how to add/open .dts file in iTunes

Question

G&#x27;day, I&#x27;m having a problem trying to add a separate .dts file (it&#x27;s a foreign language dub for a movie) to iTunes. Allegedly, iTunes is capable of playing DTS streams, but when I drop the file onto a playlist window, precisely nothing happens. Same story if I use File/Add file menu item. Only 2-3 more people on the Internet encountered similar problem:https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2125767http://www.macworld.com/article/38336/2004/08/000296.html... which makes me think that everyone else hasn&#x27;t got any issues. Does anyone actually know how to play DTS via iTunes? I&#x27;ll be redirecting stream to DTS decoder thru AirPort Express, i.e. I need all 6 channels... conversion to mp3/aac won&#x27;t help, I guess.Here&#x27;s the file info:Format                           : DTSFormat/Info                      : Digital Theater SystemsFile size                        : 1.79 GiBDuration                         : 2h 49mnOverall bit rate                 : 1 510 KbpsAudioFormat                           : DTSFormat/Info                      : Digital Theater SystemsDuration                         : 2h 49mnBit rate mode                    : ConstantBit rate                         : 1 510 KbpsChannel(s)                       : 6 channelsChannel positions                : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFESampling rate                    : 48.0 KHzBit depth                        : 24 bitsCompression mode                 : LossyStream size                      : 1.79 GiB (100%)Exactly the same problem with an .ac3 file.. Thanks in advance.

Brian Williams2 · Answer

I too am having this issue; but first, I noticed in a now-locked discussion that someone wrote that iTunes does not support DTS. This is incorrect. iTunes handles DTS files quite well, and many of us have many DTS sound files in our iTunes libraries, and play them either 1) through the optical port on our computers, or 2) through our Airport Expresses. Granted the optical output of those two routes must be connected to capable ports in a sound system that can detect and decode DTS data. It works. I have been enjoying it for more than a decade. And a note to the fellow who &#x27;suspects&#x27; that Apple TV would also pass DTS – no it doesn&#x27;t. That point is one of my significant complaints about the ATV – an inexplicable shortcoming, given that the Airport Express has long had the capability.Now back to this particular question, which is similar to my current challenge. I have successfully extracted the DTS audio track from a concert DVD. How do I know I have been successful? VLC plays the file out the digital port of my MacPro into my sound system, which, in its display, identifies the encoding of the file. It is DTS, and sounds wonderful, naturally. How does one play the file to the digital port? In VLC, under the Audio menu, one finds, at the bottom, Audio Device, which leads to more choices. The only choice that will forward the pure DTS to the sound system is Built-in Digital Output (Encoded Output). VLC doesn&#x27;t encode to DTS, it just doesn&#x27;t decode by choosing this output device. So, what is the problem? iTunes will not accept nor import this file into its library. Obviously, there is more to the file than the song data and the file extension. I have tried the extensions that I have found on my existing DTS library entries (.wav and .aif). VLC seems to recognize the file for what it is regardless of the extension. Obviously, the file is somehow encapsulated, so I need to find a way to change the encapsulation to make it acceptable to iTunes. I&#x27;ve tried to have VLC export to .m4v, but that hasn&#x27;t been successful.I am looking for solutions / suggestions. Regards to all,  BrianI just noticed  that this original report is filed in iTune for Windows. I am Mac all the way, but I am gong to leave this here.