dickenson.®©A.M.P.A.S.
®N.A.T.A.S.
DP500 Series codecs werethe first to utilize the DolbyAC-2 algorithm.
Among other features, thesoftware-controlled MT Seriesmultitrack SR/A-type unitprovides automatic alignment.
The Dolby Model 422provides tape duplicatorswith S-type as well as B-typeand C-type NR.
8
February 1991Development of Dolby Digital, withcompatible 35 mm prints providingboth digital and analog opticalsoundtracks, announced at ShoWest inLas Vegas. New format is firstapplication of Dolby AC-3multichannel digital audio coding.
April 1991First demonstrations of Dolby Digitalfor film industry held in San Francisco.Further demonstrations in LosAngeles, New York, London, Paris,Madrid, Munich, and Milan duringsummer and autumn.
Skywalker Sound begins using DolbyAC-2 digital coding to transmit high-quality audio over T1 link betweenfacilities in Marin County and LosAngeles.
August 1991Introduction of Dolby CP65 CinemaProcessor for playback of all 35 mmanalog optical formats and interfacewith new Dolby Digital format.
September 1991Dolby DP5500 Series DSTL system,world’s first all-digital studio-to-transmitter link, demonstrated at NABRadio ’91 in San Francisco.
First STACE Award, in memory ofDolby Laboratories’ longtime NationalSales Administrator Stacey Rehm,presented by Theater EquipmentAssociation to Sam Feldman ofNational Amusements, honoring his“commitment to advancement oftechnology in film exhibition.”
October 1991Dolby 430 Series background noisesuppressor, based on modified versionof Dolby SR, introduced.
December 1991TV2 Denmark is first Europeanbroadcaster to produce DolbySurround programming regularly,beginning with Victor Borge’s NewYear’s Eve concert.
January 1992Lower-cost A-type/SR multitrack unit,Dolby SRP Series, announced.
April 1992Dolby DP90, all-new AC-1 encoder,introduced at NAB convention inLas Vegas.
May 1992First Dolby DSTL system installed atWWKX FM, Providence, RI.
June 1992First film released in Dolby Digital,Batman Returns, premieres in ten UStheatres equipped with new DA10Dolby Digital processor and Cat.No. 699 digital soundtrack reader.
Dolby Model 740 Spectral Processor,new type of dynamic equalizer,introduced at Association ofProfessional Recording Services(APRS) in London.
Granada Television becomes first UKbroadcaster to produce original DolbySurround programming.
July 1992BMG Classics announces all new pre-recorded audio cassettes to utilizeDolby S-type beginning in October.
NBC uses Model 430 backgroundnoise suppressor for locationbroadcasts of Summer OlympicGames in Barcelona.
August 1992Zoran Corp. develops Dolby Digital(AC-3) ICs for implementingconsumer format based on DolbyDigital film format.
January 1993Dolby Laboratories Europeanheadquarters relocated from Londonto new facility in Wootton Bassett,Wiltshire.
Stalingrad, first non-US DolbyDigital production, opens in tentheatres equipped for Dolby Digitalplayback in Germany, Austria, andSwitzerland.
February 1993WEA announces all new pre-recordedaudio cassettes to utilize Dolby S-typebeginning in summer.
March 1993World’s first Dolby Surround videogame, King Arthur’s World, releasedin Europe.
April 1993HRH The Princess Royal (PrincessAnne) officially opens DolbyLaboratories’ new Europeanheadquarters at Wootton Bassett.
1992
The Dolby DP5500 SeriesDSTL system, the world’sfirst all-digital studio-to-transmitter link.
The CP65 became the best-selling Dolby cinemaprocessor ever.
1993
Dolby Cat. No. 430background noise supressor,based on Dolby SR.
The Model DA10 DolbyDigital adapter and Cat.No. 699 digital soundtrackreader.
The Dolby Model 740 intro-duced recording andbroadcast engineers to a newkind of dynamic EQ.
Dolby Laboratories’ newEuropean headquarters,Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire,England.
Princess Anne officiallyopens the new WoottonBassett facility.
