The introduction of high–definition DVD formats such as Blu–ray and DVD–HD means there is space for even higher–quality audio options, and so DTS have added two further extension options to their format. These are DTS–ES, which offers 6.1 by adding a centre surround channel, and DTS 96/24k, which is still 5.1 but with a maximum sample rate of 96kHz. However, DTS have also designed extensions to deliver extra levels of quality. The basic Core Stream can support (compressed) data rates of up to 1.509Mbps with a sample rate of up to 48kHz. Like AC3, the DTS format is data–compressed, but it has the potential to offer much higher sound quality. However, if disc space is available, there is also the option to add a second stream in a format called DTS. The DVD–Video format requires that audio be supplied as either an AC3 Dolby Digital stream or a PCM stereo audio stream. If you want to create a surround soundtrack for your DVD while avoiding the limitations of Dolby AC3 audio, DTS’s clever High Resolution format has a lot to offer.
