The Meaning of DTS: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of DTS? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the abbreviation DTS, including its definition, usage, examples, and more!

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What does the abbreviation DTS stand for?

According to WebMD and Lifewire, the term DTS stands for either delirium tremens or digital theater systems.

Digital Theater Systems is a home theater company that was founded in 1993 as a competitor to Dolby Labs and Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD/Dolby Digital Ex during the development of surround sound audio encoding, decoding, and processing technology for cinema and home theater applications. This company was first used on the release of Jurassic Park, as both a theatrical movie release that employed DTS audio surround sound technology and the first home theater application on LaserDisc and DVD. This and Dolby Digital are both sound formats. There are many formats within DTS, including DTS 96/24 which means 24-bit samples of the audio wave taken at 96 kHz rather than 16-bit samples at 48 kHz while older DTS receivers output a 48 kHz signal, DTS-ED Matrix, DTS Decoder, DTS-ES Discrete, GTS-ES Matrix, DTS-HD High Res Audio, DTS Neo:6, DTS Play-Fi, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS HD-Master Audio, DTS Neo:X, and DTS:X.  DTS encodes the audio as five primary or “full-range” channels and a special LFE or low-frequency effects channel for the subwoofer in the sound system configuration. The DTS format has a non-matrixed center-surround channel and two rear-center speakers play in mono. This system uses 5 discrete channels on CD-ROMs or compact discs. It is based on the adaptive differential pulse-code modulation (ADPCM) audio data compression algorithm. This codec and DTS time code can be used in the bitstream of different Blu-Ray Disc players, speaker locations, video games in digital formats, stereo sources in a hemispherical layout, or a theater soundtrack in movie theaters, and more for good audio resolution. They use different cables such as HDMI to feed the sound track and dedicated channel out of the speakers or DTS headphones.

Delirium tremens is also called DTs or alcohol withdrawal delirium (AWD), and this is a severe type of withdrawal from alcohol. This usually happens with a heavy drinker or frequent drinker, and starts about 2 to 3 days after someone who is dependent on alcohol ends a long drinking binge or period of heavy drinking. These symptoms may last for 203 days or as long as a week, and DTs can cause heart attack, stroke, extreme high blood pressure, tremors, severe excitability, sepsis, irregular heartbeat, trouble breathing, seizures, nutritional deficiencies like low vitamins and minerals, an electrolyte imbalance, and death. Usually, doctors might test the following:

  •  Blood magnesium level
  •  Metabolic panel
  •  Lumbar puncture test to examine spinal cord fluid
  •  Electroencephalogram (EEG) to test brain activity
  •  MRI to look for signs of seizures or head injury
  •  Blood potassium level
  •  Toxicology screen (blood or urine)

If they determine you have DTs after a physical exam at a medical facility under supervision, they may prescribe benzodiazepines like diazepam, lorazepam, chlordiazepoxide, and oxazepam or CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy.) Complications after having a last drink can lead to this diagnosis. Alcohol is a depressant and can create withdrawals similar to other medications. If you have heavy alcohol use, alcohol dependence, history of alcohol withdrawal or alcohol use disorder DTs is a risk with detoxification. The symptoms are below:

  •  Fever
  •  Rapid heartbeat or heart rate
  •  Excitability or anger
  •  Heavy sweating
  •  Chest pain
  •  Pale skin
  •  Sensitivity to light, sound, and touch
  •  Anxiety
  •  Passing out
  •  Hallucinations
  •  High blood pressure
  •  Severe hyperactivity
  •  Problems with eye muscle and movement
  •  Deep sleep that lasts for a day or longer
  •  Other tremors, including muscle tremors
  •  Getting startled more easily
  •  Nightmares
  •  Nausea or vomiting
  •  Confusion
  •  Tremors or shaking hands and feet
  •  Sleepiness, stupor, or fatigue
  •  Dehydration
  •  Seizures

According to The Free Dictionary, the acronym DTS can stand for much more than just digital theater sound and delirium tremens. These other definitions are perfectly valid, but they are far less common. Because of this, you should use them sparingly. If you do decide to use one of these other definitions for this acronym, make sure that the listener or reader has the proper context so that they are not confused. When in doubt, use the full meaning or full form of the shorthand DTS, especially in real life. A brief explanation of each meaning is below. 

