DTS (Digital Theater Systems)
Also known as: Digital Theater Systems, .dts file, DTS surround
DTS (Digital Theater Systems) is a family of surround-sound audio codecs used in cinemas, Blu-ray, and home theater, competing with Dolby formats. It carries multichannel audio (such as 5.1 or 7.1) and is usually a lossy codec, though some DTS variants are lossless.
- Surround-sound codec family (e.g. 5.1, 7.1)
- Used in cinema, Blu-ray, and home theater
- Core DTS is lossy; some variants are lossless
What DTS is for
DTS encodes surround sound — multiple audio channels for speakers placed around a room — so movies and games can place effects in space. It is a direct competitor to Dolby Digital and is found on DVDs, Blu-rays, streaming, and AV receivers.
Core DTS is a lossy codec, like Dolby Digital, while higher-end variants such as DTS-HD Master Audio are lossless. Either way, DTS is a film and home-theater format, not a typical music download.
Playing DTS
DTS needs hardware or software that can decode it — an AV receiver, soundbar, or media player like VLC. Phones and basic players often cannot decode surround DTS and may produce silence or noise.
For stereo playback or sharing, DTS audio is usually converted down to a stereo format such as AAC or MP3, which collapses the surround channels into two.