LPCM, as technology People & Technology
LPCM (Linear Pulse-Code Modulation) is an uncompressed digital audio format used on Blu-ray and some DVD releases. Unlike DTS-HD Master Audio or Dolby TrueHD, which are lossless but compressed, LPCM stores audio samples directly with no compression algorithm applied. It is the most transparent possible digital representation of an analog source.
On Blu-ray, LPCM is typically used for stereo (2.0) tracks, especially when preserving original theatrical mixes. The format's bandwidth requirements make it impractical for high-channel-count surround tracks on disc — a 7.1 LPCM track at 96kHz/24-bit would consume most of the disc's bitrate budget, leaving little for video.
Arrow Video and some other boutique labels prefer LPCM 2.0 for the original stereo track, offering DTS-HD MA for the surround option.
In the wiki
| Film | Page | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) | Physical Media Releases (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) | Arrow Video's 2013 Region B Blu-ray offered uncompressed LPCM 2.0 alongside DTS-HD MA 5.1 |
| Blow Out (1981) | Physical Media Releases (Blow Out) | Arrow Video's 2013 Region B Blu-ray used LPCM 2.0 uncompressed stereo |
| Outland (1981) | Physical Media Releases (Outland) | Arrow 2025 4K UHD includes LPCM 2.0 at 48kHz/24-bit — the first release to restore the original theatrical stereo mix |