How can I get free DTS sound?

What is DTS sound?

DTS, or Digital Theater Systems, is a surround sound format created by DTS, Inc in the early 1990s as an alternative to Dolby Digital. DTS utilizes less compression, resulting in higher audio quality and a more immersive listening experience compared to Dolby Digital.

DTS works by encoding audio using lossy compression, similar to how MP3s compress music into smaller file sizes. This allows higher sampling rates and bit depths compared to the older Dolby Digital format. The audio is encoded into the DTS codec and then decoded by a DTS capable receiver, delivering multi-channel surround sound.

Some key benefits of DTS over Dolby Digital include:

• Less compression artifacts – DTS has a higher bitrate resulting in better audio quality
• More accurate spatial imaging – Better separation between channels creates a more immersive surround experience
• Supports more channels – DTS supports up to 8 audio channels compared to Dolby Digital’s limit of 6.

Overall, DTS provides a premium surround sound experience, with cinema-like audio quality perfect for home theaters. Its advantages over Dolby Digital have made it a popular choice among AV enthusiasts seeking an immersive sound experience.

Why get free DTS sound?

DTS licensing can be expensive for manufacturers. According to DTS Sound Unbound FAQ, licensing fees allow DTS technology to be included in products. However, many people don’t want to pay extra for DTS capabilities in their devices. Getting DTS audio for free helps avoid these licensing costs and saves money.

Additionally, discussion on Reddit indicates that people look for ways to access DTS functionality without paying additional fees. As one Redditor commented, “Why do I need to buy a license to playback DTS audio?” (source) Getting DTS for free bypasses licensing issues.

With tight budgets, consumers want quality sound without expensive add-ons. Finding free ways to get DTS audio allows people to save money while still enjoying advanced audio formats like DTS:X and DTS Headphone:X.

Check your AV receiver

Many home theater receivers support DTS audio decoding but need to be enabled in the settings. Before trying to get specialty software or hardware, check if your existing AV receiver has DTS decoding built-in but disabled.

Go into the settings, audio options or surround sound menu of your receiver. Look for an option to enable “DTS” or specifically “DTS Digital Surround.” If available, turn this on.

DTS support may also be called “DTS Neo:6” or other variants like “DTS ES.” If you see those, enable them to allow DTS playback through your system.

Once enabled, you can play DTS audio tracks from Blu-rays, streaming services, games and other sources. The receiver will decode the DTS signal and send multi-channel surround sound to your speakers at no extra cost.

Try VLC media player

VLC is a free, open source media player. According to the VideoLAN Wiki VLC can “decode DTS audio in videos”. VLC supports various kinds of DTS audio formats including:

• DTS Core
• DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
• DTS-HD Master Audio

So if you want to play DTS audio tracks for free, VLC media player is a great option to try. It’s available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. Simply download VLC and you’ll be able to play DTS audio from compatible video files.

Look for DTS software

Some companies offer free DTS audio software that allows DTS playback on computers and devices. One popular option is the DTS Sound Unbound app from DTS, which “unlocks the DTS® Headphone:X® and DTS:X® spatial audio technologies” and provides free access to certain DTS solutions for personal use.

The DTS Sound Unbound app amplifies gaming and video content with surround sound and spatial audio processing. You can download the software for free from the Microsoft Store and try DTS:X for home theater and a free trial of DTS Headphone:X.

Use DTS compatible hardware

One way to get DTS audio for free is via compatible hardware that can decode DTS. Some options include:

Some Blu-ray and DVD players have built-in DTS decoding. For example, according to this Reddit thread, Sony Blu-ray players support DTS passthrough.

Certain soundbars, speakers, and TVs also have DTS decoding capabilities. As this DTS article explains, DTS Play-Fi speakers can be set up for a wireless surround sound system with DTS. So looking for electronics labeled as DTS Play-Fi compatible can provide free DTS audio.

Overall, checking that your audio gear like Blu-ray players, TVs, soundbars or speakers supports either onboard DTS decoding or DTS passthrough can allow access to the DTS listening experience without paying any extra costs.

Find DTS audio tracks

Many Blu-rays and streaming sites have DTS audio tracks that you can access for free if you have the proper hardware and software to play them.

In particular, Blu-rays often have DTS sound on the disc that you can play on a Blu-ray player and home theater receiver that supports DTS decoding.

Likewise, many streaming sites like Netflix, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime Video offer titles in DTS audio formats including DTS-HD Master Audio. As long as you have a device like a streaming media player, gaming console, or AV receiver that can handle DTS, you can access these soundtracks from streaming services you already subscribe to.

So in most cases, you likely already have access to DTS audio tracks from either physical media or streaming services. You just need the correct hardware and software setup to unlock this capability. Most modern Blu-ray players, receivers, soundbars, TVs, and streaming devices support DTS, so checking your existing equipment is a good place to start to access DTS content for free.

Try DTS:X for free

DTS:X is an object-based surround sound format that provides immersive audio for home theater setups. According to DTS Sound Unbound website, the DTS:X technology uses advanced audio processing to replicate the natural soundscapes of real-world environments, creating multilayered audio that surrounds you with unmatched detail and realism.

The DTS Sound Unbound app for Windows allows you to experience DTS:X for free through a 30-day trial. This gives you full access to DTS:X features like virtual height channels, speaker remapping, and custom tuning profiles. After the trial period, you’ll need to purchase a license if you wish to continue using DTS:X. However, the trial allows you to test it out extensively before deciding.

To start your free DTS:X trial on a Windows 10 or 11 PC:

1. Download and install the DTS Sound Unbound app from the Microsoft Store
2. Launch the app and select the Start Trial button under DTS:X
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to setup DTS:X on your system
4. Enjoy immersive DTS:X audio from supported content during the 30-day trial period

Look for DTS demo material

DTS has demo videos to showcase the technology. They’re often available for free online to demonstrate what DTS sound is capable of and what it adds to the listening experience. These demo materials can provide a sense of the sonic difference DTS can make.

As an example, “5.1, 7.1 FULL HD DOLBY, DTS DEMO VIDEOS HOW TO DOWNLOAD IN TAMIL” on YouTube offers tutorials for accessing DTS test videos including demonstrations of digital sound tracks. The “Rv audio” channel also has a video called “HOW TO DOWNLOAD DOLBY & DTS DEMO VIDEOS | #rvaudio #dolby #dts”.

Conclusion

To summarize, here are some of the key ways to get free DTS audio:

Check your AV receiver or other hardware – Many modern receivers, soundbars and Blu-ray players support DTS decoding already. This is the easiest way if you have compatible equipment.

Try VLC media player – The free VLC app can play DTS audio tracks from files or DVD/Blu-rays. Quality depends on your system.

Look for free DTS software – Some options like DTS Headphone X provide DTS audio effects for headphones. Limited to specific uses.

Find DTS audio tracks – Searching online for DTS demo files or soundtracks will provide free audio to test. Quality varies greatly.

The main benefits of these methods are they allow you to experience DTS audio for free without purchasing new hardware. However, quality and options may be limited versus buying a high-end DTS enabled receiver or speaker system.

In conclusion, experiment with these free options to get a taste of what DTS audio offers. If you really want the full experience, consider investing in hardware that fully supports the latest DTS formats.