DTS, who are now a wholly owned subsidiary of Xperi Corporation have announced the DTS:X Creator Suite, hot on the heels of the Avid Dolby Atmos integration and the new Dolby Atmos Suites. The DTS:X Creator Suite is designed to enable users to mix and deliver immersive, interactive, object-based DTS audio content to a wide variety of media formats and services. DTS claim that unlike other immersive, object-based production tools, the DTS:X Creator Suite is a software solution with no extraneous hardware requirements. The following tools are included in this release of DTS:X Creator Suite....

• MDA Tools (MDA Creator/Bus, MDA Admin/Control)
  • The MDA Tools create object-based, immersive content for Digital Cinema and home. The tools are built around MDA Creator, a software plug-in for object-based mixing in Pro Tools, and provide a highly efficient and flexible solution for modern professional content production needs. MDA Tools feature full DTS:X ecosystem support and are based on MDA, a royalty- free, open standard audio technology.
• DTS:X Encoder Tool
  • The DTS:X Encoder enables Digital Media content professionals to create legacy DTS-HD and next-generation DTS:X Master Audio bit streams for Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray and other Digital Media formats. Providing support for up to 11.1 channel- based and object-based encodes, immersive DTS:X content can be created from a variety of audio source files including PCM WAV, Broadcast WAV, AIF/AIFF or M2X files.
• DTS:X Bitstream Tools
  • DTS:X Bitstream Tools is a collection of file editing and verification tools that enable content professionals to edit or verify previously encoded DTS:X, DTS-HD, MDA and M2X files without the need for an additional encode or export pass.
• DTS:X MediaPlayer
  • DTS:X MediaPlayer enables Digital Media content professionals the ability to QC (quality control) DTS audio against video prior to final multiplexing, authoring or packaging. The product supports various files types and video formats with controls and settings required to complete this critical step in the Digital Media content creation process. DTS:X MediaPlayer is the only commercial software tool in the market currently that can play DTS:X audio against video.
• DTS Headphone:X Monitor – Home Video
  • DTS Headphone:X Monitor – Home Video is a plug-in used with Digital Audio Workstations to assist in the creation of immersive audio content. This tool can be used to create immersive mixes when no height channel speakers are present. This is particularly useful when creating DME (dialogue, music, effects) mixes in smaller editing bays. This tool, when used with a Digital Audio Workstation, can also be used to create a stereo PCM WAV DTS Headphone:X track suitable for encoding for Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray or other home video delivery formats.

Bill Neighbors, general manager of cinema, digital media and streaming solutions at Xperi. explains...

The DTS:X Creator Suite is a comprehensive software solution that will provide professional content creators the latest tools to create and deliver compelling immersive audio experiences. DTS is committed to providing professionals with the tools that meet their high standards, and with the DTS:X Creator Suite, we are able to ensure the production workflow is efficient, reliable and consistent.

The DTS:X Creator Suite retails for $3,995 and will be available in late May 2017. If you cannot wait till then, the DTS:X Creator Suite is being demonstrated by appointment at NAB in Las Vegas, April 24-27 2017.