Please add support for DTS for the Sonos Playbar.


Userlevel 2
A hifi homecinema soundbar without dts support seems not up to date for me. Are there any plans to add dts support?

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1190 replies

Userlevel 3
Are there any TVs that support DTS? If so, I'm with you. My 3 TVs decode Dolby only.
Userlevel 2
There are no TVs on the market that support DTS I'm aware of. Nonetheless think of linking a BD-player directly (or through a splitter) that either puts out Bitstream (DD or DTS) or only 2.0 PCM. Playbar not supporting DTS means no sound at all if source is a DTS track or switching to 2.0 PCM for everything in most cases. Furthermore, DTS can be included with a firmware update and licenses should not be too expensive.
Userlevel 4
Badge +2
I can't play any of my DTS DVDs/Blu-rays through playbar without this, please add
Userlevel 2
My point is: no "real" 5.1 without the addition of DTS. Don't get me wrong. I'm fully aware of what Sonos thought when developing the Playbar. And I still think it's a great product which I'm going to give an extended test tomorrow at my local dealer; eventually may leading me to buy it... BUT: As long as there is no support for DTS I think I'm not going to spend money on Play:3s as surround speakers. Nonetheless I'm pretty sure Sonos will add DTS sooner or later 'cause the current state leaves something to be desired. 🙂 PS. Even though you won't get Dolby HD, DTS HD or all those fency stuff, because it's not possible via the optical out, you will get the core Dolby/DTS track no matter what. HD means essentially nothing more than adding some "new" features to the de-/encoder (except for bitrate etc.). But there will always be legacy support for the core features in every stream so output is possible and 9 out of 10 won't even hear a difference.
Userlevel 4
Badge +2
I question whether the SUB is even worthwhile without DTS support. If you're not getting a discrete 5.1 feed, you've lost the LFE channel. The PLAYBAR creates enough bass without the SUB and, with no LFE channel present, it may be overkill. Even my wife can clearly hear the difference between true 5.1 and upmixed 2.0
Userlevel 1
I had the Playbar home for a test, and found the lack of DTS to be a deal breaker. My TV (Panasonic VT50) is able to send DTS when you use it to play from a NAS, and 95% of the movies I've ripped only have the DTS track left on them. I never thought this would end up being a problem, as 14 years ago when I bought my first surround receiver, it had DTS support. I will definitely buy the Playbar + the sub if DTS is added.
Userlevel 1
Yes, there are. My Samsung is passing through the DTS but to no use as the Playbar is keeping quiet 😞
Userlevel 2
That's interesting! Could you tell me the model? Thanks!
I got the playbar this week and am unable to listen to most of my BluRay's due to this issue!
Userlevel 1
And which Input? Just TV - i think. HDMI Input probably not and whats about the Samsung Smart Hub App Plex?
Userlevel 1
I own a Samsung D8000 model which sends DTS to the optical output. I have no TV channels with DTS audio tracks but the BlueRay rips with DTS sound won't play. (Haven't tested DTS from HDMI only rips played with Plex) BR
Userlevel 1
Ok, so movies streamed with the Samsung Plex App will have the DTS signal on the optimcal audio out of the Samsung TV? Is that so? I wasn't sure about that, but if this is the case the sonos playbar would be great for me too - but only if DTS is supported...
Userlevel 1
That's right. In fact, the DTS is sent to optical even with any other DLNA server. (I have a Synology NAS with it's own media server). Tested on a video file with both DolbyDigital and DTS sound. I can choose the audio format from the TV menu and the sound is awsome with DD but with DTS is nothing coming from the playbar.. mute..:(.. I interpret this as the DTS is sent to the optical output but the playbar is unable to decode it. With tracks with only DTS I have the choice (from the TV menu) to convert them to PCM which is of course a bad choice for movies...
Userlevel 1
As I own also a Synology NAS it's on the one hand good news to know that DTS and DolbyDigital are supported by the optical output of Samsung/Plex. On the other hand it's a pity that DTS is not supported by the Sonos playbar. I hope that will change in the near future and I'm the next to buy a playbar.
