DTS Express

Type of format	Lossy audio format
First released	2006?
Developer	DTS, Inc.
Compression Type	CBR
Bitrate	256 kbps
Channels	5.1
Bits	16-24
Sample	48 KHz
Filename extension	.dts
Open Format?	?
Free Format?	?
Magic Number	dX

DTS Express is a compressed digital audio format that supports 5.1-channel audio and allows a higher compression rate than the DTS Digital Surround format developed by DTS, Inc. 

DTS Express is very similar to Dolby Digital Plus. It aims to deliver high-quality audio with low overhead (low bitrate). It's used for secondary audio tracks on Blu-ray discs and rarely BD-Live content. Its constant bitrate can be as low as 48 kbps, and the maximum can go up to 256 kbps. The low bitrates are necessary for quick access and loading times.

DTS Express and DTS Audio files uses the same .dts file extension name, but use different magic numbers. DTS Express's magic number is 64 58 "dX"

Outside of Blu-ray it is commonly used for audio streaming over the internet. 

Sources

• Original research (looked inside T2: Skynet Edition's DTS audio files from it's PiP feature)
  
• DTS Digital Surround White Paper - 1999: http://www.mp3-tech.org/programmer/docs/dts_whitepaper.pdf

Author(s) : Æ Firestone