IEC 60958-1:2008(E) describes a serial, uni-directional, self-clocking interface for the interconnection of digital audio equipment for consumer and professional applications. It provides the basic structure of the interface. Separate documents define items specific to particular applications. The interface is primarily intended to carry monophonic or stereophonic programmes, encoded using linear PCM and with a resolution of up to 24 bits per sample. This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition published in 2004 and constitutes a technical revision. It includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition: Electrical and optical requirements are removed from IEC 60958-3; they are specified in IEC 60958-1.