IEC 60958-3:2021

IEC 60958-3 ®
Edition 4.0 2021-09
REDLINE VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Digital audio interface –
Part 3: Consumer applications
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International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

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IEC 60958-3 ®
Edition 4.0 2021-09
REDLINE VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Digital audio interface –
Part 3: Consumer applications
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.160.01 ISBN 978-2-8322-4725-9

– 2 – IEC 60958-3:2021 RLV © IEC 2021
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 7
INTRODUCTION to Amendment 1 .
INTRODUCTION to Amendment 2 .
1 Scope . 10
2 Normative references. 10
3 Terms and definitions . 10
4 Interface format . 11
5 Channel status . 11
5.1 General . 11
5.2 Application . 11
5.2.1 Channel status general format . 11
5.2.2 Mode 0 channel status format for digital audio equipment for consumer
use . 14
5.3 Copyright management guidelines for consumer application of the digital
audio interface . 20
5.3.1 General . 20
5.3.2 Category code groups . 21
6 User data . 24
6.1 General . 24
6.2 Application . 24
6.2.1 User data bitstream . 24
6.2.2 User data message structure . 24
6.2.3 Equipment classification . 25
6.2.4 User data message length and contents . 25
6.3 Information for synchronization . 27
6.3.1 General . 27
6.3.2 SMPTE time code information . 27
6.3.3 Latency information . 29
6.3.4 Loudness information . 30
Annex A (normative) Application of the digital audio interface in the compact disc
digital audio system . 32
A.1 Overview. 32
A.2 General: application-specific details. 32
A.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 32
A.4 User data: application-specific details . 32
Annex B (normative) Application of the digital interface in the 2-channel PCM
encoder/decoder . 34
B.1 Overview. 34
B.2 General: application-specific details. 34
B.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 34
B.4 User data: application-specific details . 34
Annex C (normative) Application of the digital interface in the 2-channel digital audio
tape recorder in the consumer mode . 35
C.1 Overview. 35
C.2 General: application-specific details. 35
C.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 35

C.4 User data: application-specific details . 36
Annex D (normative) Application of the digital interface in laser optical digital audio
systems for which no other category code is defined . 39
D.1 Overview. 39
D.2 General: application-specific details. 39
D.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 39
D.4 User data: application-specific details . 39
Annex E (normative) Application of the digital interface in a digital audio mixer in the
consumer mode . 40
E.1 Overview. 40
E.2 General: application-specific details. 40
E.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 40
E.4 User data: application specific details . 40
Annex F (normative) Application of the digital interface with a sampling rate converter
in the consumer mode . 41
F.1 Overview. 41
F.2 General: application-specific details. 41
F.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 41
F.4 User data: application-specific details . 41
Annex G (normative) Application of the digital interface with a digital sound sampler
in the consumer mode . 42
G.1 Overview. 42
G.2 General: application-specific details. 42
G.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 42
G.4 User data: application specific details . 42
Annex H (normative) Application of the digital interface in a digital broadcast receiver
(Japan) in the consumer mode . 43
H.1 Overview. 43
H.2 General: application-specific details. 43
H.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 43
H.4 User data: application-specific details . 43
Annex I (normative) Application of the digital interface in a digital broadcast receiver
(Europe) in the consumer mode . 44
I.1 Overview. 44
I.2 General: application-specific details. 44
I.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 44
I.4 User data: application-specific details . 44
Annex J (normative) Application of the digital interface in a digital broadcast receiver
(USA) in the consumer mode . 45
J.1 Overview. 45
J.2 General: application-specific details. 45
J.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 45
J.4 User data: application-specific details . 45
Annex K (normative) Application of the digital interface for electronic software
delivery in the consumer mode . 46
K.1 Overview. 46
K.2 General: application-specific details. 46
K.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 46
K.4 User data: application-specific details . 46

– 4 – IEC 60958-3:2021 RLV © IEC 2021
Annex L (normative) Application of the digital interface in the digital compact cassette
system in the consumer mode . 47
L.1 Overview. 47
L.2 General: application-specific details. 47
L.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 47
L.4 User data: application-specific details .
...

