THX and its post-production partner BluFocus were tasked with ensuring Mr. Cameron’s masterpiece maintained its artistic detail as the sound and visuals moved from mastering and encoding through the rest of the Blu-ray and DVD production chain.

Most movie fans have heard the THX Deep Note sound effect playing before a favorite film. But, what exactly is THX? Is it the same as Dolby Surround Sound or DTS?

Phil Hinton and David Mackenzie of the AV Forums visited THX after CES in January to uncover the “secret sauce” behind THX testing and certification.