Sound formats are technologies that allow recorded sound to be synchronized to (or otherwise accompany) a film. Sound formats also encompass more advanced technologies like noise reduction and sound processing. Before the advent of sound formats, all films were silent.
- magnetic soundtrack, optical soundtrack, digital sound/sound on disc
- magenta vs. cyan vs. black/silver/gray for optical tracks
- Determining sound formats (esp. optical formats)
- Determining sound levels - best practices
- Amplifiers?
- Sound processors
- Speakers
| Sound format | Type | 70mm? | 35mm? | 16mm? | 8mm? | Super8? | Other gauges? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mono | Optical | x | x | variable density vs. variable area | ||||
| Stereo | Optical | x | ||||||
| Dolby SR (35mm) | Optical | x | ||||||
| Dolby A (35mm) | Optical | x | ||||||
| Dolby Digital | Digital | x | Also called Dolby SR-D | |||||
| DTS | Digital | x | x | x | ||||
| SDDS | Digital | x | ||||||
| Dolby SR (70mm) | Magnetic | x | ||||||
| Dolby A (70mm) | Magnetic | x | ||||||
| Magnetic | Magnetic | x | x | x | x | x |