Lower-cost SRP Series bringsmultitrack Dolby SR withinreach of smaller studios.
9
May 1994First Direct Broadcast Satellite servicewith Dolby Digital audio, DMX forBusiness, begins.
France Supervision launches DolbySurround programming withbroadcast of Roland Garros tennischampionship.
August 1994Fox Network begins broadcastingentire National Football League(NFL) season in Dolby Surround.
Hollywood Film Division relocates toexpanded facilities at 3375 BarhamBoulevard, Los Angeles.
October 1994Model DP523, two-channel digitalaudio encoder supporting AC-2 andAC-3 at as many as four data rates,introduced.
November 1994Interview with the Vampire is 100thDolby Digital release. More than 120foreign language versions of DolbyDigital titles released to date.
Screening room completed atEuropean headquarters in WoottonBassett.
January 1995First Dolby Digital consumerproducts and laser discs utilizingDolby Digital announced at CES.
Toshiba and Time Warnerdemonstrate prototype DVD withDolby Digital (AC-3) audio.
February 1995Ray Dolby awarded TechnicalGrammy for 1994.
BBC broadcasts first radio productionin Dolby Surround, Bomber, on BBCRadio 4.
Technicolor London records its 100thDolby Digital soundtrack, Nell.
March 1995West Coast Live becomes first live USradio show regularly broadcast inDolby Surround.
New US manufacturing facility opensin Brisbane, California, near SanFrancisco.
May 1993First French Dolby Digitalproductions, Ma Saison Préférée andToxic Affair, screened at CannesFestival.
August 1993First 35 mm soundhead capable ofreading both analog and DolbyDigital optical tracks introduced byCinemeccanica.
September 1993First single-chip processor (ZR38000)capable of Dolby Digital coding/decoding made available by Zoran.Application-specific AC-3 ICsannounced for second quarter of1994.
Autumn 1993Premiere Television in Germany firstEuropean satellite broadcaster totransmit live sports programs in DolbySurround.
October 1993Digital high-definition television(HDTV) Grand Alliance selects DolbyDigital to provide digital surroundsound for US HDTV system.
First rock recording mixed in DolbySurround, “Pictures at an Exhibition,”released on Emerson, Lake & PalmerCD The Return of the Manticore.
November 1993First ISDN transmission utilizingDolby AC-2 coding (Burbank,California, to London).
January 1994First shipments of DA20 adapter andCat. No. 700 soundhead, streamlinedsecond-generation hardware forplayback of Dolby Digital films,reduced cost to equip theatres forDolby Digital playback.
Dolby DSTL digital studio-transmitter link with twice the powerof the original model introduced.
March 1994Dolby Fax system for transmittinghigh-quality audio over ISDN linesintroduced.
Two-channel DP521 Dolby AC-3digital encoder and DP522 decoderinroduced, for applications such asDBS and cable systems.
1994
1995
Zoran introduces first single-chip processor capable ofDolby AC-3 digital audiocoding and decoding. Firstused in second-generationDA20 Dolby Digital filmsound adapter.
Dolby Fax.
DP521 and DP522 AC-3digital encoder and decoder.
DA20 Dolby Digital adapterand Cat. No. 700soundtrack reader.
New screening room atEuropean headquarters.
DP523 encoder shown abovecompanion DP524 decoder.
3375 Barham Blvd., Los Angeles,new home to Dolby Laboratories’Hollywood Film Division.
New U.S. manufacturingfacility in Brisbane, California,just south of San Francisco.
10
Speed (1994) first film with DolbyDigital soundtrack and eighteenthconsecutive film in a Dolby format towin Academy Award for BestAchievement in Sound.
Spring 199520th Century Fox announces allfuture releases to be in Dolby Digital.
DP524 two-channel digital decodersupporting both AC-2 and AC-3introduced; offers bit rates from 56 to384 kb/s.
June 1995Debut of Dolby website,www.dolby.com, on Internet.
July 1995Paramount chooses Dolby Digital asprimary release format.
September 1995Warner Bros. announces all futuretitles to be in Dolby Digital.
