| Feature | AC-3 | E-AC-3 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Max channels | 5.1 | 15.1 (7.1 common) | | Bitrate | 640 kbps | 6144 kbps | | Object-based audio | No | Yes (via Dolby Atmos in E-AC-3) | | Sample rate | Up to 48 kHz | Up to 192 kHz | | Typical use | DVD, Digital TV | Netflix, Amazon, Blu-ray (secondary) |
If you require the original legal/technical standard documents, they are publicly available: codec audio ac3
ffmpeg -i video.mkv -c:a copy -map 0:a:0 audio.ac3 | Feature | AC-3 | E-AC-3 | |
The audio codec, widely known as Dolby Digital , is a cornerstone of modern cinema and home theatre audio. Developed by Dolby Laboratories , this lossy compression format was designed to deliver high-fidelity surround sound while maintaining efficient file sizes for digital media. Understanding AC3 and Surround Sound Digital TV | Netflix
AC-3 is less efficient than AAC or E-AC-3 but offers universal hardware compatibility.