What is the difference between Dolby Pro Logic 5.1 and DTS?

Question

I have Dolby Pro Logic 5.1 surround on my A/V receiver but not DTS. What's the difference? Will I really notice that big of an improvement if I upgrade to a receiver with DTS?

Answer 1

Very simply. There are two companies Dolby and DTS. Both of these companies have two types of surround:



Dolby has:

1) Dolby Digital (DD): This is a TRUE 5.1 digital audio format that is found in most DVDs as the primary audio data. You need a DVD player with a Digital Coaxial or Optical output (or HDMI but lets not go there for now) to READ this data (and thats why they use the Dolby Digital and DTS logos in the front). The DVD Player will READ the data but usually not decode it (you need to have one of them Home Theater in a Box, which is a player and decoder). So you connect the digital coaxial or optical to your home theater receiver (which is usually 5.1 capable) and decodes Dolby Digital and DTS.



2) Dolby ProLogic, ProLogic II, ProLogic IIx: There are like programs found in receivers which will PROCESS (not decode, they use the term decode but really whats it decoding its just a stereo signal) an analog signal from any source (TV, DVD etc) and make it "appear" as 5.1 sound. You really are not getting true 5.1 discrete sound if you are using Red and White Composite cables and running ProLogic.



DTS has:

1) DTS/DTS ES: This is usually the secondary audio track on a DVD, not all DVDs carry it. If your DVD carries it you should check out the DD and DTS track to see the difference for yourself. Like some have said before DTS sounds better. Again same stuff is required to get DTS signal passthrough from your DVD player (digi coax or optical) and a receiver thats capable of DECODING the signal.



2) DTS Neo: This is the DTS company's version of ProLogic.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

What is the difference between Dolby Pro Logic 5.1 and DTS?

I have Dolby Pro Logic 5.1 surround on my A/V receiver but not DTS. What's the difference? Will I really notice that big of an improvement if I upgrade to a receiver with DTS?

Answer 3

I'm a little confused.



Dolby Pro logic is an analog format and the best out there is Pro Logic II. If you have a discrete LFE format, you indicated this with the .1 of 5.1 this says you have Dolby Digital. Is this correct?



If it isn't you need to get a DVD player with DD and DTS that has discrete channels of output and connect to your receiver with 3 sets of audio patch cables. This will enable you to get both by using the DVD player as the Surround sound decoder. Note: you don't have DTS on your receiver so to get it you must bypass the audio processor and use the DVD so no optical or coax/pcm cables!



If you do have DD and not DTS you could use the Hook up above to improve sound quality. This is highly subjective, if you have big powerful speakers, floor or bookshelf, then yes the specs of DTS mean you could have the potential for better sound. But its in how the system is balanced, the content and your own tastes.



As far a specs go DTS has less compression and a high sampling rate when encoded. DTS has stricter standards than Dolby when mixing the surround channels.



DTS is less common since it takes up more disk space and studios want to pack as much sales content on the disk so they sacrifice sound quality, this is the same reason you don't see much content in 6.1 or 7.1 on regular DVDs anymore.



Do I think DTS is better, yes so far with the content and setup I have, but other could just as easily say the opposite. I do like the ability to choose formats.



I think Bose did more to ruin sound quality for every other manufacture when they decided to pull the DTS prototype, it couldn't meet the DTS specs and to say DD was better, remember B.ring O.ther S.ound E.quipment. DTS is experimenting with a 10.2 surround format and the people I have talked to say it is awesome sounding. However there are no plans from any studio to adopt this format, remember disk space!



Display what model receiver you have and I can tell better what you can do to improve its performance and hook up.

Answer 4

they are 2 different surround formats DTS is not as popular as Dolby Digital but when you have a DVD that is recorded in DTS you should try it I think it sounds better. If you do upgrade to a DTS compatable reciever you should go to a 6.1 DTSES receiver to get the most out of it at that you will also have dolby digital EX as well plus the center rear speaker to fill in additional sound

Answer 5

Yes you will notice a big difference if you upgrade from Dolby Prologic A/V receiver to a Dolby Digital / DTS A/V receiver.



DTS and Dolby Digital are equivalent formats so difference between them will be minimal but they are both better than Dolby Prologic.



You must know that Dolby Prologic will be 100% effective only when using Dolby Surround / Dolby Digital signals. When you see this logos (in video games, TV programming or DVD discs):



Dolby Surround

http://www.commentcamarche.net/audio/images/dolby-surround.png



Dolby Digital

http://www.big5.tomshardware.com/NewsImages/2002/0000803/logo_dolby_digital.jpg



Dolby Digital soundtracks found on most DVDs also carry the Dolby Surround soundtrack so when you put a Dolby Digital disc in your DVD player, your Dolby Prologic receiver will understand only the Dolby Surround soundtrack (But you will no hear true Dolby Digital Surround Sound)



For Dolby Surround the sound is coded into two normal ANALOG stereo tracks. Then your Dolby Prologic reciver decodes the stereo signal into four channels (Front L, Front R, Center and Rear) and then sends signals to each speaker (Front L, Front R, Center, Rear L and Rear R). But rear signal is the same monophonic signal for both rear speakers and it have limited frecuency range (so deep bass will never come out from these speakers).



For DTS and Dolby Digital soundtracks the surround sound is recorded into 5 full frecuency range separated DIGITAL audio channels and 1 additional LFE channel (low frecuency effects) to carry only deep bass effects. And you will need to use a Dolby Digital / DTS compatible AV receiver and use digital signal connection cables to decode this formats.



You must understand too that Dolby and DTS are manufacturers brands and they have competing equivalent surround formats:



"Dolby Prologic" and "DTS Neo" are equivalent competing formats to decode analog stereo soundtracks.



"Dolby Digital" and "DTS" are equivalent competing formats to decode 5.1 digital soundtracks.



"Dolby Digital EX" and "DTS ES" are equivalent competing formats to decode 6.1 digital soundtracks.

Answer 6

What Is Pro Logic