October 1995Record 3,500 analog and 2,100digital cinema processors sold in fiscal1995.
CP500 digital cinema processorintroduced at ShowEast in AtlanticCity, combining playback electronicsfor soundtracks encoded in bothanalog and digital formats.
November 1995FCC’s Advisory Committeerecommends adoption of AdvancedTelevision Systems Committee(ATSC) digital TV system with DolbyDigital audio as US digital TVstandard.
Introduction of licensing program forDolby Surround Multimedia.
First MGM/UA Dolby Digitalrelease, Goldeneye.
December 1995Dolby Digital prints struck worldwidein 1995 estimated at 400,000; 40,000in circulation globally at any giventime.
Dolby Digital audio mandatory forNTSC countries, optional elsewhere,in final DVD specifications.
January 1996Lower-cost CP45 analog cinemaprocessor introduced at second annualCineAsia convention in Singapore.
Twenty-one consumer products withDolby Digital decoding shown atCES, Las Vegas; 11 manufacturersdisplay DVD-Video products.
February 1996Theatres worldwide equipped forDolby Digital playback top 4,000;released and announced Dolby Digitalfilm titles surpass 400.
March 1996Dolby Laboratories receives Scientificand Engineering Award fromAcademy of Motion Picture Arts andSciences for design and developmentof the Dolby Digital Sound System formotion picture exhibition.
April 1996Dolby Laboratories and Microsoftsign letter of intent to jointly developPC surround sound technologies andspecifications supporting use of DolbyDigital and Dolby Surround ProLogic.
Dolby and Digidesign® announcejoint effort to ensure interfacebetween upcoming Dolby Drive andPro Tools® and AudioVisionworkstations; Dolby also to developDolby Surround encoder/decoderPlug-In.
May 1996Dolby Drive, all-digital, disk-basedreplacement for classic 35 mm magfilm soundtrack dubber, previewed atAES Convention, Copenhagen.
New DP503 encoder featuring DolbyAC-2, Dolby AC-3 and MPEG-1 LIIcoding also previewed at AESconvention.
June 1996First cinema multiplex in LatinAmerica with Dolby Digital on allscreens, Cinemex Loreto, opens inMexico City.
NBC broadcasts opening and closingceremonies of 1996 Olympic Gamesin Dolby Surround.
September 1996Twister, 100th laser disc with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital audio, released.
Dolby CP500 digital cinemaprocessor.
1996
®A.M.P.A.S.
Scientific and EngineeringAcademy Award presentedto Dolby Laboratories fordevelopment of DolbyDigital soundtrack.
Lower-cost Dolby CP45Cinema Processor enablessmaller theatres to equip forreproduction of DolbyA-type and SR soundtracks.
DP503 encoder providesMPEG Layer II coding aswell as both Dolby AC-2and Dolby AC-3.
Twister, the 100th laser discreleased with a Dolby Digitalsoundtrack.
11
Fall TV season opens in US with 13new shows produced in DolbySurround, bringing current total tomore than 50.
First European NTSC laser disc inDolby Digital, French-languageversion of Judge Dredd, released.
October 1996Record 3,500 Dolby Digitalprocessors sold in fiscal year endingSeptember 30.
Shine, 500th Dolby Digital film,screened at ShowEast, Atlantic City,New Jersey.
November 1996Dolby Surround Tools TDM Plug-Ins® for Digidesign® Pro Toolsworkstations demonstrated at AESConvention, Los Angeles.
Dolby Net, low bit-rate version ofDolby Digital, introduced for low-bandwidth applications such as real-time streaming Internet audio.
First DVD-Video players delivered toretailers in Japan.
December 1996FCC adopts digital TV standard forUS with Dolby Digital asmultichannel digital surround-soundcoding of choice.
January 1997First automobile surround-soundsystem with Dolby Pro Logicintroduced by Volvo at Detroit MotorShow.
Virtual Dolby Surround and VirtualDolby Digital, enabling surround-sound effect from PCs with just twospeakers, introduced at CES, LasVegas.
