IEC 61937-1:2003

Digital audio - Interface for non-linear PCM encoded audio bitstreams applying IEC 60958 - Part 1: General

applies to the digital audio interface using the IEC 60958 series for the conveying of non-linear PCM encoded audio bitstreams

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 18-May-2003
• ICS: 33.160.30 - Audio systems
• Technical Committee: TC 100 - Audio, video and multimedia systems and equipment
• Drafting Committee: MT 61937-1 - TC 100/TA 20/MT 61937-1
• Current Stage: DELPUB - Deleted Publication
• Completion Date: 24-Jan-2007

Relations

• Replaces: IEC 61937:2000 - Digital audio - Interface for non-linear PCM encoded audio bitstreams applying IEC 60958
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023
• Corrected By: IEC 61937-1:2003/COR1:2004 - Corrigendum 1 - Digital audio - Interface for non-linear PCM encoded audio bitstreams applying IEC 60958 - Part 1: General
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023
• Revised: IEC 61937-1:2007 - Digital audio - Interface for non-linear PCM encoded audio bitstreams applying IEC 60958 - Part 1: General
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL IEC
STANDARD
61937-1
First edition
2003-05
Digital audio –
Interface for non-linear PCM encoded
audio bitstreams applying IEC 60958 –
Part 1:
General
Reference number
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INTERNATIONAL IEC
STANDARD
61937-1
First edition
2003-05
Digital audio –
Interface for non-linear PCM encoded
audio bitstreams applying IEC 60958 –
Part 1:
General
 IEC 2003  Copyright - all rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from the publisher.
International Electrotechnical Commission, 3, rue de Varembé, PO Box 131, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
Telephone: [phone] Telefax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]  Web: www.iec.ch
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Commission Electrotechnique Internationale
S
International Electrotechnical Commission
Международная Электротехническая Комиссия
For price, see current catalogue

– 2 – 61937-1  IEC:2003(E)
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4

1 Scope . 6

2 Normative references. 6

3 Terms and definitions . 6

3.1 Definitions . 6

3.2 Abbreviations. 8

3.3 Presentation convention . 8
4 General description. 8
5 Interface format .8
6 Mapping of the audio bitstream on to IEC 60958. 9
6.1 Coding of the bitstream. 9
6.2 Burst-payload .14
6.3 Stuffing.14
7 Format of data-bursts .15
7.1 Pause data-burst .16
7.2 Audio data-bursts .19
7.3 Null data-burst.19
Annex A (normative) The channel status when IEC 60958 is used
in consumer applications .21
Bibliography.22
Figure 1 – IEC 60958 interface format. 9
Figure 2 – Data-burst format .11
Figure 3 – Burst-preamble.11
Figure 4 – Burst-preamble with extended preamble.13
Figure 5 – Length of the burst-payload specified by Pd .14
Figure 6 – Burst spacing .15
Figure 7 – Flow chart of transmission of a bitstream.16

Figure 8 – Bridging gaps in-between data-bursts with 3 pause data-bursts.17
Figure 9 – Data-burst format of the data-type pause.18
Figure 10 – Null data-burst.19
Table 1 – Bit allocation of the IEC 60958 frame. 9
Table 2 – Bit allocation of data-burst in IEC 60958 subframes.10
Table 3 – Burst-preamble words.12
Table 4 – Bit map of burst-preambles.12
Table 5 – Fields of burst-info.12
Table 6 – Burst-preamble words.13
Table 7 – Fields of Pe (extended data-type) .13

61937-1  IEC:2003(E) – 3 –
Table 8 – Fields of Pf .13

Table 9 – Repetition period of pause data-bursts .18

Table 10 – Values of data-type-dependent info of the pause data-burst .19

Table 11 – Burst-payload of pause data-burst .19

Table 12 – Fields of a null data-burst .20

Table A.1 – The allocation of the channel status bits.21

– 4 – 61937-1  IEC:2003(E)
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________
DIGITAL AUDIO –
INTERFACE FOR NON-LINEAR PCM ENCODED

