Art of Digital Audio

Described as "the most comprehensive book on digital audio to date", it is widely acclaimed as an industry "bible". Covering the very latest developments in digital audio technology, it provides an thorough introduction to the theory as well as acting as an authoritative and comprehensive professional reference source. Everything you need is here from the fundamental principles to the latest applications, written in an award-winning style with clear explanations from first principles. New material covered includes internet audio, PC audio technology, DVD, MPEG audio compression, digital audio broadcasting and audio networks.Whether you are in the field of audio engineering, sound recording, music technology, broadcasting and communications media or audio design and installation, this book has it all. Written by a leading international audio specialist, who conducts professional seminars and workshops around the world, the book has been road tested for many years by professional seminar attendees and students to ensure their needs are taken into account, and all the right information is covered.This new edition now includes:Internet audioPC Audio technologyDVDMPEG Audio compressionDigital Audio BroadcastingAudio networksDigital audio professionals will find everything they need here, from the fundamental principles to the latest applications, written in an award-winning style with clear explanations from first principles.John Watkinson is an international consultant in audio, video and data recording. He is a Fellow of the AES, a member of the British Computer Society and a chartered information systems practitioner. He presents lectures, seminars, conference papers and training courses worldwide. He is the author of many other Focal Press books, including: the Kraszna-Krausz award winning MPEG-2; The Art of Digital Audio; An Introduction to Digital Video; The Art of Sound Reproduction; An Introduction to Digital Audio; TV Fundamentals and Audio for Television. He is also co-author, with Francis Rumsey, of The Digital Interface Handbook, and contributor to the Loudspeaker and Headphone Handbook, 3rd edition.