February 1997First combination laser disc/DVD-Video players delivered to USretailers.
March 1997The English Patient (1996), releasedexclusively in Dolby Digital, winsAcademy Award® for BestAchievement in Sound.
First PAL DVD-Video with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital soundtrack,German-language version of12 Monkeys, released in Europe.
First software Dolby Digital decoderusing MMX™ technology announcedby Intel.
First DVD-only video playersdelivered to US retailers.
April 1997Dolby DP562 reference decoder with5.1-channel Dolby Digital anddigitally implemented four-channelPro Logic decoding introduced atNAB Convention, Las Vegas.
First DVD-Video disc titles offered forsale in seven US markets.
May 1997President Clinton names Ray Dolbyrecipient of National Medal ofTechnology.
Dolby Digital is the only digitalformat played at the Cannes FilmFestival, including opening andclosing films, The Fifth Element andAbsolute Power.
June 1997Dolby DP561B Dolby Digital encoderintroduced, featuring lower cost andcompliance with European CEspecifications for RF emissions andsusceptibility.
July 1997Sales of Dolby Digital cinemaprocessors top 10,000; released andannounced Dolby Digital film titlessurpass 940, plus more than 1,000foreign-language versions.
DVD Spectacular, first music-onlyDVD-Video title, released by DelosInternational with 5.1-channel DolbyDigital audio.
British Academy of Film andTelevision Arts (BAFTA) presentsSpecial Technical Award to DolbyLaboratories “for outstandingachievement in film sound.”
Ray Dolby awarded honorary degree,Doctor of Science, by CambridgeUniversity.
August 1997Ray Dolby named recipient ofAmerican Electronics Association’sMedal of Achievement.
September 1997Dolby DP567 two-channel DolbyDigital encoder introduced at AESConvention, New York.
1997
Dolby Surround Tools Plug-Ins provide Dolby Surroundencoding and Dolby ProLogic decoding (pictured)for use on Pro Toolsworkstations.
Dolby DP562 ReferenceDecoder provides 5.1-channel Dolby Digital andfour-channel Pro Logicdecoding.
Dolby DP561B 5.1-channelDolby Digital encoderfeatures lower cost and CEcompliance.
The first DVD-Video discsand players, which featureDolby Digital audio,delivered to U.S. retailers inthe first quarter of 1997.
Volvo C70.
12
November 1997Canada and South Korea adopt ATSCdigital broadcast TV system withDolby Digital audio.
December 1997Dolby Digital classified as mandatoryaudio coding for PAL/SECAM DVD-Video discs, as on NTSC discs,enabling worldwide release of discswith only Dolby Digital soundtracks.
January 1998Number of Dolby cinema soundprocessors sold surpasses 50,000worldwide.
February 1998Dolby engineers Kirk Handley, RayMeluch, Scott Robinson, WilsonAllen, and John Neary presented withScientific and Technical Awards byAcademy of Motion Pictures Arts andSciences for design, development, andimplementation of Dolby CP500Digital Cinema Processor.
Ioan Allen receives B.J. SturdivantAward given annually at ShoWest filmexhibitors’ convention to “anindividual who throughout his careerhas demonstrated a dedication to theexhibition industry and its causes.”
March 1998More theatres worldwide (13,037)equipped for Dolby Digital than anyother digital film sound format.
May 1998DIRECTV announces first broadcastswith Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio,direct digital satellite transmissions ofDolby Digital feature filmscommencing July 1.
Number of theatres equipped forDolby Digital tops 14,000 worldwide.
1,380 feature films with Dolby Digitalsoundtracks, plus 1,700 foreign-language versions, released orannounced to date.
June 1998Dolby Laboratories agrees to act aslicensor of MLP, a lossless audiocoding process developed by MeridianAudio for applications such as DVD-Audio.
July 1998Number of screens worldwideequipped with Dolby Digital tops15,000, surpassing closest competitorby over 1,000 screens.
August 1998Dolby Digital audio recommended foruse with DVB-format digital broadcastTV in Australia.
