Comparisons   Scorecards   Buyers guides   Glossary   Retailers   Feedback

1996 saw the first production of home theatre components with the inception of the DTS Consumer Products. Audio/video component manufactures have embraced the technology and now there is a choice of over 50 models of DTS surround sound processors for home use.

But what is DTS? Simply put: it's a technology that uses most digital information when recording and playing back a sound track. The DTS sound track allows for six channels of sound, usually referred to as 5.1 channels, 2 'front' channels, 2 'surround' channels and the .1 or subwoofer channel.

During the recording (encoding process) of a disc, whether it be a CD, DVD or Laser Disc, the DTS technology (which is a computer program) lays down six channels of exceptionally 'dense' information. (20-bit digital audio as compared to the standard 16-bit).

Although a DTS sound track contains more information than any other format, the information occupies the same physical space as the two channel sound track on a conventional CD (16-bit linear information). In other words, DTS makes more sound available without taking up more space on a disc.

When you play a DTS disc, your decoder reads each of the original six channels exactly as they were recorded. The high information handling of DTS allows the sound to be recorded with a minimum of manipulation. Digital formatting on CD and DVD is very dense with information. Until now the electronics used to record and play back six channels of sound effectively deal with the amount of information and the rate of flow of information.

Obviously, the more information lost from the original sound, the poorer the quality of the final sound track. If the original sound is distorted and major parts of it are lost at the recording and play back stage by equipment that can't deal with the amount of information being presented to it, the result is a pretty poor quality sound track.

Processes known as PCM, perceptual coding and compression are all computer applied methods of a sound track reproduction. The aim is to maintain enough of the original sound information while keeping the flow of information at a rate that the electronics can deal with effectively without increasing the amount of space the track takes up on the disc.

DTS maintains that the original realism of the sound track is preserved. Each individual sound is clear and realistic. Loud sounds are sharp and deep. Soft sounds are reproduced without 'noise' or hiss. The high information density keeps all 5.1 channels individual, without any 'bleeding' or loss of sound in any of the channels.

It's like listening to the studio 'master' recording. Although DTS discs can be played in stereo, you will need a 5.1 channel system to hear DTS sound and some older systems cannot decode at all.

For DTS sound reproduction your system must have six separate channels for speakers, six channels of amplification and electronics with DTS decoding ability. If your system isn't DTS capable, add-on DTS decoders are available on the market. However, most of the current models of A/V receivers have DTS capability.

DTS recording is now used on CDs. The first DTS CDs were introduced in 1998, but the number of titles remains limited. For DVD and Laser Disc, your DVD player must have a 'DTS Digital Out" logo on the front face panel. As yet, there are no add-on components to make your player DTS-capable.

DTS technology is just beginning to show a presence in DVD. Some Laser Discs have been DTS encoded for some time now. You may notice that a disc will sound louder in DTS mode than Dolby Digital mode when played at the same volume. This is related to the decoding process.

Dolby Digital uses 'dialog normalisation' which reduces the dialog sound level (by about 4 dB) whereas DTS is an exact copy of the master. DTS does not manufacture DVDs; consequently some DTS DVDs include fewer 'extras' and cost more. Although DTS is the relatively new kid on the block where digital soundal is concerned, it has already made huge inroads into the music and video markets.

YOUR COMMENTS YOUR NAME YOUR EMAIL YOUR COMMENT    YOUR INFORMATION WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED    Virtual Magazines reserves the right to publishing submitted comments.    Comment providors assign copyright license to Virtual Magazines.