Difference between AC3 and DTS?

[Syringer]

?

 

[KLin]

AC3 = Dolby Digital 5.1 which is compressed I believe. DTS is 5.1 also, but is not compressed at all.

 

[Slacker]

DTS ROCKS!

 

[BillGates]

Originally posted by: Slacker
DTS ROCKS!

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: KLin
AC3 = Dolby Digital 5.1 which is compressed I believe. DTS is 5.1 also, but is not compressed at all.

DTS is just compressed a little less.

 

[pulse8]

Nevermind. I was wrong.

 

[Shawn]

They both sound the same to me.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: KLin
AC3 = Dolby Digital 5.1 which is compressed I believe. DTS is 5.1 also, but is not compressed at all.

If you had an uncompressed movie using all of a dual sided, dual layered DVD, it would run for something like 12 minutes.

 

[Deeko]

DTS is clearer, easier to hear the spiders.

 

[Viper GTS]

http://home.clear.net.nz/pages/adbarr/page1.html

Should give you some good info.

Viper GTS

 

[DingDingDao]

AFAIK, DTS provides more discrete rear channels, so you would have better localization of surround sound. I'm sure there are other benefits, but this is one that I've read before.

 

[Viper GTS]

Compact Disc uses roughly 706kbps (kilobits per second) to reproduce one uncompressed 16-bit linear PCM audio channel. DTS's Coherent Acoustics coding scheme reduces the number of bits needed by up to a factor of eight, requiring 754kbps, 1235kbps, or 1509kbps, to reproduce six (and up to seven using DTS's ES Discrete 6.1 system) audio channels. Note that these figures are consumed datarates; utilised datarates are 768, 1411 and 1536kbps respectively. By using a variation of the ATRAC compression system (as used in Sony's MiniDisc format) the SDDS system manages to reduce the bitrate required even further. SDDS functions at a maximum bitrate of 1411kbps (SDDS-8) and a nominal bitrate of 1060kbps. The more aggressive compression system utilised by Dolby's system allows a 5.1-channel soundtrack to function with a recommended minimum bitrate of only 320kbps. That's a compression factor of 15:1 (at 20-bit/48kHz), an extremely impressive technical feat.

In the home, Dolby Digital 5.1 normally operates at either 384kbps or 448kbps (Dolby Digital's maximum bitrate on DVD-Video), but can operate at bitrates as low as 224kbps as used on some IMAX DVDs, or as high as 640kbps. More recently Lion's Gate used 256kbps Dolby Digital 5.1 for its Cube Signature Edition. DTS runs at 882kbps in its theatrical application and 1235kbps on LaserDisc/CD (please note: DTS's domestic and theatrical variants do not use the same audio codec), and 1509kbps or 754kbps on DVD. Dolby Digital has been available on LaserDisc since January 1995 ('Clear and Present Danger') and on DVD since March 1997. DTS (Coherent Acoustics) became available on LaserDisc in January 1997 ('Jurassic Park') and first appeared on DVD in November 1998 ('The Legend of Mulan').

Dolby Digital and DTS are capable of using sampling frequencies of 32, 44.1, or 48kHz (DTS can also function at up to 192kHz). Until 1999, DTS functioned only at 44.1kHz. DTS had, up until then, used only the standard CD format (16-bit 44.1kHz) as a carrier. Consumer Dolby Digital operates exclusively with a 48kHz sampling frequency. DTS on DVD also uses a sampling rate of 48kHz. Both Dolby Digital and DTS are capable of 24-bit resolution, but currently nominally operate at 18-bit resolution, allowing a dynamic range of approximately 108dB. Theoretically, 24-bit resolution allows dynamic range of 144dB which, though higher, would be indistinguishable from the lower 108dB figure given the current limitations of playback hardware. For all practical purposes, both Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround operate at near, or above, 18-bit resolution and dynamic range (108dB). Dolby Digital at 384kbps has an audio frequency response of 20Hz-18kHz with joint frequency coding above 10kHz, while 448kbps has a frequency response of approximately 20Hz to 20kHz with joint frequency coding above 15kHz. DTS at 754kbps has a maximum frequency response of 20Hz-19kHz although DTS's standard hardware encoder, the CAE-4, begins to roll off frequencies at 15kHz. 1509kbps DTS has a maximum frequency response of 20Hz-24kHz. Neither 754kbps nor 1509kbps DTS use joint-frequency coding.

The good stuff.

[EDIT]Having read the entire article, I HIGHLY recommend it. It's definitely not for the general population, but any HT geek will find it fascinating.[/EDIT]

Viper GTS