DTS is positioning its DTS:X object- based surround technology as a flexible alternative to Dolby Atmos.
DTS:X delivers an immersive effect “across the whole gamut of speaker configurations,” said Dave Casey, DTS’s senior director of product development. DTS:X is also more forgiving of speaker placement than other surround formats.
DTS “worked with manufacturers to make sure the first implementations include pre-selected [speaker] layouts which overlap with familiar layouts,” a spokesperson added. Familiar layouts include 5.1 layouts without height speakers. “We don’t require elevation speakers,” DTS chairman/CEO Jon Kirchner told TWICE. “We can render height virtually.” It will be the manufacturer’s decision, however, to support traditional 5.1-speaker layouts, he noted. Sound systems with 2.1 speakers are also supported.