Hathway Cable & Datacom, India’s leading cable operator, has selected Dolby Digital Plus as the audio codec for its HD set-top boxes.
Using Dolby Digital Plus, Hathway HD subscribers will be able to experience up to 7.1 channels of surround sound and full stereo sound in a highly bandwidth-efficient single audio stream solution.
The partnership is significant as India is in the path of cable digitization. The entire broadcasting industry is evolving to accommodate this growth and meet the requirements of broadcasters and cable operators.
Says Jagdish Kumar, managing director and CEO, Hathway Cable & Datacom, “With digitization, the broadcast industry in India is evolving at a fast pace by delivering better and more enhanced quality of services to consumers.”
The collaboration with Dolby enables Hathway to deliver pulsating cinema-inspired experiences to audiences at home. It will help the company provide the best of in-home entertainment services to Hathway subscribers across 140 cities and towns in India, Hathway officials said.
Dolby Digital Plus is quickly becoming one of the leading broadcast audio standards for HDTV services across the globe. Dolby Digital Plus unlocks the full audio potential of HD broadcast and ensures that consumers hear audio precisely as it was intended, the company said.
Pankaj Kedia, country manager, Dolby Laboratories India, said, “Dolby brings superior entertainment experiences through innovative technology. Our collaboration with Hathway, is yet another exciting opportunity for Dolby to bring people a fantastic entertainment experience—their favorite sports, drama, reality TV, and movies—right in their living rooms and movies.”
Dolby Digital Plus is a sophisticated audio system based on Dolby Digital. It is designed to adapt to the changing demands of future entertainment delivery while retaining compatibility with existing Dolby Digital 5.1-channel home theater systems.
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