DTS file format (.dts)
DTS surround audio, a Dolby Digital rival.
Last updated
What is a DTS file?
In short: A DTS file (.dts) is an audio file in the DTS format. DTS is the main rival to Dolby Digital for surround sound, carrying 5.1 or more channels at higher bitrates than AC3 and, its supporters argue, better fidelity. It can be converted to MP3, WAV or FLAC for free in a web browser with iHateFiles, without uploading it.
Digital Theater Systems, first used in cinemas for Jurassic Park in 1993.
DTS is the main rival to Dolby Digital for surround sound, carrying 5.1 or more channels at higher bitrates than AC3 and, its supporters argue, better fidelity. It appears on Blu-ray discs, on some DVDs, and in home cinema systems.
What DTS is good at
- Higher bitrate than AC3, with correspondingly more detail
- Widely supported by home cinema receivers
- Lossless variants exist on Blu-ray
Where DTS falls short
- Large compared to AC3 at the same channel count
- No browser support
- Licensed
When to use DTS
Keep DTS if the destination is a home cinema receiver. Convert to stereo AAC for headphones or a phone.
How to open a DTS file
Home cinema receivers, Blu-ray players and VLC.
| Windows | VLC. Most consumer players hand DTS to the amplifier rather than decoding it. |
|---|---|
| macOS | VLC. |
| Linux | VLC or mpv, which decode it in software. |
| Phone | VLC. |
| In a browser | No browser plays DTS. |
The thing that usually goes wrong
Playing DTS on a device that cannot decode it produces silence or static rather than an error, which looks like a broken file.
Questions
What is a DTS file?
DTS surround audio, a Dolby Digital rival. Files use the .dts extension.
How do I open a DTS file?
DTS is not widely supported any more. The reliable route is to convert it to a current format, which this page can do in your browser without uploading it.
Can I convert DTS for free?
Yes. Every conversion here is free and unlimited, because your own device does the work rather than a server we have to pay for.
Is DTS lossless?
No. DTS is a lossy format, so saving discards some detail to save space.