Why Digital?: Introduction; What is digital audio? Why binary? Why digital? Some digital audio techniques outlined; The sampler; The programmable delay; Time compression; Synchronization; Error correction and concealment; Channel coding; Compression; Hard disk recorders; The PCM adaptor; An open-reel digital recorder; Rotary head digital recorders; Digital Compact Cassette; Audio in PCs; Networks; References. Some Audio Principles: The physics of sound; The speed of sound; Wavelength; Periodic and aperiodic signals; Sound and the ear; Hearing; The cochlea; Mental processes; Level and loudness; Frequency discrimination; Critical bands; Beats; Music and the ear; The sensation of pitch; Frequency response and linearity; The sine wave; Root mean square measurements; The deciBel; Audio level metering; Vectors; Phase angle and power factor; Audio cabling; EMC; Electrical safety; References. Digital Principles: Pure binary code; Two's complement; Introduction to digital processing; Logic elements; Storage elements; Binary adding; The computer; The processor; Interrupts; Programmable timers; Timebase compression and correction; Gain control; Digital faders and controls; A digital mixer; Effects; The phase-locked loop; Multiplexing principles; Packets; Statistical multiplexing; Filters; Transforms; FIR and IIR filters; FIR filters; Sampling rate conversion; IIR filters; Sampling rate conversion; IIR Filters; The z-transform; Bandpass filters; Higher-order filters: cascading; Pole/zero positions; The Fourier transform; The discrete cosine transform (DCT); The wavelet transform; Modulo-n arithmetic; The Galois field; Noise and probability; References. Conversion: Introduction to conversion; Sampling and aliasing; Reconstruction; Filter design; Choice of sampling rate; Sample and hold; Sampling clock jitter; Aperture effect; Quantizing; Quantizing error; Introduction to dither; Requantizing and digital dither; Dither techniques-Rectangular pdf dither, Triangular pdf dither, Gaussian pdf dither; Basic digital-to-analog conversion; Basic analog-to-digital conversion; Alternative convertors; Oversampling; Oversampling without noise shaping; Noise shaping; Noise-shaping ADCs; A one-bit DAC; One-bit noise-shaping ADCs; Operating levels in digital audio; References. Compression: Introduction; Lossless and perceptive coding; Compression principles; Codec level calibration; Quality measurement; The limits; Some guidelines; Audio compression tools; Sub-band coding; Transform coding; Compression formats; MPEG Audio compression; MPEG Layer 1; MPEG Layer 11; MPEG Layer 111, MPEG-2 AAC; apt-x; Dolby AC-3; ATRAC; References. Digital Recording and Transmission Principles: Introduction to the channel; Types of transmission channel; Types of recording medium; Magnetism; Magnetic recording; Azimuth recording and rotary heads; Optical disks; Magneto-optical disks; Equalization; Data separation; Slicing; Jitter rejection; Channel coding; Recording-oriented codes; Transmission General-purpose codes; Miller2 code; Group codes; 4/5 code of MADI; 2/3 code; EFM code in CD; The 8/10 group code of DAT; Tracking signals; Convolutional RLL codes; Graceful degradation; Randomizing; Communications codes; Convolutional randomizing; Synchronizing; References. Error correction: Sensitivity of message error; Error mechanisms; Basic error correction; Error handling; Concealment by interpolation; Parity; Block and convolutional codes; Hamming code; Hamming distance; Cyclic codes; Punctured codes; Applications of cyclic codes; Burst correction; Introduction to the Reed-Solomon codes; R-S calculations; Correction by erasure; Interleaving; Product codes; Introduction to error correction in DAT; Editing interleaved recordings; References. Transmission: Introduction; Introduction to AES/EBU interface; The electrical interface; Frame structure; Talkback in auxiliary data; Professional channel status; Consumer channel status; User bits; MADI - multi-channel digital audio interface; MADI data transmission; MADI frame structure; MADI audio channel format; Fibre-optic interfacing; Synchronizing; Asynchronous operation; Routing; Networks; Introduction to NICAM 728; Audio in digital television broadcasting; Packets and time stamps; MPEG transport streams; Clock references; Program Specific Information (PSI); Multiplexing; Introduction to DAB; DAB principles; References. Digital Audio Tape Recorders: Types of recorder; PCM adaptors; Introduction to DAT; Track following in DAT; Aligning for interchange; DAT data channel; Sound and subcode in shuttle; Timecode in DAT; Non-tracking replay; Quarter-inch rotary; Half-inch and 8mm rotary formats; Digital audio in VTRs; Stationary-head recorders; DASH format; DCC - digital compact cassette; References. Magnetic disk drives: Types of disk drive; Dick terminology; Structure of disk; Principle of flying head; Reading and writing; Moving the heads; Controlling a seek; Rotation; Servo-surface disks; Soft sectoring; Winchester technology; Servo-surface Winchester drives; Rotary positioners; Floppy disks; Error handling; RAID arrays; The disk controller; Digital audio disk systems; Arranging the audio data on disk; Spooling files; Broadcast applications; Sampling rate and playing time; References. Digital Audio Editing: Introduction; Editing and random access media; Editing on recording media; The structure of an editor; Timecode; Locating the edit point; Editing with disk drives; CD mastering; Editing in DAT; Editing in open-reel recorders; Jump editing; References. Digital Audio in Optical Disks: Types of optical disk; CD, DVD and MD contrasted; CD and MD - disk construction; Rejecting surface contamination; Rejecting surface contamination; Playing optical disks; Focus systems; Tracking systems; Typical pickups; DVD and CD readout in detail; How optical disks are made; Direct metal mastering; MiniDisc read / write in detail; How recordable MiniDiscs are made; Channel code of CD and MiniDisc; Deserialization; Error-correction strategy; Track layout of MD; CD subcode; MD table of contents; CD player structure; MD recorder / player structure; Structure of a DVD player; References. Sound Quality Considerations: Introduction; Information capacity; Loudspeaker problems; Subjective and objective testing; Objective testing; Subjective testing; Digital audio quality; Use of high sampling rates; Digital audio interface quality; Compression in stereo; References.

John Watkinson is an independent international consultant in advanced applications of electronics to audiovisual and avionics systems. He is a Fellow of the AES, a member of the Society of Expert Witnesses, and the British Computer Society and is a chartered information systems practitioner. He presents lectures, seminars and training courses worldwide. He is the author of many other Elsevier books, including The Art of DigitalVideo, An Introduction to Digital Video, Convergence in Broadcast and Communications Media, Television Fundamentals and The Art of the Helicopter.