Analog Surround Sound Was Everywhere, But You Probably Didn’t Notice
Most of the media we consume is digital, with movies and TV shows packaged in digital files containing millions of pixels and multiple audio channels.
In the past, media on film or tape were limited to analog stereo audio due to engineering limitations.
However, Dolby created a surround sound format that could operate within these limitations, turning two channels into four.
What started out as a cinematic format would bring surround sound to the home—all the way back in 1982!
Dolby's surround sound efforts initially targeted the cinema, but eventually made their way to home systems.
Author's summary: Dolby's analog surround sound brought immersive audio to homes in 1982.