AUDIO BITSTREAMS APPLYING IEC 60958 –

Part 1: General
FOREWORD
1) The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of the IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, the IEC publishes International Standards. Their preparation is
entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested in the subject dealt with may
participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising
with the IEC also participate in this preparation. The IEC collaborates closely with the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the
two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of the IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an
international consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation
from all interested National Committees.
3) The documents produced have the form of recommendations for international use and are published in the form
of standards, technical specifications, technical reports or guides and they are accepted by the National
Committees in that sense.
4) In order to promote international unification, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC International
Standards transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional standards. Any
divergence between the IEC Standard and the corresponding national or regional standard shall be clearly
indicated in the latter.
5) The IEC provides no marking procedure to indicate its approval and cannot be rendered responsible for any
equipment declared to be in conformity with one of its standards.
6) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this International Standard may be the subject
of patent rights. The IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 61937-1 has been prepared by technical area 4: Digital system
interfaces, of IEC technical committee 100: Audio, video and multimedia systems and
equipment.
This standard cancels and replaces IEC 61937, published in 2000, which has been divided
into four parts (see below). This first edition constitutes a technical revision.

The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
100/644/FDIS 100/670/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

61937-1  IEC:2003(E) – 5 –
IEC 61937 consists of the following parts under the general title Digital audio – Interface for
non-linear PCM encoded audio bitstreams applying IEC 60958:

Part 1: General
Part 2: Burst-info
Part 3: Non-linear PCM bitstreams according to the AC-3 format

Part 4: Non-linear PCM bitstreams according to the MPEG audio formats

Part 5: Non-linear PCM bitstreams according to the DTS (Digital Theatre Systems) format(s)

Part 6: Non-linear PCM bitstreams according to the MPEG-2 AAC format

Part 7: Non-linear PCM bitstreams according to the ATRAC and ATRAC2/3 formats
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
October 2005. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed;
• withdrawn;
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
The contents of the corrigendum of March 2004 have been included in this copy.

– 6 – 61937-1  IEC:2003(E)
DIGITAL AUDIO –
INTERFACE FOR NON-LINEAR PCM ENCODED

AUDIO BITSTREAMS APPLYING IEC 60958 –

Part 1: General
1 Scope
This International Standard applies to the digital audio interface using the IEC 60958 series
for the conveying of non-linear PCM encoded audio bitstreams.
It describes a way in which this digital interface can be used in consumer applications.
The professional mode (AES/EBU) is not considered within the scope of this standard.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document.
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition
of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
IEC 60958 (all parts), Digital audio interface
IEC 61937-2, Digital audio – Interface for non-linear PCM encoded audio bitstreams applying
IEC 60958 – Part 2: Burst-info
IEC 61937-3, Digital audio – Interface for non-linear PCM encoded audio bitstreams applying
IEC 60958 – Part 3: Non-linear PCM bitstreams according to the AC-3 format
3 Terms and definitions
3.1 Definitions
3.1.1
audio data-burst
data-burst with an encoded audio frame as burst-payload
3.1.2
audio data-word
16-bit data word
3.1.3
audio frame
fixed number of audio samples
NOTE The number of samples in an audio frame is dependent on the particular encoding system which is used to
encode the audio frame into the encoded audio frame.
3.1.4
audio gap
period in the sequence of baseband audio samples where valid samples of audio are not
available
61937-1  IEC:2003(E) – 7 –
3.1.5
bitstream
non-linear PCM encoded audio source, represented in a sequence of bits

NOTE In this interface the bitstream consists of a sequence of data-bursts.

3.1.6
data-burst
packet of data, including the burst-preamble, to be transmitted across the interface

3.1.7
burst-payload
information content of the data-burst
3.1.8
burst-preamble
header for the data-burst, containing synchronization, and information about the data
contained i
...