September 1998First live HDTV broadcast with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital audio: collegefootball game aired by WBNS-TV,Columbus, Ohio.
October 1998Dolby Digital Surround EX, newtheatre sound format with threesurround channels co-developed withLucasfilm THX, announced anddemonstrated at ShowEast in AtlanticCity, New Jersey.
Dolby Laboratories awarded Emmy byNational Academy of Television Artsand Sciences for “pioneeringdevelopment of a multichannel digitalaudio bit-rate reduction system,standardized for the ATSC high-definition and standard-definitiontelevision systems, and for worldwideDigital Versatile Disc.”
November 1998First Dolby Digital Interactive DVDgame, Lander, from Psygnosis,demonstrated at Comdex ’98.
December 1998Dolby Headphone signal processorannounced, developed by Lake DSPof Sydney, Australia, for cinema-likesurround sound over conventionalheadphones.
January 1999San Francisco product engineering,human resources, and marketing staffmove to second San Francisco office at999 Brannan Street, acquired andrenovated in 1998.
February 1999David Gray, Vice President,Hollywood Film Division, awardedJohn A. Bonner Medal ofCommendation by Academy ofMotion Picture Arts and Sciences inappreciation of “outstanding serviceand dedication in upholding the highstandards of the Academy.”
Version 1 of DVD-Audiospecifications include two technologieslicensed by Dolby Laboratories: MLPfor audio zone and Dolby Digital foroptional video zone. Latter optionenables DVD-Audio discs to play onall DVD-Video players.
1998
Scientific and TechnicalAcademy Award presentedto Dolby engineers “forthe design, development,and implementation of theCP500 Digital CinemaProcessor.”
DIRECTV announces DDStransmissions with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital audio.
MLP, licensed by DolbyLaboratories, chosen for use onaudio zone of DVD-Audiodiscs.
®N.A.T.A.S.
Emmy awarded to DolbyLaboratories fordevelopment of DolbyDigital for DTV and DVD.
Academy’s Bonner Medalawarded to Dolby VicePresident David Gray.
1999
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March 1999With 2,500 SA10 Cinema Processoradapters ordered, Dolby DigitalSurround EX becomes most successfulnew format launch in cinema soundhistory.
April 1999Debut of DP571 and DP572 Dolby Ecodecs for use in DTV multichannelaudio production and distribution atNAB Convention, Las Vegas.
Number of cinemas equipped withDolby Digital totals more than20,000, surpassing all other formatsboth in North America andworldwide.
The Dolby Store opened atwww.dolby.com, providing merchandisesuch as posters, T-shirts, how-toguides, and demonstration and testdiscs.
May 1999Singapore Airlines initiates cinema-quality surround sound on in-flightentertainment using DolbyHeadphone technology.
First film with Dolby DigitalSurround EX soundtrack, Star Wars:Episode I–The Phantom Menace,opens in US.
Dolby Laboratories celebrates 25thyear of technical assistance to CannesInternational Film Festival. Dolbystaff were first on hand at 1974Cannes Festival for screening ofCallan, first film released with aDolby-encoded soundtrack.
June 1999DVB standard with Dolby Digitalaudio chosen for digital terrestrialbroadcasting in Singapore.
Australian broadcaster TCN 9 makesfirst-ever terrestrial DVB broadcastwith Dolby Digital 5.1 multichannelsound.
Encore Media Group, largest providerof cable and satellite movie networksin US, begins transmitting DolbyDigital 5.1-encoded movies onSTARZ! channel over DIRECTV.
July 1999DVB Project recognizes Dolby Digitalas an optional digital audio standard,enabling DVB broad-casters totransmit exclusively in Dolby Digital.
Ray Dolby presented with honorarydegree, Doctor of the University, bythe University of York.
August 1999German satellite broadcasterProSieben Media AG becomes firstbroadcaster in Europe to transmitDolby Digital 5.1-channel sound.
At Internationale Funkausstellung ’99in Berlin, Canal+, Lemon, Panasonic,Radix, and Sony announce plans forset-top boxes enabling Dolby Digital5.1-channel sound for DVB digitalTV viewers.
