ENCODING METHOD AND DEVICE, DECODING METHOD AND DEVICE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

摘要

PURPOSE: Encoding and decoding are disclosed which realize multichannel devices by expanding the new standard while making possible the reproduction with the reproducing device of an old standard type, wherein the deterioration of tone quality is reduced by minimizing the quantization noise produced by encoding. CONSTITUTION: A recording medium for recording a code string comprising: encoded signals of an A-channel, i.e. (L+R)/2, generated from L- and R-channels; encoded signals of a B-channel, i.e. either one of L- and R-channels or (L-R)/2; channel constitution data which are the information for selecting B-channel signals; and encoding parameters. The A-channel is used for such signals that can be reproduced with a reproducing device of an old standard type and the B-channel is used for such signals that can be reproduced with a reproducing device of a new standard type. The reproducing device of a new standard type can reproduce both A- and B-channel signals.