IEC 60958-3 ®
Edition 4.0 2021-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Digital audio interface –
Part 3: Consumer applications
Interface audionumérique –
Partie 3: Applications grand public

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, 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
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication, please contact the address below or
your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

Droits de reproduction réservés. Sauf indication contraire, aucune partie de cette publication ne peut être reproduite ni
utilisée sous quelque forme que ce soit et par aucun procédé, électronique ou mécanique, y compris la photocopie et
les microfilms, sans l'accord écrit de l'IEC ou du Comité national de l'IEC du pays du demandeur. Si vous avez des
questions sur le copyright de l'IEC ou si vous désirez obtenir des droits supplémentaires sur cette publication, utilisez
les coordonnées ci-après ou contactez le Comité national de l'IEC de votre pays de résidence.

IEC Central Office Tel.: +41 22 919 02 11
3, rue de Varembé info@iec.ch
CH-1211 Geneva 20 www.iec.ch
Switzerland
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigendum or an amendment might have been published.

IEC publications search - webstore.iec.ch/advsearchform IEC online collection - oc.iec.ch
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a Discover our powerful search engine and read freely all the
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical publications previews. With a subscription you will always have
committee, …). It also gives information on projects, replaced access to up to date content tailored to your needs.
and withdrawn publications.
Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
The world's leading online dictionary on electrotechnology,
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published
containing more than 22 000 terminological entries in English
details all new publications released. Available online and once
and French, with equivalent terms in 18 additional languages.
a month by email.
Also known as the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary

(IEV) online.
IEC Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc
If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or need
further assistance, please contact the Customer Service
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IEC 60958-3 ®
Edition 4.0 2021-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Digital audio interface –
Part 3: Consumer applications
Interface audionumérique –
Partie 3: Applications grand public

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 33.160.01 ISBN 978-2-8322-1052-4

– 2 – IEC 60958-3:2021 © IEC 2021
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 7
1 Scope . 9
2 Normative references . 9
3 Terms and definitions . 9
4 Interface format . 9
5 Channel status . 9
5.1 General . 9
5.2 Application . 10
5.2.1 Channel status general format . 10
5.2.2 Mode 0 channel status format for digital audio equipment for consumer
use . 13
5.3 Copyright management guidelines for consumer application of the digital
audio interface . 18
5.3.1 General . 18
5.3.2 Category code groups. 19
6 User data. 22
6.1 General . 22
6.2 Application . 22
6.2.1 User data bitstream . 22
6.2.2 User data message structure . 22
6.2.3 Equipment classification . 23
6.2.4 User data message length and contents . 24
6.3 Information for synchronization . 26
6.3.1 General . 26
6.3.2 SMPTE time code information . 26
6.3.3 Latency information . 27
6.3.4 Loudness information . 28
Annex A (normative) Application of the digital audio interface in the compact disc
digital audio system . 30
A.1 Overview. 30
A.2 General: application-specific details . 30
A.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 30
A.4 User data: application-specific details . 30
Annex B (normative) Application of the digital interface in the 2-channel PCM
encoder/decoder . 32
B.1 Overview. 32
B.2 General: application-specific details . 32
B.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 32
B.4 User data: application-specific details . 32
Annex C (normative) Application of the digital interface in the 2-channel digital audio
tape recorder in the consumer mode . 33
C.1 Overview. 33
C.2 General: application-specific details . 33
C.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 33
C.4 User data: application-specific details . 34
Annex D (normative) Application of the digital interface in laser optical digital audio
systems for which no other category code is defined . 37

D.1 Overview. 37
D.2 General: application-specific details . 37
D.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 37
D.4 User data: application-specific details . 37
Annex E (normative) Application of the digital interface in a digital audio mixer in the

consumer mode . 38
E.1 Overview. 38
E.2 General: application-specific details . 38
E.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 38
E.4 User data: application specific details . 38
Annex F (normative) Application of the digital interface with a sampling rate converter
in the consumer mode . 39
F.1 Overview. 39
F.2 General: application-specific details . 39
F.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 39
F.4 User data: application-specific details . 39
Annex G (normative) Application of the digital interface with a digital sound sampler
in the consumer mode . 40
G.1 Overview. 40
G.2 General: application-specific details . 40
G.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 40
G.4 User data: application specific details . 40
Annex H (normative) Application of the digital interface in a digital broadcast receiver

(Japan) in the consumer mode . 41
H.1 Overview. 41
H.2 General: application-specific details . 41
H.3 Channel status: application-specific details . 41
H.4 User data: application-specific details . 41
Annex I (normative) Application of the digital interface in a digital broadcast receiver
(Europe) in the consumer mode .
...