September 1999ABC begins broadcasting MondayNight Football in HDTV with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital sound.
Model DP563, fully digitalimplementation of the industrystandard SEU4 Dolby SurroundEncoder, introduced at AES in NewYork and International BroadcastingConvention (IBC) in Amsterdam.
First shipments of DP571 Dolby EEncoder and DP572 Dolby EDecoder.
October 1999Dolby Laboratories awarded Emmyfor outstanding technologicalachievement for its part in developingDVD technology.
Demonstration at AES convention,New York, of 5.1-channel DolbyDigital audio streamed over Internetfrom Montreal.
Paris-based digital satellite broadcasterla Télévision Par Satellite (TPS)successfully transmits film trailers withDolby Digital 5.1 multichannelsoundtracks via Eutelsat Hot Bird 4,as part of a demonstration at the 2nd
International Multichannel SoundForum.
November 1999The British Kinematograph Soundand Television Society (BKSTS)presents Ioan Allen with itsOutstanding Contribution to theIndustry Award.
The World Is Not Enough becomes firstUK film production to be releasedwith Dolby Digital Surround EXsoundtrack.
SA10 Dolby DigitalSurround EX adapter.
®N.A.T.A.S.
Star Wars: Episode I–ThePhantom Menace first filmwith Dolby DigitalSurround EX soundtrack.
ProSieben Media AG firstbroadcaster in Europe totransmit Dolby Digital.
Model DP563 Dolby SurroundEncoder.
Dolby Digital recognizedas option for DVBbroadcasters.
DP571 and DP572 Dolby Eencoder and decoder.
Dolby Laboratoriescelebrates 25th year oftechnical assistance atCannes.
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Dolby Digital Surround EX becomesmost rapidly adopted format incinema sound history, with over 4,600SA10 adapters sold in introductoryyear.
Japanese language pages added towww.dolby.com site, covering topicsranging from general companyinformation to products and licensing.
January 2000Dolby Headphone technology, whichallows listeners to experiencemultichannel sound over standardheadphones, introduced at CES, LasVegas.
Showtime Networks becomes firstpremium cable network to feedprogram material in HDTV withDolby Digital 5.1-channel sound.
Number of screens equipped withDolby Digital exceeds 25,000.
February 2000First consumer product with DolbyHeadphone, Prius DECK 601Ndesktop PC, announced by Hitachi.
March 2000Qantas Airlines initiates in-flight filmpresentations with Dolby Headphoneaudio.
Technical marketing program for AAC(Advanced Audio Coding), higher-quality, more efficient successor toMP3, announced by DolbyLaboratories, AAC co-developer andlicensor.
April 2000Debut of DP570 Multichannel AudioTool, facilitating creation of metadatafor Dolby Digital programming, atNAB Las Vegas.
Debut of DM100 Bitstream Analyzer,for monitoring and testing DolbyDigital, Dolby E, and PCMbitstreams, at NAB Las Vegas.
NBC commits to Dolby E for DTVprogram distribution.
RioPort licenses AAC for Internetmusic delivery.
May 2000First PC DVD player software withDolby Headphone shipped by MGISoftware.
First notebook PC with DolbyHeadphone released in Japan byNEC.
ARM licenses AAC for inclusion inportable music playback devices.
June 2000Dolby CP650, new flagship digitalcinema processor, debuts at CinemaExpo in Amsterdam.
Next generation of Dolby SurroundPro Logic decoding, Pro Logic II, isofficially announced.
AAC licensed by S3’s Rio Group forinclusion in third-generation portabledigital audio devices.
2000DM100 Bitstream Analyzer.
DP570 MultichannelAudio Tool.
CP650 digital cinema processor
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. 100 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103 Telephone 415-558-0200 Fax 415-863-1373Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, SN4 8QJ, England Telephone (44) 1793-842100 Fax (44) 1793-842101 www.dolby.comDolby, AC-3, Pro Logic, Time Link, DSTL, Surround EX, and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2000 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. S00/12568/13232