Userlevel 1
Will buy a playbar not before DTS is supported!
I was at a demonstration night in Stockholm last week and it came up that the Sonos Playbar does not play DTS audio. I have a PC hooked up to my TV and play all my DivX, MPEG and MKV movies from there, as well as BluRay and DVD discs via internal optical unit. Some of my hardrive-based movies have both Dolby Digital soundtrack and DTS soundtrack but around 40-45% of them have only the DTS soundtrack. This is a problem for me, I love the quality of the soundbar, and was hoping to buy not only the soundbar, but also the woofer and the Play:3 surround speakers. The price segment is enticing. But with almost half of my current movies only sporting DTS audio, I just can not bring myself to buy the Sonos Playbar. Now instead I have to consider buying the Bowers & Wilkins soundbar, which while very effective, to me is quite ugly compared to the Sonos Playbar. Not to mention almost twice as expensive. But the B & W does play DTS. I spoke to most of the other around 25 people there on that demo night and all but 2 people expressed concern about the lack of DTS support and that it would impact their decision heavily. I will wait a few weeks before deciding and I will keep a lookout for news about Sonos promising DTS support via Firmware upgrade. If I don't hear anything from them I will lose interest in Sonos as a company and stick with brands I know.
Userlevel 1
Another vote for adding DTS support for the Playbar. I just bought one and am quite disappointed... (yep, I too have many Blu-rays and MKVs.)
I too would like to hook up my Playbar (plus 2x Play 3 units) directly to my BluRay player in order to get the 5.1 surround sound, as what comes out of my TV is 2.1. But many disks I have are DTS only. I just watched Inception, which has DTS on the English audio track and Dolby 5.1 on the foreign audio tracks. The quality of the 2.1 surround sound I got with the optical cable hooked up to my TV was not nearly as good as the 5.1 I got when it went straight to the BluRay player. Unfortunately if I watch in English the audio feed is DTS, which the Playbar can't decode.
Userlevel 1
Adding my voice to the call for DTS support. I have a soundbar plus sub and they sound great for both movies and music. But my only gripe is that I can watch a DVD with full DD5.1 audio output, but when I watch a blu-ray I have to downmix the audio output from DTS to PCM 2 channel stereo. So for higher quality video I am missing the discrete sound channels higher quality audio provides.
I really, really want to buy one of these to complete my multiroom set up and was eagerly awaiting the launch but sadly I am now in 2 minds because of the lack of DTS capability. I am a technophobe and don't really get it so can someone tell me if DTS can be added by an online upload to the Operating system or, if I buy now, I will have to replace when DTS becomes available .... advice will be appreciated
DTS support for me too please.
DTS support is critical to the success of Playbar Count my vote
No DTS - no great success
Userlevel 1
Yes, this is true, playbar doesnot play DTS, but is there not ability to change software inside machine? I am not very good with software, but many peoples can fix such things with great creativity and skill. I learned about the non-DTS support of the playbar, but had not thought about the problems with MKVs and bluerays. that many of these only come with DTS. Thanks you for pointing this out, girl above, but this thought has got me now worried instead. I want the super nice noise that the playbar can make, i have hear this machine and it is GREAT! Especially with play3 also. And base box for those who have the moneys. I want to buy this playbar, because I can afford it, but I don't want no noise or just stereo 2.0 when playing DTS movies. 😕 Please, someone, help me and us. Can we change software in machine?
Userlevel 2
Badge +4
Playbar is excellent in all areas except, DTS! Its spot on with SkyHD, optical output to the Sky HD gives My Samsung TV sound that it desperately needed, but as most blu-ray content is outputting DTS its a shame its missing from the PlayBar. Needs adding to the supported formats.