Dolby Encoding, Packaging, and Delivery
Getting Started
Discover how to prepare and deliver Dolby audio and video streams—whether from source files or live feeds—directly to final playback devices with ease and consistency.
This article outlines the end-to-end workflow for encoding and delivering Dolby audio and video content received either as source files or live feeds. It explores best practices for encoding, packaging, and streaming Dolby audio and video, including technical verification processes, DRM content protection requirements, and content delivery concepts.
The complete encoding and distribution workflow is divided into five sections for clarity, with each section providing more in-depth technical detail—covering related technical articles, standards and specifications, and information on relevant Dolby and third-party tools and solutions.
This sections covers encoding audio or video sources into distribution formats for VOD file-based or live streaming services. Live and file-based encoding concepts are explained in detail including encoding, transcoding or cross converting between Dolby and non-Dolby formats, example encoding workflows and tools are described to help users to build their own on-premise encoding solution or use one of the existing products provided by other encoding vendors and cloud services.
OTT streaming requires using an Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABR) protocol such as Apple HLS and MPEG-DASH for delivering audio and video to the playback devices. This section looks into packaging of encoded audio and video bitstreams into HLS and MPEG-DASH packages. Technical details related to Dolby formats in MPEG-DASH and HLS specifications are explained, preparing DASH and HLS packages with open source or professional packagers are shown.
Verification of encoded content before delivery is crucial for quality of service. This section outlines the methods and practical tools used to verify encoded/packaged Dolby content and check compliance with the relevant specifications.
Dolby formats do not introduce any changes to DRM or encryption systems; therefore, delivering Dolby content with DRM protection follows the standard process. However, we will review some DRM concepts and share example workflows to help users become familiar with preparing Dolby content protected by DRM.
Delivering Dolby content to end devices follows standard delivery mechanisms. This section outlines the basic content delivery systems and provides references to some of the services available on the market.
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