Does YouTube support proper output of DTS encoded files?

Question

Also, if not, does HTML5 or Flash support this?

DTS is an encoding technology to allow 5.1 sound to go over one SPDIF or Optical cable, as opposed to 6 separate analog cables.

Solution

The answer, from what I can gather, is no.

While you can get 5.1 sound from videos on YouTube, you are not actually sourcing 5.1 DTS data, or Dolby Digtal for the matter.

While Air3 supports DTS, Flash11 does not:

Multichannel audio is supported only on AIR for TV devices. On all other devices, hasMultiChannelAudio() always returns false.

The current solution that gives 5.1 output but doesn't actually source 5.1 input is up-conversion (Dolby Pro Logic II):

Flash Player on the desktop supports 2 channel audio. Does this mean you can offer users only stereo content? No, there is a popular option to support surround sound. ...Flash Player fully support formats that rely on source files with 2 channel audio, and then transform them to 5.1 (or up to 9.1) surround sound, such as Dolby Pro Logic II

HTML5 supports multichannel audio that includes 5.1, see the Web Audio API. I can't find anything indicating that HTML5 supports DTS (pass through or not). I also currently have no way to test it myself. If anyone else can shine some light on this matter I would be interested.

If you are having trouble getting 5.1 in browsers, the following references may be helpful:

The media format and the browser must be compatible (circa 2012). The experience of these forum users is a good example:

• WHAT WORKS IN 5.1 SURROUND

Games
Youtube.com in Firefox ONLY
ANY website with audio other than Youtube (All browsers)
Youtube embedded videos (on Facebook or anywhere else other than youtube.com proper)

• WHAT ONLY WORKS IN STEREO

Youtube.com in Chrome or Internet Explorer
All media players (iTunes, VLC, Windows Media Player, Winamp)
Clicking on a Youtube link from anywhere on the web switches Youtube from 5.1 to stereo on the new tab (if I go back to the embedded tab, it is still 5.1).

It may be worthy to note that your speaker setup apparently matters according the those same users:

I got everything fixed now.

First, I was VERY surprised when I tried your program, AIMP3 and it DID work in surround sound ! Only media player that was actually working.

But then, I plugged my new Z906 speakers and everything works in 5.1 now, everywhere. Chrome, IE, Games, Music, everything.

So, it was my old speakers.

Thank you again for your help !

If you are having trouble with Chrome you may try starting it with these command line parameters:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --disable-audio-output-resampler --try-supported-channel-layouts

Comments

[dtmland]

To the anonymous user who recently down-voted this answer, please provide feedback about how it can be improved.

[skm]

I have a Macbook and LG BH9540TW surround sound system. I am able to get 5.1 surround sound on some downloaded videos, which suggests that the speakers are properly configured and Macbook can provide 5.1 output to the LG system. But I tried youtube on Firefox, Chrome and Safari but there is no surround sound on the test videos. Could you please suggest how can I get 5.1 surround sound for Youtube?

[DavidC]

Remember to actually close Chrome to test the command line parameters: superuser.com/q/269385/624847

[Sawtaytoes]

While I can't find it anywhere, YouTube supports the HTML5 player now, and it's possible this has changed. From what I've seen though, YouTube takes surround audio and downmixes it to 2-channel.