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DVD DTS Format

Your DVD's DTS Format

Dolby Digital Sound is the industry standard for DVD's, but some Higher-Tech DVDs are now recorded in a format called DTS (Digital Theater System) which does offers some advantages.

Both Dolby Digital and DTS are capable of dividing a signal into six channels, and directing one channel to each one of six speakers for complete theatrical sound mixing, but not all Dolby Digital DVDs are actually recorded in six-channel (5.1 Surround) sound.

Some are recorded in only 2 channels, and if this is all you require, you can and will still enjoy many benefits of using DVD.

All DVDs recorded in Digital Theater System are recorded in six-channel (5.1 surround) sound and DTS boasts higher fidelity than Basic Dolby Digital, offering 20-bit audio rather than Dolby Digital's 16-bit audio.

This translates into a higher theatrical sampling rate and overall better sound. This even higher fidelity does have its price, however. A DTS soundtrack takes up more space on a DVD or CD. DTS coded DVDs are typically are very Spartan when it comes to bonus features commonly offered on Dolby Digital DVDs, such as subtitles and directors comments. And more importantly, there are still much fewer DTS movies available.

Digital Theater System DVD

To play a Digital Theater System DVD in 5.1 channel surround, you will need a DVD player with a DTS digital output.

These outputs are the same as those used for Dolby Digital, but a DVD player needs to be equipped to direct the DTS bitstream through those outputs. Newer DVD players will have this capability. Older DVD players and computer decoder boards will not.

You will also need a fairly new surround system with a receiver that has a DTS decoder within.

If you have a Dolby Digital ready system or a receiver that has a 6 Channel direct input, an external DTS decoder or a DVD player with a DTS decoder built in would do fine.

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