Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

DTS:X finally gets major streaming support starting with Disney+

Simon Cohen
By
Queen Rock Montreal streaming in IMAX Enhanced with DTS:X on Disney+.
Disney+

In the world of spatial audio for streaming services, Dolby Atmos has enjoyed a near monopoly for years. Starting May 15, however, that will start to change as Disney+ rolls out support for DTS:X, the biggest spatial audio alternative to Dolby Atmos. Among the first titles to be presented in DTS:X will be Queen Rock Montreal, a remastered version of the concert film that was assembled from footage shot on November 24 and 25, 1981.

The change is coming thanks to Disney’s collection of IMAX Enhanced titles. In the past, viewers of IMAX Enhanced movies like Avengers: Infinity War were able to enjoy the visual side of IMAX’s presentation format: select scenes that are viewable in a 1.90:1 ratio thatalmost totally eliminate horizontal black bars when viewed on a standard 16:9 ratio TV.

Recommended Videos

However, there’s always been an audio component to IMAX Enhanced — the use of DTS:X to create a 3D, immersive soundtrack. Disney originally said it was going to add support for DTS:X on IMAX Enhanced titles in 2023, but that didn’t quite pan out.

Related

Along with Queen Rock Montreal, Disney+ also has a catalog of 18 Marvel movies available in IMAX Enhanced, including Avengers: Endgame, Black Panther, Captain America: Civil War, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Vol. 3.

We’re excited to see a streaming alternative to Dolby Atmos, and we hope other streaming services will follow Disney’s lead, however, actually getting to hear IMAX Enhanced in DTS:X (much like being able to hear Atmos) will require the right gear.

A lot of folks already own a sound system that supports DTS:X. AV receivers from brands like Marantz, Pioneer, Denon, Sony, and Yamaha usually include DTS:X processing, as do select soundbars from Vizio, Sony, Nakamichi, Denon, and Sennheiser, to name a few.

But having a DTS:X sound system is only half the battle. You’ll also need a streaming media player that can passthrough DTS:X to that sound system (if the sound system has its own HDMI input), and/or a TV that can decode or passthrough DTS:X.

Unfortunately, this is where we don’t yet see widespread support for DTS:X. On streaming devices, passthrough support is rare — you won’t find it on Apple TV, Google’s Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, or Roku. About the only devices we’re aware of that do support it are Nvidia’s Shield TV 2019 and Shield TV Pro.

However, Xperi (parent company to both DTS and IMAX) says that there are DTS:X enabled Android/Google TV devices from Sony, Hisense, Sharp, and Xiaomi that will be able to decode and play these IMAX Enhanced streams.

Editor’s note: the first version of this article stated that the new IMAX Enhanced titles would be available April 15. This has been corrected.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
Get $350 off this massive 85-inch Samsung QLED 4K TV
The Samsung Q60B QLED Smart TV sits on a media cabinet in a living room.

For those who are wondering how far your money will take you when it comes to QLED TV deals, here's a great example of an offer that will maximize your budget -- the 85-inch Samsung Q60C QLED 4K TV for a relatively affordable $1,250 from Best Buy, following a $350 discount on its original price of $1,600. We're not sure when its price returns to normal, but we expect that to happen soon. If you don't want to miss out on the savings, you're going to have to proceed with your purchase as soon as you can.

Why you should buy the 85-inch Samsung Q60C QLED 4K TV
The Samsung Q60C QLED 4K TV uses QLED technology on its 85-inch screen, which adds a layer of quantum dots for the ability to display more colors with better accuracy and brightness. With 4K Ultra HD resolution and support for quantum HDR, you'll be getting sharp details and impressive picture quality when you're watching any type of content, including all of the popular streaming shows. You'll be able to access all of the streaming services through Samsung's Tizen platform, which also enables the Samsung Gaming Hub that will let you stream your favorite games right onto the Samsung Q60C QLED 4K TV without the need for any console.

Read more
Why pause ads in YouTube aren’t the end of the world
A pause ad on a video on Peacock.

A pause ad seen on the Peacock streaming service that doesn't appear until you stop the video. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

There’s been a bit of teeth-gnashing this week after Google — a company that makes its money off advertising — dared to talk about advertising in public.

Read more
How to watch Apple TV+ on your Chromecast
The Cast selections on the Chrome browser for playing Apple TV+ on Chromecast.

So you're a fan of excellent Apple TV+ shows such as Severance, Ted Lasso, Palm Royale, and Silo, but on the hardware side of things, you're more of a Chromecast or Google TV kinda guy, and that's fine.

Whether you have a Chromecast dongle device, such as a Chromecast or Chromecast Ultra, or even the newer Chromecast with Google TV, or perhaps you have a smart TV or projector with Google TV or Chromecast built-in, rest assured you can watch all your Apple TV+ movies and shows without having to get an Apple TV set-top box. Here’s what you need and what to do!

Read more