  •  Digital Test Station
  •  Digital Terrain System
  •  Digital Termination Service
  •  Defect Tracking System
  •  District Training Seminar
  •  Date Training Starts
  •  Distribution de Temps de Séjour (French: Distribution of Residence Time)
  •  Dragon Tooth Sword (gaming, Deus Ex)
  •  Departmental Telecommunications System (US State Department)
  •  Dead Theologians Society
  •  Drug Treatment Service (various organizations)
  •  Diplôme de Technicien Supérieur (French: Higher Technical Diploma)
  •  Data Transfer Solutions (various companies)
  •  Differential Temperature Switch
  •  Diplomatic Telecommunications System
  •  Data Terminal Set
  •  Distributed Traffic Shaping
  •  Downthesun (band)
  •  Digital Thermal Sensor (computing)
  •  Desk Top Support
  •  Deeside Transport System (UK)
  •  Deployable Transit-Cased System
  •  Difference of Two Squares
  •  Data Transmission Subsystem
  •  Down to Snuggle
  •  Dynamic Type Switching
  •  Digital Trunk Signaling
  •  Descriptive Translation Studies
  •  Deville Touring Sedan
  •  Disciple Training School
  •  Data Transfer System
  •  Drama and Theatre Studies (various universities)
  •  Date Time Stamp
  •  Development Tracking System
  •  Desert Tiger Stripe (camouflage)
  •  Dynamic Transport System (Optical Networks, Inc.)
  •  Department of Training Services
  •  Digital Surround
  •  Developer Technical Services
  •  Dispatch Table Search
  •  Deville Touring Sedan (Cadillac)
  •  Document Tracking System
  •  Division of Technical Services
  •  Date Time Satisfied
  •  Disaster Tolerant Solutions
  •  Down the Shore (New Jersey slang)
  •  Data Transfer Switchboard
  •  Debug Trace Store
  •  Doctor of Theological Studies
  •  Drivetrain and Suspension (vehicles)
  •  Distributed Time Service
  •  Decoding Time Stamp
  •  Deemed to Satisfy (building codes)
  •  Drogowa Trasa Srednicowa (Poland expressway)
  •  Data Transformation Services
  •  Data Transfer Standard
  •  Dimension Technology Solutions, Inc. (various locations)
  •  Dedicated Transmission Service
  •  Document Tracking Services (software)
  •  Default Transport Session (IEEE)
  •  Digital Termination System (telecom)
  •  Droits de Tirage Spéciaux (French: Special Drawing Rights)
  •  Digital Time Stamp
  •  Decoding Time Stamp (MPEG systems)
  •  Daily Time Sheet
  •  Digital Telecommunications System
  •  Danger to Self (psychiatry)
  •  Defense Telephone System
  •  Digital Test Subsystem
  •  Draft Technical Standard
  •  Dallas Theological Seminary
  •  Defense Transportation System
  •  Dispatcher Training Simulator
  •  Distributed Technology Support
  •  Drain the Swamp
  •  Definitive Telefax Standard
  •  Division of Traffic Safety (Illinois)
  •  Digital Tandem Switch
  •  Department of Technology Services
  •  Digital Transmission Surveillance System
  •  Defense Travel System
  •  Duplicate Tag Store
  •  Denied Terminating Service
  •  Direct To Site (deliveries)
  •  Désorientation Temporo-Spatiale (French: Temporo-Spatial Disorientation)
  •  Data Transport Standard
  •  Dual Training System
  •  Dimensionnement Techniques Spéciales (French: Dimensioning Special Techniques; architecture)
  •  Death to Smoochie (movie)
  •  Dispositivo Telefónico Para Sordos (Spanish)
  •  Digital Transmission Systems, Inc. (former stock symbol; now delisted)
  •  Digital Test Signal
  •  Director of Technical Services (various companies)
  •  Doumenc Thillard Services (French transportation company)
  •  Development Test Set
  •  Digital Theatre System
  •  Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
  •  Don’t Travel System
  •  Data to Send
  •  Digital Transmission System
  •  District Technology Services (various locations)
  •  Deliverables Tracking System
  •  Data Terminal Software (ViaSat)
  •  Digital Terminal Systems (Bellcore)
  •  Diplomatic Telecommunications Service
  •  Dopo I Tempi Supplementari (Italian: After Extra Time; soccer)
  •  Digital Transceiver System (digital avalanche transceiver)
  •  Desktop Technical Services
  •  Data Transformation Services (OLAP)
  •  Down to Smoke
  •  Daily Test Schedule
  •  Developer Technical Support
  •  Don’t Think So
  •  Decline to State (voter affiliation designation)
  •  Discrete Transition System (computer science)
  •  Danger to Shipping (obesity)
  •  Défenses Tactiques Spécialisées (French: Specialized Tactical Defense; Canada)
  •  Dock to Stock (shipping)
  •  Development Technical Support (various organizations)
  •  Deliverable Tracking System
  •  Display Test Station
  •  Downtown Superior Court (California)
  •  Direct-To-Sailor (US Navy)
  •  Distributed Traffic Shaping (Cisco)
  •  Distributed Temperature Sensors
  •  Deficiency Tracking System
  •  Digital Test Stand
  •  Data Technology Solutions (Breaux Bridge, LA)
  •  Data Transfer Service

Overall, the term DTS stands for a family of digital audio channel formats and major formats called digital theater systems or alcohol withdrawal symptoms called delirium tremens.

Sources:

  1. What Does DTS Mean in Home Theater Audio? | Lifewire 
  2. Delirium Tremens (DTs): Causes, Symptoms, Treatment | WebMD 
  3. DTS – What does DTS stand for? | The Free Dictionary