Question about DTS

[duncanmccloud]

If your DVD player does not have DTS decoding capablilities, but your receiver does, can you receive the DTS signal..... or do both the DVD player and A/V receiver have to be able to decode DTS in order to receive the signal? If this question has been answered my apologies.
Thank You.

[Kevin D]

Your DVD just has to have the ability to pass the DTS signal. Some units with 5.1 channel outputs can also decode the signal, but mainly it just needs to pass it. As far as I know, only the very first units couldn't pass the signal and if yours can't it might be time for an upgrade anyway.

I do know that most units for some reason have the setting turned off that would allow it to pass. What unit do you have? We should be able to check for you. In general there will either be a DTS option that needs to be turned on, or you need to set the digital output to BITSTREAM/PCM vs DOLBY DIGITAL/PCM.

Kevin D.

[Clive]

Good question, with your help Kevin...Correct me if I'm wrong............The way I understand it is that once your DVD player is set to bitstream it will pass that Digital info to a decoder > your receiver. So once you choose DTS on the DVD menu if so formatted the receiver does the rest. Which goes to say that if your reciever cannot decode DTS even if your DVD player can the material will not be enhanced.

[Kevin D]

Clive's got it, the DVD player needs to know what to do with certain signals. The first ones had no idea what DTS was and would try to pass it as 2ch PCM (which won't work). Setting DTS to off or just choosing PCM/DD, passes Dolby Digital through correctly, recognizes DTS and mutes the output, and passes everything else as 2ch PCM. Setting everything to bitstream will correctly pass DD & DTS and sends everything else as 2ch PCM.

Kevin D.

[duncanmccloud]

Thanks

Thank you Kevin and Clive for taking the time to answer my question. Much appreciated. You have a great site hear. Very informative.

Both my DVD player Pioneer Elite dv-05 and Denon AVR-4802 decode the DTS signal. The reason I asked the question is because, In conversation with a co-worker electronics enthusiast he told me you don't need a DVD player that decodes DTS, as long as your Receiver/amp can decode the signal.
I know if I turn the DTS signal to "off" in the OSD menu on my DVD player...I do not get the DTS signal. It has to be set to "on".
Just a note of info on my Pioneer Elite DV-05...for a machine that is THX certified and with the exception of a couple features i.e "HDMI" etc. it does not have progressive scan capabilities. It's also noisey which has me thinking that the Lucas THX wizards goofed on this machine. For under a hundred bucks..I just bought a JVC xvn512sl 9977 on line that is progressive scan and decodes everthing I need.