DTS in a PC near you

DTS is known to most peple, but to those who are new to this it is simply a sound technology similar to Dolby Digital which is used with home cinema. DTS is pretty common with DVD-movies, but now it seems that we, the computer users, will be able to enjoy DTS. DTS has namely made an agreement with C-Media and Realtek which means that the two sound circuit manufacturers will integrate DTS technology in its circuit. C-Media and Realte are the two leading suppliers of integrated sound circuits for mainboards and now it seems we will soon see mainboards capable of reproducing DTS sound with your PC.

 

DTS Connect is the name of the PC-standard that DTS has created and it contains two DTS-ljudformat, DTS Interactive and DTS Neo:PC. Both technologies act completely digital and can via a S/PDIF output deliver a DTS-signal to a DTS-capable amplifier.

“Taking full advantage of the maximum data throughput of the digital interface, DTS Interactive provides a single cable connection via S/PDIF digital audio output to a DTS-enabled surround sound system by encoding all audio into a DTS-compatible bitstream at 1.5Mbps. Neo:PC, based upon DTS’ Neo:6 matrix surround technology, transforms any stereo content such as MP3, WMA or CD audio, into a 7.1-channel surround sound experience.”

This seems quite promising and makes you remember the good ol nForce2-chipset with its capabilities to encode a Dolby Digital 5.1-signal in realtime. A feature many miss with today’s nForce-chipsets. This time we’r talking about an ever better signal, DTS has a higher bitrate than DD5.1, but the question is, how C-Media and Realtek will convert the signals to DTS-signals. We pressume they will use processor and not make it a sole circuit like the nForce2, but this is probably a downside many will be willing to settle with since today’s processors wil hardly have a hard time to handle that kind of load.

Source: DTS